Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians at Erie Community College

Erie Community College's electromechanical program shows troublingly low earnings despite minimal debt—graduates earn just $29,929 their first year, placing this in the bottom 5% nationally for the field. That's barely half the national median of $50,674 for similar programs. While the $5,677 in debt is manageable, earning under $30,000 with a technical credential raises questions about job placement quality or whether graduates are finding work in their field at all.

The state comparison offers little reassurance: this program sits at the 60th percentile among New York's eight offerings, but that's largely because electromechanical programs statewide appear to underperform dramatically compared to the rest of the country. Being middle-of-the-pack in a weak state market doesn't fix the fundamental issue. The very small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, but even accounting for statistical noise, the gap between these earnings and national norms is too wide to ignore.

For parents, the low debt load shouldn't obscure the central problem: starting at $30,000 makes this a questionable investment compared to other technical training options, even certificate programs. If your child is set on electromechanical work, look at programs in neighboring states where graduates actually approach industry-standard wages. The debt won't burden them, but years of suppressed earnings will.