Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Fayetteville Technical Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 suggests manageable borrowing—graduates of similar programs nationally would pay about three months of first-year wages toward their student loans. However, comparable electrical programs in North Carolina typically produce median earnings of $57,134, which would be nearly $13,000 more than what peer programs nationally suggest this credential delivers. Richmond Community College, for instance, reports actual first-year earnings above $73,000 for its electrical graduates. That gap raises an important question: is Fayetteville Tech's program preparing students for North Carolina's higher-paying electrical jobs, or are graduates landing in positions that mirror the lower national average?

The $12,000 in estimated debt aligns with what similar community college programs charge, and for a field where hands-on skills matter more than credentials, an associate's degree can open doors to union apprenticeships and utility company positions. But the variance within North Carolina is striking—from $40,000 to nearly $74,000 in first-year earnings at programs with actual data. Without knowing where Fayetteville Tech's graduates fall in that range, families should request placement rates and starting salary information directly from the program. The investment size is reasonable, but whether it leads to North Carolina's higher-paying electrical opportunities or something closer to the national average makes a substantial difference over a career.