Ground Transportation at Fortis College-Cuyahoga Falls

This program's numbers demand careful scrutiny. While the debt load is manageable at $6,333—matching the state median and lower than the national benchmark—the earnings of $30,416 fall roughly $10,000 short of what similar programs deliver across Ohio. That's a significant gap when neighboring programs like Hamrick School ($47,287) and Warren County Career Center ($44,616) achieve earnings 50% higher. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21 looks reasonable on paper, but only because the debt is low; the underlying issue is that graduates aren't reaching industry-standard wages.

The 5th percentile national ranking is particularly stark, though the state ranking (25th percentile in Ohio) suggests some of the weakness might be regional. Still, with three-quarters of students receiving Pell grants, this population needs programs that maximize earning potential, not ones that underperform the state median by $10,500 annually. The small sample size means individual circumstances could skew these numbers, but parents shouldn't bank on that possibility.

Unless there are compelling reasons specific to Cuyahoga Falls—like guaranteed job placement or specialized employer connections—prospective students should compare offers from the higher-performing Ohio programs first. In ground transportation training, where skills are standardized and certifications matter most, the $17,000 earnings difference between this program and Ohio's top performers represents real money that compounds over a career.