Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Gordon Cooper Technology Center

A debt load around $7,400 positions this program favorably against Oklahoma's electrical training landscape, where similar certificates typically carry $7,125 in debt. The estimated first-year earnings of $38,716—drawn from national peer programs—would make that debt manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19, well within sustainable territory for a technical credential.

The challenge is that Oklahoma's electrical installer market appears cooler than the national picture. While national programs in this field produce median earnings of $38,716, Oklahoma-specific programs cluster closer to $30,000 annually. Gordon Cooper's estimates derive from that stronger national baseline, but your child would be working in a state where comparable programs at Tulsa Technology Center and Tulsa Welding School see graduates earning in the $29,000-$30,000 range. That's a meaningful gap that affects whether the investment pencils out as comfortably as the national figures suggest.

The practical upshot: even if actual outcomes fall closer to Oklahoma's lower earnings pattern, the modest debt load keeps this from becoming a problematic investment. A $30,000 salary with $7,400 in debt still works mathematically. But if your child has flexibility on location or program choice, it's worth comparing the specific job placement rates and starting wages Gordon Cooper delivers versus other electrical training options in the region.