Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Halifax Community College

The estimated $7,416 in debt here is notably lower than typical electrical installation programs, which nationally carry median debt of $9,500. However, the projected first-year earnings of $38,716—drawn from national peer programs—falls well short of what North Carolina graduates in this field typically earn. Nash Community College, just 30 miles away, reports actual outcomes of $52,474 for their graduates, nearly $14,000 more than what similar programs nationally produce.

That gap matters practically. Electrical work is skilled, physically demanding labor that commands solid wages in North Carolina's growing economy, but this program's debt-to-earnings ratio, while reasonable at 0.19, doesn't tell the full story when local competitors are producing substantially higher earners. The lower debt partially compensates for the earnings shortfall, but your child would still be starting their career considerably behind peers from nearby programs.

Given the availability of actual outcome data from Nash Community College showing significantly stronger earnings, you should investigate what drives that difference. It could be curriculum, industry connections, or simply that Halifax's small graduate cohort (hence the suppressed data) makes placement less predictable. Either way, with such a clear earnings advantage documented at a nearby alternative, this program needs to offer compelling reasons beyond the tuition savings to justify the choice.