Ground Transportation at Highland Community College

A $5,500 debt load for a certificate program is manageable by almost any standard, but the bigger question is what it gets you. Similar ground transportation programs in Illinois suggest first-year earnings around $36,200—about $5,000 below the national median for this credential. That gap matters when top community college programs in the state like Elgin and Lincoln Land are producing graduates earning $50,000 or more right out of the gate. The debt-to-earnings ratio looks fine on paper, but you're potentially leaving real money on the table compared to stronger programs just an hour's drive away.

The concern isn't affordability—it's whether this particular program connects to the better-paying opportunities in Illinois' transportation sector. Programs producing sub-$25,000 outcomes exist in this field, so Highland appears to be middle-of-the-pack. But "middle-of-the-pack" means something different when peer institutions are demonstrating that $50,000 first-year salaries are achievable with the same credential type in the same state.

If Highland offers compelling advantages like location, schedule flexibility, or connections to specific employers your child wants to work for, the modest debt keeps risk low. But purely as an earnings investment, understand that comparable programs elsewhere in Illinois are producing substantially higher returns—and that's worth investigating before committing.