Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Holmes Community College

In Mississippi's automotive training landscape, this program faces a crucial reality check. Based on national benchmarks, Holmes would estimate around $35,900 in first-year earnings—significantly above the $23,700 median for Mississippi automotive programs. But those state figures reflect actual outcomes, while Holmes's are projections from peer schools nationwide. The gap matters: if graduates actually earn closer to what similar Mississippi programs report, the financial picture darkens considerably.

The estimated $9,500 debt load looks manageable on paper, particularly against national automotive program norms. Similar Mississippi programs typically carry just $6,500 in debt, suggesting Holmes may be slightly more expensive than local alternatives. For a program serving a student body where 42% receive Pell grants, even this difference matters. The challenge is that we're comparing estimated debt to uncertain earnings in a state where automotive technicians often earn substantially less than the national median suggests.

What complicates this decision is the wide range of outcomes among Mississippi's automotive programs. East Mississippi Community College reports $31,800 in actual first-year earnings—close to Holmes's estimate—while Hinds reports just $15,500. Without knowing where Holmes's graduates actually land in that spectrum, you're essentially betting that a national average translates to Mississippi's job market. Given the state's documented lower earnings for this field, that's an optimistic assumption that deserves serious scrutiny before enrolling.