Construction Engineering Technologies at Illinois Central College

Based on comparable construction engineering technology programs nationwide, graduates typically earn around $56,000 in their first year—solid income for an associate degree in a field with consistent demand. When you match that against an estimated $12,600 in debt, the financial picture looks manageable, with debt representing just 22% of first-year earnings. That's well below the concerning thresholds that make loan repayment difficult.

The caveat worth understanding: these figures come from peer programs nationally because Illinois Central's graduate sample is too small for the Department of Education to publish specific outcomes. With only five schools in Illinois offering this program and none reporting public data, you're working with less local information than you'd ideally want. Construction technology careers are often regionally specific, tied to local building codes and contractor networks, so actual outcomes could vary based on the East Peoria market and the school's connections with area employers.

The estimated debt level is low enough that even if earnings come in below the national typical range, repayment shouldn't create financial strain. For a student interested in hands-on construction work with technical responsibilities, this represents a relatively low-risk path into the field—assuming the program connects effectively to local job opportunities, which you'll need to verify directly with the school.