Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Kankakee Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 suggests this automotive certificate could pay itself off relatively quickly, though both figures here come from broader comparisons—earnings from similar Illinois programs and debt from peer community college certificates nationwide. Based on those comparable programs, you're looking at roughly $41,400 in first-year earnings against an estimated $9,500 in debt, which pencils out better than many certificate programs.

What complicates the picture is that Illinois automotive programs show considerable variation. Rock Valley and Lincoln Land graduates reportedly earn in the low-to-mid $40,000s, while others fall into the low $30,000s. Without Kankakee's actual outcome data, you're making an educated guess that this program performs somewhere in that range. The estimated earnings do sit above the national median for automotive certificates ($35,900), which offers some reassurance, but neighboring programs demonstrate that location and curriculum quality matter significantly in this field.

The relatively modest estimated debt works in this program's favor—if accurate, it's below both state and national medians for automotive certificates. For families where a four-year degree isn't the right fit, this pathway could make financial sense, particularly given the consistent demand for skilled technicians. Just recognize you're betting on Kankakee producing outcomes similar to its Illinois peers without confirmation that it actually does.