Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Kaskaskia College

Based on comparable automotive programs in Illinois, Kaskaskia's certificate appears positioned right at the state median for first-year earnings—around $41,400—with estimated debt of $9,500 that's notably lower than both state and national benchmarks. This 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could feasibly pay off their loans within a few months of work, making this a financially accessible entry into the trades. However, it's worth noting that other Illinois community colleges like Lincoln Land report actual earnings closer to $48,000 for their auto tech graduates, indicating there may be room for stronger outcomes depending on the program.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely with estimates—this program's actual graduate sample was too small for the Department of Education to publish outcomes. While the peer data from four Illinois programs suggests solid, middle-of-the-pack performance, you can't know for certain how Kaskaskia's specific graduates fare compared to programs at Rock Valley or Lincoln Land that do have verified outcomes. The automotive service field is highly dependent on local job markets and employer relationships, factors that estimates can't capture.

For a parent considering this investment, the estimated numbers look manageable—low debt for quick workforce entry. But before committing, contact Kaskaskia directly about graduate placement rates, employer partnerships, and whether they've tracked their own outcomes internally. The difference between $41,000 and $48,000 in starting pay matters significantly when you're entering a physically demanding field where long-term earning potential plateaus relatively early.