Construction Trades at Lake Land College

The $12,838 first-year earnings from Lake Land College's construction trades certificate raise immediate red flags—these graduates are earning less than half the $26,284 national median for similar programs. While the program ranks in the 60th percentile within Illinois, that's only because the state's construction certificate landscape appears exceptionally weak. Nationally, this program sits in just the 5th percentile, meaning 95% of comparable programs produce better-earning graduates. For context, construction trade workers typically earn far more than these numbers suggest, pointing to potential issues with graduates securing full-time skilled positions or completing the certification requirements employers expect.

The $5,500 debt load seems reasonable on paper, and the 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio would normally signal manageable repayment. But that calculation breaks down when annual earnings barely exceed $12,000—a figure below full-time minimum wage in many markets. At this income level, even modest debt becomes difficult to service while covering basic living expenses. The relatively high debt percentile (95th nationally, meaning only 5% of programs carry more debt) reinforces that students are borrowing more than typical for programs in this field.

For parents considering this certificate, the fundamental question is whether their student can secure skilled construction employment after graduation. The earnings data suggests many graduates aren't landing the journeyman-level positions that would justify even this short credential. Unless your student has clear employment connections or apprenticeship opportunities lined up, the investment looks questionable compared to entering the trades directly through employer-sponsored training.