Physical Science Technologies/Technicians at Lee College

Lee College's Physical Science Technologies program stands out dramatically in Texas: graduates earn nearly double the state median, placing this program in the 95th percentile statewide. First-year earnings of $95,000 tower over the typical $54,000 for this degree, and they climb to $105,000 by year four. This edge likely reflects Lee College's location in Baytown—part of the Houston petrochemical corridor—where technical roles in refineries and chemical plants command premium wages. Even compared to the next-best program at Kilgore College, Lee graduates earn $26,000 more annually.

The debt picture makes this exceptional value even clearer. At under $10,000, graduates borrow slightly less than the state median and owe just 10% of their first-year salary—paid off in roughly a year of earnings. For a community college serving a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (32%), this combination of low cost and high earnings creates genuine economic mobility.

The moderate sample size means individual cohort variations could shift these numbers somewhat, but the earnings advantage is too large to dismiss. For students willing to work in industrial technical roles—particularly those already in the Houston area—this program delivers associate's degree outcomes that rival many bachelor's programs at a fraction of the cost and time.