Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians at Lincoln Technical Institute-Iselin

Lincoln Technical Institute-Iselin's environmental control program produces graduates earning $34,220 in their first year—well below New Jersey's median of $40,778 for this field. That 25th percentile state ranking matters because the program's in-state competitors (including two sister campuses) are getting their graduates to $41,000 right away. The $6,500 gap represents a meaningful disadvantage when you're starting a technical career.

The financial structure is at least manageable: $14,381 in debt means graduates need about 42% of their first year's salary to cover what they borrowed, which is reasonable for a certificate program. And earnings do climb to $40,096 by year four—a 17% increase that eventually catches up to what other New Jersey programs deliver from day one. But that four-year wait to reach median starting pay is a real cost, especially when peer programs place graduates there immediately.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether there are compelling reasons to choose Iselin over the Union or Mahwah campuses, which show identical outcomes at higher starting salaries. If location or program timing creates an advantage, the gap narrows over time. But on pure economic terms, Lincoln's other New Jersey locations deliver better value in environmental control technology training.