Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology at Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain

Lincoln Technical Institute's electronics maintenance program graduates earn $48,608 in their first year—above the national median and matching Connecticut's standard for this field. The $18,610 in typical debt translates to a manageable 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates can realistically handle loan payments on an entry-level technician's salary. With 60% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves a largely working-class population who need training that leads directly to employment.

The concern here is the earnings trajectory: graduates see their income drop 16% by year four, from $48,608 to $40,973. This backward slide could reflect several realities in the electronics repair field—perhaps some graduates start in higher-paying industrial positions but move to lower-wage repair shops, or the market for certain specializations has weakened. It's also possible that early graduates benefited from different economic conditions than more recent cohorts.

For families weighing this investment, the first-year numbers look solid—you're getting trained for work that pays decently right away, and the debt burden won't be crushing. But the earnings decline means this probably isn't a path to steadily increasing wages over time. If your student is mechanically inclined and needs to start earning quickly, this delivers on that goal. Just understand you're paying for immediate employability rather than long-term wage growth.