Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Lincoln Technical Institute-Whitestone

In New York's electrical trades training landscape, Lincoln Technical Institute's program sits in an unusual position: its first-year earnings of $32,841 lag significantly behind the national median of $38,716, yet land above most other New York programs. Based on debt patterns at similar schools, graduates likely carry around $11,000—manageable for a certificate program, but meaningful when earnings start in the low thirties.

The concern here is trajectory. These trades typically reward experience with steady wage growth, but starting nearly $6,000 below what graduates earn nationally raises questions about whether this program connects students to the higher-paying electrical work or routes them toward lower-tier positions. That two-thirds of students receive Pell grants suggests many families are counting on strong returns to justify even modest debt.

The practical reality: this certificate costs less than many bachelor's degrees but produces earnings that barely crack $30,000 in year one. Compare that to the three-quarters of similar programs nationally where graduates earn $47,000 or more, and the value proposition becomes murky. If your child can access programs that place graduates into better-paying electrical work—even if it means looking beyond New York—the earnings difference could easily justify that choice within the first few years of employment.