Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians at Lone Star College System

First-year earnings of $36,567 place this program well below what industrial production programs typically deliver—it ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally and 25th percentile within Texas, where the state median sits at $50,526. Texas State Technical College, for comparison, reports graduates earning $64,485. That's a significant gap that should concern parents considering this investment, even as earnings do climb to $50,347 by year four.

The debt picture offers some relief. Based on national patterns for similar programs, graduates likely carry around $12,000—less than both the state and national medians for this field and manageable relative to first-year income. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, repayment shouldn't overwhelm budgets, particularly as that 38% earnings growth kicks in. Still, the initial earning disadvantage means graduates start behind their peers at other Texas schools, and it's unclear whether they ever fully catch up.

For parents, the core question is why this program underperforms its peers so dramatically. If location or teaching approach creates this gap, you need to understand whether your child will face the same outcome or if these figures reflect an unusual cohort. Given the suppressed data, there's real uncertainty here—but the contrast with stronger Texas programs suggests exploring alternatives before committing.