Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$43,602

Est. from national median (13 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$10,263

Est. from national median (8 programs)

Analysis

Los Angeles Trade Technical College's certificate in Industrial Production Technologies comes with an estimated debt load of just over $10,000—reasonable for a short-term credential. But here's the catch: first-year earnings from comparable programs nationally sit around $43,600, which falls significantly short of what similar programs in California typically deliver. Other California schools in this field report graduates earning $63,000, nearly $20,000 more.

That gap matters. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24 looks manageable on paper, your child would be entering the LA manufacturing workforce earning what amounts to California's lower bound for this credential. In a high-cost-of-living area like Los Angeles, that $43,600 translates very differently than it would elsewhere. The program attracts a substantial number of Pell-eligible students (31%), suggesting it serves working families, but the earnings estimates don't reflect the premium that California's industrial sector typically commands.

The real question is whether this specific program connects graduates to better-paying manufacturing roles that aren't captured in the national benchmark data, or if its graduates genuinely trail the state average by this much. Without school-specific outcomes, you're betting on the former. If proximity and affordability drive your decision, understand you may be trading potential earnings for convenience—a gap that could total $100,000+ over five years.

Where Los Angeles Trade Technical College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all industrial production technologies/technicians certificate's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians certificate's programs at peer institutions in California (34 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Los Angeles Trade Technical CollegeLos Angeles	$1,238	$43,602*	—	$10,263*	—
Antelope Valley Community College DistrictLancaster	$1,124	$63,060*	—	$10,280*	0.16
National Median	—	$43,602*	—	$10,244*	0.23

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with industrial production technologies/technicians graduates

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.

$77,180/yrJobs growth:Associate's degree

Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Apply engineering theory and principles to problems of industrial layout or manufacturing production, usually under the direction of engineering staff. May perform time and motion studies on worker operations in a variety of industries for purposes such as establishing standard production rates or improving efficiency.

$64,790/yrJobs growth:Associate's degree

Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Implement production processes and operate commercial-scale production equipment to produce, test, or modify materials, devices, or systems of unique molecular or macromolecular composition. Operate advanced microscopy equipment to manipulate nanoscale objects. Work under the supervision of nanoengineering staff.

$64,790/yrJobs growth:Associate's degree

Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.

$51,180/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

$51,000/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other

All engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, not listed separately.

Non-Destructive Testing Specialists

Test the safety of structures, vehicles, or vessels using x-ray, ultrasound, fiber optic or related equipment.

Photonics Technicians

Build, install, test, or maintain optical or fiber optic equipment, such as lasers, lenses, or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers, or related equipment.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Los Angeles Trade Technical College, approximately 31% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 13 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.