Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Manhattan Area Technical College

With estimated first-year earnings around $36,400 and debt near $7,000, this automotive program lands squarely in the middle of Kansas's technical training landscape—but you're working with informed guesses rather than actual graduate outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19 suggests manageable borrowing if these estimates hold true, though it's worth noting that similar Kansas programs produce a fairly narrow earnings band, with top performers at Wichita State reaching only $47,000.

The $7,000 debt estimate comes from peer programs at Kansas community and technical colleges, sitting well below the $11,000 national median for automotive certificates. That's a meaningful advantage if your student can complete the program within that budget. The estimated earnings align almost perfectly with both state and national medians for this field, suggesting automotive technicians earn consistent wages regardless of where they train. However, the fact that Manhattan Area Technical College's actual outcomes aren't publicly available means you can't verify whether their training produces similar results or whether their industry connections translate into jobs.

Before committing, get specifics directly from the school: actual job placement rates, typical completion costs for students similar to yours, and where recent graduates are working. The estimates suggest reasonable value, but in skilled trades where employer relationships matter enormously, you need to know this particular program's track record—not just what comparable schools achieve.