Ground Transportation at Meridian Community College

Starting at $38,766 puts Meridian's ground transportation program above the state median of $34,383 and ahead of most comparable programs in Mississippi, though it falls short of the $41,414 national benchmark. The estimated $9,280 in debt—derived from similar certificate programs at community colleges—translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24, suggesting manageable repayment in a field where students typically finish with less than $10,000 borrowed.

The troubling signal here is the earnings trajectory: graduates see their income drop by 20% from year one to year four, falling to $30,827. This backward slide could reflect industry factors like the cyclical nature of transportation work, drivers switching to less physically demanding roles as they age, or simply the volatility of employment in this sector. Unlike programs where earnings climb steadily, this pattern means the strongest earning years appear to come immediately after graduation.

For a family considering this certificate, the math works if your child needs quick workforce entry and can capitalize on those higher first-year earnings—perhaps by paying down debt aggressively or gaining experience to pivot into dispatching or fleet management. But the declining income pattern means this isn't a long-term growth career in its current form, and you're working with estimates rather than actual outcomes from Meridian's program specifically. The low debt load provides some cushion, but the earnings drop demands a clear plan for what comes after those initial high-earning years.