Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians at Miller-Motte College-Raleigh

Miller-Motte College-Raleigh's vet tech program delivers first-year earnings that beat 95% of similar programs nationally—an impressive $32,340 versus the $25,638 national median. However, that premium performance comes with debt nearly four times the national average at $29,063. While earnings start strong, graduates see a concerning 15% decline by year four, dropping to $27,447, which fundamentally changes the financial equation for families footing this bill.

The debt burden is the critical issue here. At 90 cents of debt for every dollar of first-year earnings, graduates are managing payments that are manageable initially but become harder as earnings fall. With 66% of students on Pell grants, most families don't have the cushion to absorb this debt if career plans change. North Carolina has only two vet tech certificate programs, so limited in-state options may explain why families accept this debt load, but that doesn't make it less risky.

If your child is certain about becoming a vet tech and plans to work steadily in the field, the strong starting salary provides a foundation. But the combination of high debt and declining earnings means there's little margin for error—career breaks, part-time work, or switching fields would make repayment significantly harder. Community college alternatives in neighboring states warrant serious investigation before committing to nearly $30,000 in debt.