Engineering Technology at Morrison Institute of Technology

Morrison Institute of Technology's Engineering Technology associate program offers a curious contradiction: it ranks in the bottom 10% nationally for earnings but sits at the Illinois median. That tells you more about Illinois than Morrison—this is a state where engineering technology associate programs significantly underperform the national norm. At $39,332 after one year, graduates here earn nearly $9,000 less than the typical program nationwide, though with only three schools offering this degree in Illinois, context is limited.

The $12,000 debt load keeps this program viable despite the lower earnings. That 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe roughly four months of salary—manageable by any standard. The real question is whether an associate degree that starts you at $39,000 provides enough runway for career growth, especially when many engineering technology programs elsewhere launch graduates closer to $50,000.

For Illinois families specifically, this program delivers what the state market offers for this credential, nothing more or less. If your child is committed to staying local and wants a technical career without four-year debt, the low borrowing makes it workable. Just understand you're accepting below-national-average earning potential as part of that bargain, and the path to middle-class stability may require more time than it would from stronger programs in other states.