Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies at North Bennet Street School

The small graduating class here makes these numbers somewhat uncertain, but the pattern is worth examining: $23,140 in that first year is well below the national average for precision systems maintenance programs, though it matches other Massachusetts programs at this level. The debt load of $16,687 is manageable—less than a year's salary even at the initial earnings level—but the question is whether the trajectory justifies starting so far behind.

Here's what could change the equation: earnings jump 59% by year four to nearly $37,000, suggesting graduates build valuable specialized skills that employers reward over time. North Bennet Street School has a reputation for craft-based training, and this appears to be a program where hands-on experience translates into career progression. The low Pell grant percentage (14%) suggests this may attract students with family resources to weather that lean first year.

The real consideration is whether your child can manage on $23,000 annually right out of school—in Boston, that's a challenging proposition. If they can live at home or have other support during those initial years, the growth trajectory and reasonable debt load become more appealing. But families counting on immediate financial independence should recognize this is a long-game investment in specialized technical skills.