Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians at North Carolina A & T State University

North Carolina A&T's Industrial Production Technologies program ranks near the bottom nationally, with first-year earnings of $44,378 landing in just the 5th percentile compared to other programs. That's nearly $15,000 below the national median and almost $10,000 behind the North Carolina median of $53,851. Among the state's five programs, this ranks 25th percentile—graduates at East Carolina University, for comparison, earn over $19,000 more starting out.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $30,272, it's manageable relative to earnings (0.68 ratio), and students here carry more debt than only 5% of comparable programs nationally. The modest earnings growth to $46,977 by year four helps, but that's still $13,000 below what graduates from other NC programs typically earn in their first year. Given that half of students receive Pell grants, many are counting on strong post-graduation earnings to justify the investment.

For families considering this program, the gap matters. The lower earnings aren't offset by significantly lower costs, and other in-state options deliver substantially better returns. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to attend—specific faculty expertise, location constraints, or personal circumstances—students interested in industrial production technology should closely examine what East Carolina or out-of-state programs offer before committing here.