Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection at Northeast Community College

This program's modest debt load—estimated at $10,866 based on similar programs at Northeast Community College—is its strongest selling point. With first-year earnings of $37,514, graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.29, meaning the typical debt could be paid off in roughly four months of gross income. That's manageable even if construction work proves less steady than anticipated.

The earnings picture is more complicated. At $37,514, graduates from this program earn about $7,000 less than the national median for construction management associate degrees, landing at the 25th percentile nationally. However, they perform better within Nebraska itself, hitting the 60th percentile among state programs. The modest 8% earnings growth to $40,507 by year four suggests this may be a field where hands-on experience matters more than formal credentials, or where workers transition to other roles entirely.

For parents, the key question is whether this associate degree opens doors that direct employment wouldn't. The combination of below-average national earnings but competitive state performance, paired with low estimated debt, suggests this works best for students already committed to staying in Nebraska's construction sector. The investment is small enough that it won't derail other life plans if the career path shifts, but the earnings ceiling appears relatively fixed regardless of the credential.