Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Northeast Community College

Northeast Community College's automotive program graduates earn slightly above the national median at $44,528, but there's a notable gap here: while this beats the typical auto tech program nationally, it falls short of Nebraska's state median by about $2,800. This matters because Nebraska is a relatively strong state for automotive careers, and this program ranks in just the 40th percentile statewide. Southeast Community College's graduates, for instance, earn nearly $8,000 more annually—a significant difference when you're starting your career.

The program does get the debt piece right. At $11,739, graduates carry manageable debt that represents just three months of salary. That's a reasonable burden for hands-on training that leads to immediate employment. The slight earnings dip by year four (down to $43,798) isn't catastrophic for a trade, though it suggests graduates aren't seeing the wage progression that comes with experience and ASE certifications.

For a Nebraska family, this is a functional but not optimal choice. Your child can launch a solid automotive career here without drowning in debt, but if Southeast or Metropolitan Community College are geographically feasible, those programs deliver meaningfully better earnings outcomes. If Northeast is the local option and minimizing debt is the priority, it's still a viable path—just know that stronger in-state alternatives exist.