Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College's early childhood education program delivers solid earnings performance while keeping debt manageable—graduates earn $27,209 in their first year and $28,645 by year four, putting them above both national and state medians. Among Wisconsin's 22 programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile, and the $15,835 median debt is actually below the state average of $20,876. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58 means most graduates can realistically handle their loan payments on a paraprofessional's salary.

The program positions somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin's technical college offerings—trailing Milwaukee Area Tech and Fox Valley Tech but outperforming several others. The modest 5% earnings growth over four years is typical for paraprofessional roles in early childhood education, where pay scales tend to be relatively flat. Given that only 17% of the college's students receive Pell grants, this is likely drawing students who can afford some out-of-pocket costs alongside loans.

One major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift significantly with a larger sample. For families considering this path, the program offers a practical entry point into early childhood education without excessive debt burden, though graduates should understand the salary ceiling in this field is relatively low compared to other careers requiring associate's degrees.