Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Peer automotive programs in Wisconsin suggest solid outcomes that make the relatively modest debt load here manageable. With first-year earnings around $43,000 based on national benchmarks and estimated debt of $11,425, graduates face payments of roughly $130 monthly—about 3% of gross income. That's a comfortable burden for someone entering skilled trades work. The four-year earnings figure of $43,391 tracks closely with the first-year estimate, which is typical for automotive technicians whose earnings often depend more on certifications and specialization than years of experience.

What's striking is that comparable programs at Fox Valley and Gateway Technical Colleges show first-year earnings in the $45,000-$48,000 range—meaningfully higher than what national figures suggest for Northeast Wisconsin Tech. Whether that gap reflects regional differences in job placement, program focus, or simply the limitations of using national estimates isn't clear from available data. However, Wisconsin's automotive programs generally outperform the national median, suggesting strong regional demand for trained technicians.

For families weighing this investment, the debt-to-earnings ratio looks reasonable on paper, but the uncertainty around actual outcomes at this specific campus matters. If your student is committed to automotive work, consider reaching out to Northeast Wisconsin Tech directly about recent graduate placement rates and starting wages with local employers—that concrete information will tell you more than these estimates can.