Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians at Northwest Missouri State University

Northwest Missouri State's Industrial Production Technologies program shows earnings roughly $5,000 below Missouri's state median and more than $13,000 under the national average. While the $46,647 starting salary positions graduates near the middle of Missouri programs (40th percentile), it falls to the 15th percentile nationally—meaning 85% of similar programs produce better early outcomes. That gap matters when graduates enter a competitive job market where technical skills increasingly command premium wages.

The positive here is manageable debt: at $19,145, it's well below both state and national norms, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.41. Graduates should be able to handle these payments comfortably, even with below-median earnings. The concerning part is the near-flat earnings trajectory—just 2% growth over four years suggests limited advancement opportunities or a career path that plateaus quickly after entry-level roles.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers less reliable, so a handful of outliers could skew the picture considerably. However, the gap between this program and both state and national benchmarks is large enough to warrant scrutiny. For parents considering this investment, the question is whether the lower debt justifies significantly lower earnings, especially when nearby Southeast Missouri State's program shows outcomes $10,000 higher annually. That difference compounds to over $100,000 across a decade.