Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Onondaga Community College

This program's estimated debt load of $12,000 is remarkably manageable, though the earnings picture requires context. Based on comparable electrical and power transmission programs nationally, first-year earnings around $44,700 suggest modest starting pay for technical work—roughly aligned with the national and state medians but trailing what some New York peers achieve. Hudson Valley Community College's graduates, for instance, earn about $49,000 in their first year, suggesting that location and employer connections can make a meaningful difference in this field.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 is solid territory for a two-year technical degree, meaning graduates would need to dedicate roughly three months of gross income to retire their debt. That's a reasonable trade-off for entering a field with strong long-term prospects, though families should recognize that skilled trades often reward experience significantly more than initial credentials. The real question is whether this particular program connects students effectively to the utilities, construction firms, and electrical contractors that drive higher wages in the region—information that estimated data can't capture.

Given the uncertainty, your best move is to contact the program directly and ask about job placement rates, which employers hire their graduates, and whether students complete apprenticeships during or after the degree. Those connections matter more than the credential itself in determining whether graduates hit the higher end of the earnings range or struggle at the bottom.