Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Owens Community College

Based on comparable electrical engineering technology programs in Ohio, this associate's degree appears positioned to deliver solid value. With estimated first-year earnings around $58,000 against roughly $14,300 in debt, graduates would owe just a quarter of their annual salary—a manageable burden that's actually below the state median debt for similar programs. What makes this estimate particularly credible is that four years out, when the school does have reported data, earnings jump to nearly $77,000, suggesting strong mid-career growth potential for technicians in this field.

The challenge for Owens is that Ohio's electrical engineering technology landscape varies dramatically. While peer programs in the state suggest this is a reasonable path, Stark State College graduates earn over $100,000 in their first year—nearly double the typical starting point. That gap likely reflects differences in curriculum focus, local employer partnerships, or student backgrounds rather than program quality alone, but it's worth investigating what drives such divergent outcomes across the state.

For parents weighing this investment, the fundamentals look sound: technical skills that command immediate earning power, debt that won't dominate your child's budget, and evidence of salary growth as experience accumulates. The risk isn't the program itself but whether it connects students to the higher-paying segments of Ohio's industrial sector. Ask about job placement specifics and which employers actively recruit from Owens—that will tell you more than these statewide estimates can.