Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology at Pasadena City College

A two-year degree in electronics maintenance estimated to generate $45,000 in first-year earnings—the national median for this credential—faces significant headwinds in California's expensive job market. While the estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 looks manageable on paper, that $45,000 salary goes much further in most other states than it does in the Pasadena area, where housing costs alone can consume half a technician's paycheck. The fact that no California programs in this field have reportable outcomes data (they all have suppressed figures due to small cohorts) suggests limited enrollment and potentially uncertain demand.

The estimated $12,000 debt load is actually below the national median for similar electronics programs, which is a positive sign for this community college pathway. But peer programs nationally show a relatively modest earnings ceiling—even the top-performing programs (75th percentile) only reach about $54,000 in first-year earnings. For a field where you're acquiring technical skills quickly, that's reasonable, but it means the financial runway is limited compared to four-year engineering technology degrees or union apprenticeships in the electrical trades.

Your child should directly contact California employers who hire electronics technicians to understand whether this specific associate's degree opens doors or whether they prefer alternative pathways. In a high-cost state where the estimated earnings barely reach median, the local job market reality matters more than national benchmarks.