Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians at Pima Medical Institute-Aurora

Pima Medical Institute-Aurora's veterinary tech program significantly outperforms the national field, placing in the 88th percentile for earnings despite the relatively modest $28,808 starting salary. That's about $3,200 more than the typical graduate from similar programs nationwide. Within Colorado, however, it sits at the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack among the state's 12 veterinary tech programs. The debt load of $8,152 is reasonable, creating a manageable 0.28 debt-to-earnings ratio that graduates should be able to handle even on entry-level vet tech salaries.

The concerning element here is the complete stagnation: earnings actually slip slightly to $28,362 by year four, suggesting limited upward mobility in this role. Nearly half the student body receives Pell grants, indicating this serves many lower-income students who need their credentials to lead somewhere financially. For families banking on meaningful income growth, veterinary technology may not deliver—these appear to be stable but plateaued positions from day one.

If your child is passionate about animal care and understands they're choosing a calling over a career ladder, the numbers work. The debt is manageable, starting pay beats most peers nationally, and the work itself can be rewarding. But don't expect financial advancement—what they earn initially is likely what they'll earn five years later.