Carpenters at Ranken Technical College

Ranken Technical College's carpentry program shows an interesting split: while it ranks only at the 10th percentile nationally, it hits the 60th percentile among Missouri programs—though this comparison matters less given there are only three carpentry associate's programs in the state. With first-year earnings of $35,975 and manageable debt of $12,000 (a 0.33 ratio), graduates start roughly $3,400 below the national median but see healthy 18% income growth by year four.

The real question is whether an associate's degree makes sense for carpentry at all. Most carpenters enter the trade through apprenticeships that pay while you learn, avoiding debt entirely. The $12,000 debt here is reasonable compared to most college programs, but not when measured against $0 debt from an apprenticeship program. The modest starting salary of $36,000 isn't low for trades work, but it needs to justify the two years out of the workforce and the loan burden.

For families committed to the associate's degree route rather than direct apprenticeship, these numbers work—the debt is manageable and earnings grow steadily. But before enrolling, your child should seriously explore union apprenticeships or non-degree training programs in the St. Louis area. The small sample size here (under 30 graduates tracked) also means these outcomes could vary significantly for future cohorts.