Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians at South Central College

South Central College's civil engineering technology program stands out for one exceptional reason: remarkably low debt. At just $13,268, graduates leave with about 22% less debt than the national median for this degree, placing the program in the 95th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of similar programs saddle students with more debt. That matters immediately, as graduates earning $55,224 can realistically pay off their loans in less than three months of gross salary.

The earnings themselves hit right at the national median, though they rank slightly above average among Minnesota's six civil engineering technology programs. For an associate's degree that launches careers in infrastructure, surveying, and construction support, $55,000 straight out of college represents solid middle-class income. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24 is comfortably below the concerning 1.0 threshold where loans begin to outweigh annual income.

The biggest caveat: this data comes from a small cohort, so individual circumstances vary more than at larger programs. But for Minnesota families weighing affordable paths into engineering fields without committing to a four-year degree, this program delivers exactly what matters most—good entry-level pay with minimal financial burden. The combination of in-state tuition rates and manageable borrowing makes this a genuinely low-risk investment.