Ground Transportation at Southeastern Technical College

Southeastern Technical College's ground transportation program sits squarely in the middle of Georgia offerings—ranking at the 40th percentile statewide—but the absolute numbers reveal a meaningful gap. At $33,256 in first-year earnings, graduates here earn about $4,400 less than the typical Georgia program graduate and roughly $8,000 below the national median. That's not catastrophic given the modest $9,280 in debt, but neighboring technical colleges like Wiregrass and Central Georgia consistently deliver $10,000+ more in starting earnings with similar debt loads.

The low debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 means your child could reasonably pay off this certificate within a year or two of focused effort. However, that silver lining exists partly because both earnings and debt are on the lower end—it's affordability through lower performance rather than exceptional value. With nearly 40% of students qualifying for Pell grants, this program clearly serves students who need low-cost entry points to the workforce.

If your child is committed to staying in the Vidalia area for personal reasons, this program provides manageable debt and immediate employment. But if geography is flexible, the earnings data suggests looking at other Georgia technical colleges first. An extra $10,000 annually over a career represents real money—enough to make the difference between financial stress and stability.