Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Stark State College

Based on similar automotive programs in Ohio, this certificate positions graduates to earn around $37,300 in their first year—right at the state median and modestly above the national benchmark of $35,900. With estimated debt around $9,500, that translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.25, meaning graduates would owe roughly three months' salary. That's manageable territory for a short-term credential designed to launch a career quickly.

What works in this program's favor is the modest debt load relative to peer programs. While Ohio's median debt for automotive certificates sits at $12,000 and the national figure is $11,000, Stark State's estimate comes in lower. The earnings picture is solidly middle-of-the-road—not matching University of Northwestern Ohio's $40,000 outcomes, but competitive with programs at Great Oaks and ahead of some others in the state.

The challenge here is that all these figures are estimates drawn from comparable programs, not tracked outcomes from Stark State's actual graduates. For a parent evaluating this investment, the broader automotive certificate market suggests reasonable value: you're looking at less than $10,000 in debt for entry into a stable trade. But without school-specific data, you're betting that Stark State's employer connections and training quality match those of the peer programs these estimates represent.