Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Stautzenberger College-Maumee

With a 75% Pell grant rate, Stautzenberger's electrical engineering technology certificate serves a predominantly low-income student population, but the earnings outcomes raise serious questions about return on investment. First-year graduates earn $28,732—about $10,000 below the national median for this certificate and roughly half what top-performing programs deliver. While this lands at the 60th percentile in Ohio, that's only because Ohio programs in this field generally underperform; the state median matches this program exactly at $28,732, suggesting weak statewide outcomes rather than strong relative performance.

The debt load of $13,583 translates to a concerning debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47. A graduate earning under $29,000 annually faces monthly loan payments that will strain their budget significantly. For context, certificate programs in this field at stronger institutions produce graduates earning in the $50,000-60,000 range—double what this program delivers—which fundamentally changes the affordability calculation.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with more data, but that's cold comfort when the core issue is clear: spending over $13,000 to earn less than $29,000 represents a difficult financial starting point. Parents should ask pointed questions about job placement specifics, employer partnerships, and why graduates aren't reaching even the modest national median. This investment makes sense only if there's a clear path to significantly higher earnings within a few years.