Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson

A $54,320 starting salary positions this diesel and heavy equipment program well above most Tennessee competitors, landing in the 60th percentile statewide. While the graduate cohort was too small for the DOE to report actual debt figures, similar programs nationally suggest borrowers might face around $8,800—a manageable 0.16 ratio that most graduates could pay off within their first year if they prioritized it. For parents worried about technical training costs, this estimated debt burden is substantially lighter than Tennessee's $12,000 median for this field.

The concerning pattern emerges in year four, when median earnings drop to $45,488—a 16% decline that deserves scrutiny. This could reflect several realities: graduates moving between jobs during skill development, seasonal fluctuations in industrial work, or some technicians shifting to lower-paying positions. It's also possible the small cohort size means a few individual career paths are skewing the four-year figure downward.

If your child can maintain earnings near that first-year level, this program delivers solid value—comparable to what graduates earn at Tennessee's top-performing TCAT locations. The estimated debt load won't anchor them down. But recognize you're evaluating peer-program patterns rather than this school's verified track record, and the earnings trajectory after year one remains unclear. Ask the school directly about job placement patterns and whether most graduates stay in high-paying industrial roles or transition to maintenance work with different pay scales.