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

Starting salaries near $49,000 put this program squarely in the middle of Tennessee's heavy equipment maintenance landscape—ahead of the state median but trailing stronger performers like TN Tech-Murfreesboro by over $8,000. That gap matters when you're evaluating technical training programs where employment outcomes should be fairly consistent across locations. The $8,796 in estimated debt (based on similar programs nationally) creates a manageable 0.18 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans with roughly two months of gross income.

The challenge is knowing whether Hartsville's actual outcomes match these peer-program estimates. Tennessee has 27 schools training heavy equipment technicians, and the top five all report first-year earnings above $53,000—suggesting that program quality, employer relationships, or regional job markets create meaningful variation. Hartsville sits 60th percentile statewide but only 46th nationally, indicating the program performs adequately within Tennessee's context but doesn't stand out beyond it.

For parents, the low estimated debt makes this a relatively safe bet if their student is committed to the field, but the earnings suggest shopping around. Programs at Murfreesboro, Dickson, or McMinnville deliver $4,000-8,000 more annually right out of the gate with likely similar training costs. If Hartsville offers advantages like proximity to home or guaranteed job placement, those could justify the gap—but earnings alone suggest looking at Tennessee's higher-performing technical colleges first.