Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Valencia College

Valencia College's electrical engineering technology program stands out for one thing: remarkably low debt at just $9,168. But that's where the good news ends. Graduates earn about $40,000 in their first year—roughly $14,000 below Florida's median for this program and $18,000 below what peers earn at Indian River State College just an hour away. Among Florida's nine programs, this ranks near the bottom (10th percentile), suggesting a significant earnings disadvantage that persists even four years out.

The 18% earnings growth to $47,713 helps close the gap somewhat, but even after four years, graduates still trail the state median by $10,000 annually. Given that electrical engineering technology is typically a solid-earning associate degree, these results are disappointing. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 looks fine on paper, but that's mainly because the debt is low—the core issue is that earnings are substantially lower than what similar programs deliver elsewhere in Florida.

With fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, these numbers may not tell the full story. But unless your child has compelling reasons to choose Valencia specifically—location, scheduling flexibility, or a clear pathway to bachelor's completion—other Florida community colleges appear to offer much stronger financial outcomes in this field. The low debt won't mean much if earning potential lags this far behind alternatives.