Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Vincennes University

Vincennes University's auto tech program reports impressive numbers—$51,226 in first-year earnings against just $12,841 in debt—but the small sample size here (fewer than 30 graduates) means these figures could swing significantly with different cohorts. That said, if representative, this program substantially outperforms the national median of $35,905 and even exceeds Indiana's already-strong state median of $42,634. Among Indiana's four automotive programs, it trails only Aviation Institute of Maintenance but beats the state's largest provider, Ivy Tech, by nearly $14,000.

The 0.25 debt-to-earnings ratio is excellent for any credential, particularly a certificate or diploma program that gets students into the workforce quickly. With debt just shy of $13,000, graduates could reasonably pay this off within a year or two if they prioritize it. The catch is stability: you're making this investment based on limited track record data.

For families comfortable with some statistical uncertainty, this looks like a strong path into skilled trades work that pays immediately. If your child is mechanically inclined and wants to start earning rather than accumulating four years of bachelor's degree debt, the economics here—assuming they hold—are compelling. Just recognize you're betting on a smaller dataset than you'd have at a program like Ivy Tech with hundreds of annual graduates.