Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Washtenaw Community College

At $37,457 in first-year earnings, this automotive program trails both state and national norms by a meaningful margin—Michigan's median for this credential sits around $46,000, and even the national figure tops $42,000. That gap of roughly $8,000 annually matters when you're paying off school debt, though the estimated $11,425 burden (based on comparable associate programs nationally) keeps the ratio manageable at 0.31. Still, graduates here are earning about what their peers at Baker College or Universal Technical Institute earned, then subtracting nearly $10,000.

The practical reality: automotive technicians can find work readily in Michigan's manufacturing corridor, but starting lower means slower progress toward financial stability. Similar programs in the state suggest debt loads closer to $17,000, so if Washtenaw's actual borrowing patterns align with the national estimate rather than state norms, that's a relative advantage. But earnings tell the more important story—starting in the bottom quarter of Michigan's automotive programs means years of catch-up, especially if you're financing any portion of the credential.

For families considering this path, the question is whether Washtenaw offers something beyond the numbers—proximity, schedule flexibility, or employer connections—that justifies the earnings lag. Without that edge, stronger-performing programs exist within the state at similar or only moderately higher estimated costs.