Ground Transportation at Yavapai College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.22 suggests manageable financing, but dig deeper before committing. Based on national benchmarks from similar ground transportation certificates, first-year earnings around $41,000 paired with roughly $9,300 in debt creates a workable starting point—you'd be looking at debt payments equivalent to just a few months of income. However, Arizona's picture tells a different story. The state median for these programs sits at $36,600, which is $5,000 lower than the national figure Yavapai's estimate draws from. That gap matters when you're calculating whether monthly loan payments fit comfortably into an entry-level trucking or transportation salary.

The real question is whether this certificate delivers skills worth the investment when Arizona has six programs to choose from, all competing for the same regional employers. With actual graduate outcomes unavailable for Yavapai's program specifically, you're making decisions based on what similar programs produce elsewhere. Transportation careers can offer stability and decent earnings without requiring a four-year degree, but a $9,300 debt load for a certificate is on the higher side—the national median sits closer to $7,700. That extra $1,600 might not sound like much, but it represents months of additional payments for someone starting at Arizona's typical $36,600 salary. If your child can access a comparable program with lower costs or clearer outcome data, that's worth serious consideration before enrolling.