Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Zane State College

Zane State's electrical engineering technology program starts slow but shows remarkable momentum, with graduates nearly doubling their earnings from $47,946 to $76,777 over four years. That 60% growth trajectory is striking, though the small sample size means you're looking at fewer than 30 graduates' experiences. The real question is whether your student can weather that initial earning period—first-year pay sits 25th percentile among Ohio programs, meaning three-quarters of similar programs start higher.

The debt picture offers some reassurance: at $10,334, it's lower than both the state median ($17,609) and national average ($14,710), creating a manageable 0.22 debt-to-earnings ratio even with those modest starting wages. For context, Ohio programs like Stark State launch graduates at $109,000, but Zane State's trajectory suggests later-career earnings may close that gap considerably. The low debt means your student isn't gambling with high stakes during those crucial early years.

The limited data makes this harder to evaluate confidently, but the math works if your student can accept below-market starting pay in exchange for strong growth potential and minimal debt burden. The program's value depends heavily on landing in one of those upward-trending career paths rather than plateauing near the initial earnings level.