Electrical/Electronics Maintenance at Northwest Iowa Community College

Sheldon, IA · Public · Associate Degree · Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology

a compact campus enrolling 856 students in Sheldon, IA.

Program Analysis

Northwest Iowa Community College's Electrical/Electronics Maintenance graduates start at $44,875/yr — above the $39,714 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 53.9x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Electrical/Electronics Maintenance programs nationally.

The 40% gap between optimistic and pessimistic AI scenarios is notable. With 20% of typical tasks exposed to automation, AI adoption could meaningfully shift career outcomes for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance graduates.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $11,990 in median debt clears fast against $44,875 in annual earnings.

At #10 of 54 nationally, this is a top-5% Electrical/Electronics Maintenance program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

Five-year earnings of $76,903 show a 71% jump from the $44,875 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration in this trade.

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance offers 69 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

60 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
54
Low End
60
Score
61
High End
Earnings $44,875/yr (13% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (80% shielded)
Job Market Large (79,900 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$787K
12.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
55.4x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
13 of 13
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$14,220
Out-of-state: $14,820
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,990
3.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$76,903
71% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay $100,940 +5.5% 66%
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment $71,300 -0.8% 69%
Telecommunications line installers and repairers $70,500 -3.1% 97%
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
$100,940
+5.5% growth 66% AI-proof
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
$71,300
-0.8% growth 69% AI-proof
Telecommunications line installers and repairers
$70,500
-3.1% growth 97% AI-proof

View all 13 career paths with full salary data →

About Electrical/Electronics Maintenance Careers

One day you might be installing a new security system in an office building, running low-voltage wiring through walls and programming the central control panel. The next, you could be on a factory floor, using schematics and a multimeter to troubleshoot a complex piece of industrial machinery that’s shut down a production line. This is critical, hands-on work that can’t be done from a desk or automated by software.

Read the full Electrical/Electronics Maintenance career guide →

Compare & Explore

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance Overview

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northwest Iowa Community College

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 60/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance at Northwest Iowa Community College?
A score of 60/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Electrical/Electronics Maintenance field.
Will AI replace Electrical/Electronics Maintenance jobs?
Highly resilient. Electrical/Electronics Maintenance careers are fundamentally hands-on — they require physical presence and manual skill that AI cannot replicate. Graduates retain 13 of 13 viable career paths even under conservative assumptions.
What's the typical debt for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance graduates from Northwest Iowa Community College?
Median debt of just $11,990 against $44,875/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Why does Northwest Iowa Community College rank so high for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance?
Ranked #10 of 54 programs nationally, Northwest Iowa Community College lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance graduates?
There are 69 registered apprenticeships connected to Electrical/Electronics Maintenance occupations. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
How many job openings are there for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance graduates?
With approximately 79,900 annual openings across mapped careers, Electrical/Electronics Maintenance offers a large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →