Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Western Iowa Tech Community College

Sioux City, IA · Public · Certificate

a compact campus enrolling 2,589 students in Sioux City, IA.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $35,550 track close to the $38,662 national median for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 98.8x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 28% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

At $5,500 in median debt against $35,550 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Western Iowa Tech Community College ranks #91 among 409 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

A 36% earnings increase from $35,550 to $48,346 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

The 64 apprenticeship pathways connected to Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

69 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
65
Low End
69
Score
69
High End
Earnings $35,550/yr (-8% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (86% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (214,000 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$515K
8.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
102.1x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
19 of 19
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)
$5,042
Out-of-state: $5,186
Median Debt at Graduation
$5,500
1.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$48,346
36% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment $82,730 +6.1% 76%
Avionics technicians $81,390 +8.2% 76%
Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians $79,830 +8.1% 68%
Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
$82,730
+6.1% growth 76% AI-proof
Avionics technicians
$81,390
+8.2% growth 76% AI-proof
Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
$79,830
+8.1% growth 68% AI-proof

View all 19 career paths with full salary data →

About Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies Careers

Your career starts on the shop floor, grabbing a diagnostic scanner to pinpoint engine trouble or getting your hands dirty with a wrench during a brake job. As an automotive service technician, your day involves solving complex mechanical and electrical puzzles in a busy garage to get cars safely back on the road. You could also specialize in heavy-duty vehicles, working on the powerful diesel engines that keep our country’s trucks and buses running.

Read the full Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies career guide →

Compare & Explore

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies Overview

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Other Schools

Other Majors at Western Iowa Tech Community College

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 69/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Western Iowa Tech Community College?
A score of 69/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies field.
How safe is Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies from automation?
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies rates as "AI-Proof" for AI resilience. With only 14% of tasks exposed to automation, the trade's physical demands provide a natural shield against AI displacement.
What's the typical debt for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies graduates from Western Iowa Tech Community College?
Median debt of just $5,500 against $35,550/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Why does Western Iowa Tech Community College rank so high for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies?
Ranked #91 of 409 programs nationally, Western Iowa Tech 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 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies graduates?
There are 64 registered apprenticeships connected to Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies 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 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies have roughly 214,000 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →