Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Moraine Valley Community College
IL · Associate's Degree · CIP 47.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree from Moraine Valley Community College earn a median salary of $54,757 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $59,648. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.2 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$41,202
Typical Career
$54,757
Top Performers
$74,682
Estimated break-even: 9.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$365
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,563. Most students can comfortably afford about a $365 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$59,648
Nominal: $54,757 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $28,264 | $35,757 | $48,349 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $41,202 | $54,757 | $74,682 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $50,539 | $81,043 | $104,958 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $54,757 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $54,757 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $59,648 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates predominantly include Health Care & Social Assistance, with 31.8%, 31.1%, and 27.8% of graduates entering this sector. This suggests a significant alignment between the skills acquired in the program and the demands of the job market. The estimated break-even point compared to a high school-only path is approximately 9.8 years, indicating a reasonable return on investment for students pursuing this career path. Overall, the program offers a solid financial outlook and aligns well with industry needs.
Compare with Another School
See how the Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree at Moraine Valley Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Moraine Valley Community College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Moraine Valley Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.