ROI Major

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies at Trinity Valley Community College

TX · Certificate Degree · CIP 15.03

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies degree from Trinity Valley Community College earn a median salary of $36,491 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $39,621. The degree typically pays for itself in 152.1 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

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

$27,429

Typical Career

$36,491

Top Performers

$54,453

Estimated break-even: 152.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$243

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,041. Most students can comfortably afford about a $243 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 0.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Construction.

Where Certificate Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 15.1%
Manufacturing 15.0%
Construction 12.5%

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

$39,621

Nominal: $36,491 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

152.1 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $25,504 $32,743 $54,051
5 Years After Graduation $27,429 $36,491 $54,453
10 Years After Graduation $25,850 $40,037 $59,476

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 $36,491 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $36,491 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $39,621 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies program at Trinity Valley Community College can expect a gradual increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $32,743, rising to $36,491 after five years, and reaching $40,037 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $39,621.06, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, there is potential for growth as graduates gain experience in the field.

The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 90.3% of placements, followed by Educational Services at 15.6%. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 152.1 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this program may appear limited. However, the consistent demand in health care and education sectors suggests stable employment opportunities, which may enhance long-term career stability and growth for graduates.

Compare with Another School

See how the Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies degree at Trinity Valley Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies at Trinity Valley Community College.

Apply to Trinity Valley Community College

Explore More

Other Degrees at Trinity 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.