Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Washington County Community College
ME · Associate's Degree · CIP 47.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree from Washington County Community College earn a median salary of $39,842 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in ME, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $35,011. The degree typically pays for itself in 23 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
$31,275
Typical Career
$39,842
Top Performers
$54,199
Estimated break-even: 23 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$266
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,320. Most students can comfortably afford about a $266 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Maine buys what costs $1.14 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Construction, Retail Trade, Health Care & Social Assistance.
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
$35,011
Nominal: $39,842 in Maine (COL 113.8% of national avg) · 12.1% lower 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 | $23,735 | $30,070 | $39,517 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $31,275 | $39,842 | $54,199 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,242 | $49,539 | $60,442 |
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 $39,842 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in ME, which has a cost-of-living index of 113.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,842 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1380)
= $35,011 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program prepares students for diverse career opportunities, with notable entry into industries such as Health Care & Social Assistance (30.9%), Construction (20.1%), and Retail Trade (17.5%). However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 23 years, suggesting that while the program offers a viable career path, the return on investment may take considerable time to materialize. Students should weigh these factors carefully when considering their long-term career goals.
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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.