Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology at College of Lake County
IL · Certificate Degree · CIP 47.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology degree from College of Lake County earn a median salary of $57,208 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $62,318. The degree typically pays for itself in 10 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
$38,554
Typical Career
$57,208
Top Performers
$75,372
Estimated break-even: 10 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$381
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,767. Most students can comfortably afford about a $381 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x 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, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
Where Certificate 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
$62,318
Nominal: $57,208 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 | $29,401 | $39,272 | $58,363 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $38,554 | $57,208 | $75,372 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $43,216 | $62,520 | $92,887 |
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 $57,208 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)
= $57,208 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $62,318 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program primarily prepares students for careers in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for a significant portion of graduate employment at 36.4%, 25.6%, and 19.8% in various capacities. With an estimated break-even point of approximately ten years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for this educational route appears favorable, particularly given the strong demand for skilled technicians in the health care industry.
Compare with Another School
See how the Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology degree at College of Lake County stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology at College of Lake County.
Explore More
Other Degrees at College of Lake County
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.