Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at University of Montana (The)
MT · Associate's Degree · CIP 47.06
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree from University of Montana (The) earn a median salary of $40,146 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $38,565. The degree typically pays for itself in 38 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
$33,005
Typical Career
$40,146
Top Performers
$53,696
Estimated break-even: 38 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$268
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,346. Most students can comfortably afford about a $268 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 Montana buys what costs $1.04 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Construction.
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
$38,565
Nominal: $40,146 in Montana (COL 104.1% of national avg) · 3.9% 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 | $21,518 | $27,875 | $33,295 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,005 | $40,146 | $53,696 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,196 | $44,488 | $55,228 |
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 $40,146 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MT, which has a cost-of-living index of 104.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $40,146 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0410)
= $38,565 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for 48.8% of employment, followed by another 27.0% in the same sector and 22.7% in Professional, Scientific & Technical Services. Despite the potential for stable employment in these industries, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 38 years, indicating a long-term return on investment that may not be favorable for all students.
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See how the Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies degree at University of Montana (The) stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.