Certificate (1-2 years)+49% vs national median322 grads tracked
Carpenters at Southwestern Illinois College
Ranked 3rd of 24 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Carpenters by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$66,800
middle 50%: $48,975 – $83,443
Median · 5 years out
$70,557
middle 50%: $47,597 – $92,101
Median · 10 years out
$79,342
middle 50%: $59,105 – $96,791
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Carpenters (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Carpenters earn a high median starting salary of $67k. By year five, pay reaches $71k, and year ten sees $79k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
5.2 yrs
≈ $5,451 total interest
Same major at other universities
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 1
$88,826 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
$76,958 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 12
$67,042 · 5 yrs out
St. Cloud Technical and Community College
$54,757 · 5 yrs out
Northland Community and Technical College
$50,197 · 5 yrs out
Rochester Community and Technical College
$49,399 · 5 yrs out
Northeast Iowa Community College
$49,269 · 5 yrs out
Saint Paul College - A Community & Technical College
$47,574 · 5 yrs out
Hennepin Technical College
$47,360 · 5 yrs out
Des Moines Area Community College
$47,119 · 5 yrs out
North Iowa Area Community College
$46,663 · 5 yrs out
Kirkwood Community College
$46,359 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Southwestern Illinois College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$99,192 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Certificate)
$80,595 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Certificate)
$72,907 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Certificate)
$72,907 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$72,441 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$70,365 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate)
$69,946 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$68,650 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$68,526 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Certificate)
$67,570 · 5 yrs out
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Certificate)
$66,712 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$66,338 · 5 yrs out
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