Certificate (1-2 years)+17% vs national median808 grads tracked
Construction Trades at SOWELA Technical Community College
Ranked 20th of 89 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Construction Trades by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$51,576
middle 50%: $35,325 – $67,570
Median · 5 years out
$80,863
middle 50%: $55,640 – $115,661
Median · 10 years out
$107,201
middle 50%: $63,808 – $144,363
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Construction Trades (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Construction trades graduates earn a median of $52k in their first year. By year ten, median salaries reach $107k.
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
5.4 yrs
≈ $6,159 total interest
Same major at other universities
Ogden-Weber Technical College
$90,020 · 5 yrs out
Prairie State College
$89,458 · 5 yrs out
Colorado Mesa University
$89,103 · 5 yrs out
Waubonsee Community College
$89,069 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 13
$86,048 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 2
$83,306 · 5 yrs out
Dakota County Technical College
$79,314 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 7
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Mitchell Technical College
$75,822 · 5 yrs out
Illinois Valley Community College
$74,545 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
$72,839 · 5 yrs out
Saint Louis Community College
$72,585 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at SOWELA Technical Community College
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$121,701 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$114,676 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$108,912 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$107,487 · 5 yrs out
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$99,738 · 5 yrs out
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$95,086 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$81,618 · 5 yrs out
Education (Associate)
$68,164 · 5 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Associate)
$68,164 · 5 yrs out
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$66,382 · 5 yrs out
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$61,969 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$54,051 · 5 yrs out
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Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
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