Ground Transportation at CET-Santa Maria
a compact campus enrolling 125 students in Santa Maria, CA.
Program Analysis
At $34,665 per year, Ground Transportation graduates from CET-Santa Maria earn below the $41,480 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.
AI disruption models show minimal impact on this program's career paths. The gap between optimistic and pessimistic scenarios is just 13% — this trade's hands-on core resists automation.
The median debt load of $6,650 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.
Ranked #87 of 96 Ground Transportation programs, CET-Santa Maria falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $40,705 are relatively flat compared to the $34,665 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.
Ground Transportation offers 14 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.
Earnings Overview
Projected 10-Year Earnings
Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.
Top Career Paths
Top career paths for Ground Transportation graduates by median salary.
| Career Path | Median Salary | Growth | AI-ProofAI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway and streetcar operators | $84,830 | +3.4% | 59% |
| Locomotive engineers | $77,400 | +0.7% | 71% |
| Railroad conductors and yardmasters | $74,080 | +1.1% | 72% |
Ground Transportation Career Guide
Ground Transportation opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.