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Finance at Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD · Public · Associate Degree · Finance and Financial Management Services

with a smaller student body of 1,710 in Watertown, SD.

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $40,070/yr, edging above the $32,628 national average for Finance — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand for this trade.

With a 31.2x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 0% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Finance career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

At $12,000 in median debt against $40,070 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Finance is offered at just 5 schools in our analysis. Lake Area Technical College's #3 ranking should be read in that context.

The 8 apprenticeship pathways connected to Finance reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

65 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
61
Low End
65
Score
68
High End
Earnings $40,070/yr (23% vs median)
AI-Proof Exposed (45% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (622,100 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Year 1 Earnings
$40K
Reported median after graduation
Earnings Multiple
31.2x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
20 of 20
Occupations with strong AI resilience
Program Tuition
$13,436
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,000
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$39,173
Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Finance graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Chief executives $206,420 +4.3% 44%
Financial managers $161,700 +14.8% 50%
Financial risk specialists $106,000 +6.5% 47%
Chief executives
$206,420
+4.3% growth 44% AI-proof
Financial managers
$161,700
+14.8% growth 50% AI-proof
Financial risk specialists
$106,000
+6.5% growth 47% AI-proof

View all 20 career paths with full salary data →

Finance Career Guide

Explore what Finance graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 5 programs nationwide.

Read the full Finance career guide →

Compare & Explore

Finance Overview

View all 5 schools offering Finance →

Finance at Other Schools

Northern Arizona University ($54,047) City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College ($45,261) Nova College de Puerto Rico ($13,175) NUC University ($10,587)

Other Majors at Lake Area Technical College

Construction Engineering Technology ($75,253) Nursing ($66,233) Electromechanical Technology ($60,085) Clinical Laboratory Science ($47,512) Vehicle Repair Technology ($47,080) Precision Metalworking ($43,436) Practical Nursing ($42,160) Agricultural Business ($41,340)

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare Finance degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Lake Area Technical College's Finance program score?
A score of 65/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Lake Area Technical College trails the majority of Finance programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Finance to AI automation?
With 55% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $419,220 in decade earnings vs $419,220 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What's the typical debt for Finance graduates from Lake Area Technical College?
Median debt of just $12,000 against $40,070/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 4 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Are there apprenticeship options for Finance?
Yes — 8 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Finance career paths, including Bank Branch Manager. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to a program at Lake Area Technical College.
Is there demand for Finance workers?
At 622,100 annual openings, Finance has a very large employment base. Lake Area Technical College graduates benefit from broad demand, particularly given consistent replacement demand and industry growth.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →