South Central College

North Mankato, MN · Public · 1,890 students · Visit Website

South Central College offers hands-on training in programs like Registered Nursing, Electromechanical Instrumentation, Civil Engineering Technologies, and Precision Metal Working. The college emphasizes workforce development through customized training for businesses and industry, and some programs prepare students for industry-recognized certifications. They also have strong industry partnerships and offer internships and apprenticeships, some of which are supported by grants for employers in manufacturing, health sciences, and agriculture.

Programs Analyzed

7

Avg Grad Earnings

$46,446/yr

Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score

63/100

Tuition

$6,146/yr

All Programs at South Central College

7 trade programs at South Central College, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size). Use the “compare” links to see how this school’s programs stack up against others nationally.

Program Score Earnings Debt 10yr ROI AI Risk Job Market
Nursing
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Compare nationwide →
Compare in MN →
78 $60,434/yr $18,385 54.7x High Very Large
292 openings/yr
Business Administration
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Compare nationwide →
Compare in MN →
73 $42,589/yr 35.5x High Very Large
1,753 openings/yr
Welding & Metalworking
Precision Metal Working
Compare nationwide →
Compare in MN →
66 $41,527/yr $3,332 85.2x Low Very Large
164 openings/yr
Medical Assisting
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Compare nationwide →
Compare in MN →
59 $36,389/yr 28.5x Moderate Very Large
252 openings/yr
Electromechanical Technology
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
Compare nationwide →
Compare in MN →
58 $56,246/yr $7,025 44.8x Moderate Medium
26 openings/yr
Civil Engineering Technology
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
Compare nationwide →
58 $55,224/yr $10,319 59.8x High Small
6 openings/yr
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Compare nationwide →
Compare in MN →
46 $32,719/yr $11,000 34.5x Low Medium
13 openings/yr

Reading the table: Score combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size on a 0–100 scale. Earnings = median first-year salary from College Scorecard. Debt = median federal debt at graduation (blank where Scorecard suppresses small samples). 10yr ROI = projected 10-year earnings ÷ in-state tuition. AI Risk reflects task-level AI exposure across mapped occupations. Job Market = annual openings nationwide for connected occupations.

More Trade Schools in Minnesota

Top-scored trade schools elsewhere in Minnesota, ranked by average TradeSchoolOutlook Score across their programs.

View all trade schools in Minnesota →

Apprenticeship Pathways in Minnesota

Earn-while-you-learn alternatives in Minnesota. Registered apprenticeships skip tuition and pay you during training, though training periods are typically longer.

Browse all apprenticeship trades →

Trade Schools Near North Mankato

Other cities in Minnesota with multiple trade schools, sorted by distance from North Mankato.

About This Data

TradeSchoolOutlook analyzes 7 trade and vocational programs at South Central College using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034).

The TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100) combines graduate earnings, return on investment, AI resilience, and job market size. AI Risk reflects task-level exposure for the occupations each program feeds into. Job Market shows the size of the national hiring pool. Programs without published debt figures had small reporting samples that the College Scorecard suppresses for privacy.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections). Last updated 2026.