Electrical and Power Transmission Installers at Western Dakota Technical College
with a smaller student body of 733 in Rapid City, SD.
Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $41,303 track close to the $43,305 national median for Electrical and Power Transmission Installers programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 27.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Electrical and Power Transmission Installers programs nationally.
AI disruption models show minimal impact on this program's career paths. The gap between optimistic and pessimistic scenarios is just 0% — this trade's hands-on core resists automation.
At $12,000 in median debt against $41,303 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.
Ranked #137 of 214 Electrical and Power Transmission Installers programs, Western Dakota Technical College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers offers 31 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 Electrical and Power Transmission Installers graduates by median salary.
| Career Path | Median Salary | Growth | AI-ProofAI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay | $100,940 | +5.5% | 66% |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $92,560 | +6.6% | 100% |
| Signal and track switch repairers | $83,600 | +1.7% | 92% |
About Electrical and Power Transmission Installers Careers
Your training will put you on a path to becoming a licensed electrician or a specialized power-line installer. As an electrician, you'll work on construction sites or in homes, running conduit, pulling wire, and installing fixtures. If you choose the power transmission route, your 'office' is outdoors, working with a team to maintain the high-voltage lines that power entire communities. After your apprenticeship, you’ll progress to a journeyman, tackling complex projects independently. This is hands-on problem-solving that requires you to be on-site—a skill set that can’t be automated from an office.
Read the full Electrical and Power Transmission Installers career guide →