Electrical Installation at Western Dakota Technical College

Rapid City, SD · Public · Associate Degree · Electrical and Power Transmission Installers

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 Installation 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 Installation 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 Installation programs, Western Dakota Technical College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Electrical Installation offers 31 registered apprenticeship pathways — an unusually broad set of earn-while-you-learn alternatives to the classroom track.

60 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
58
Low End
60
Score
61
High End
Earnings $41,303/yr (-5% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (78% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (230,700 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$432K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple
27.0x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
7 of 7
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition
$16,016
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,000
3.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (4 Year)
$48,576
18% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Electrical Installation 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%
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
$100,940
+5.5% growth 66% AI-proof
Electrical power-line installers and repairers
$92,560
+6.6% growth 100% AI-proof
Signal and track switch repairers
$83,600
+1.7% growth 92% AI-proof

View all 7 career paths with full salary data →

Electrical Installation Career Guide

Electrical Installation opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

Read the full Electrical Installation career guide →

Compare & Explore

Electrical Installation Overview

Electrical Installation at Other Schools

Other Majors at Western Dakota Technical College

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Western Dakota Technical College's Electrical Installation program score?
At 60/100, the score looks reasonable — but Electrical Installation is a high-scoring trade overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.
How AI-proof is a career in Electrical Installation?
For Western Dakota Technical College graduates, AI risk is minimal. Electrical Installation rated "AI-Proof" — 78% of the work involves hands-on skills that current AI simply can't perform.
What's the typical debt for Electrical Installation graduates from Western Dakota Technical College?
At $12,000 in median debt, Electrical Installation graduates from Western Dakota Technical College carry minimal financial burden. The debt-to-income ratio of 0.3x is well below the trade program average.
Should I consider an apprenticeship over a Electrical Installation program at Western Dakota Technical College?
There are 31 registered apprenticeships connected to Electrical Installation occupations, such as Cable Installer-Repairer (Alternate Title: Cable Systems Installer/Maintainer) and Cable Splicer. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
Is there demand for Electrical Installation workers?
Job availability for Electrical Installation is strong — 230,700 positions open annually across the mapped career paths. For Western Dakota Technical College graduates specifically, local market conditions in SD may shift the picture.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →