Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Two-Year Technical College

Posted in #LetsBFRANK: The College Admissions Blog on May 11, 2020

This post was written by Marie Gendron

In this post, we give the top 5 reasons for choosing a two-year technical college.

When people talk about college, they sometimes think only about institutions that offer four-year, liberal arts or business programs. While those college programs may be the right fit for some students, they are not the best choice for everyone. In fact, technical college—and in particular, two-year associate degree programs or one-year certificate programs—can pay big dividends for most students.

Here are the top reasons you should consider choosing a technical college:

1. You will be qualified for a good-paying job in 12-24 months.

For many people, the whole reason for attending college is to earn a higher income. Graduates of technical schools find employment at high salaries in a wide range of fields. In the US, there are not currently enough skilled workers to fill available technical jobs and the gap is only expected to grow larger as the American workforce ages. In manufacturing alone, there are as many as 500,000 jobs that are not filled because companies cannot find qualified workers. In emerging fields like cybersecurity, the gap is even greater and there is seemingly unquenchable demand for qualified workers.

“The biggest selling point for many people is the career opportunities plus the fact that you can get a degree in two years, but still earn what most students who attend a four-year college are trying to achieve,” says Calvin Conyers, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology’s Assistant Dean of Admissions and Recruitment. “The amount of time you put in versus the amount of return you’re receiving make technical college very appealing.”

Conyers says BFIT students earn an average of $38,400 per year after completing one of the college’s two-year associate or one-year certificate programs. But starting salaries can be even higher for certain industries. For example, the average starting salary for licensed opticians in Massachusetts is $48,000; starting salaries for health information technicians can be as high as $56,600; and cybersecurity technicians can earn as much as $75,000 to start.

2. You will graduate with less (or no) debt.

Because you’re paying for just one or two years of college, the overall cost of your education will obviously be lower that if you attended a four-year institution. The 2019 tuition and fees for all universities and colleges in Massachusetts ranged from a low of $6,518 to a high of $63,740, according to College Tuition Compare. That means your college costs would be somewhere between $13,036 and $127,480 lower if you chose a two-year technical program rather than a four-year college—and financial aid could reduce the total cost even more.

In addition to grants and scholarships, many people qualify for federal student loans to help pay for college. If you take out a federal student loan, you will be required to repay that loan with interest. The current interest rate for direct student federal loans is 5.05%, according to the US Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office. For subsidized federal loans, the interest does not start accruing until you graduate. But if you need additional unsubsidized federal loans, the interest on those starts accruing as soon as you take out the loan.

Because tuition at technical colleges tends to be lower than for universities, you may not have to take out any unsubsidized loans at all. But even if you do, your investment in a two-year technical degree will be smaller and you will be out making money sooner than if you completed a traditional four-year degree.

“If you’re concerned about loans, you’ll be taking on less debt,” Conyers says. “Instead of four years of loans, you’ll only have one or two years.”

3. You will get experience in your field while in school and you will graduate with the skills you need to get hired.

In technical programs, the focus is on learning a specific trade or technical skill. Students learn through hands-on training, rather than classroom theory or discussion. In addition, technical colleges collaborate closely with industry to ensure that the coursework and experiential learning prepare students for real-world careers.

“Our partner companies actually tell us what they’re looking for,” says Conyers. “Our students are well-prepared to go directly into the field without having to do any extra training. When they graduate, they’re ready to go with the experience they need in order to sit for their license or apprenticeship, depending on what program they’re in.”

Technical colleges are focused almost exclusively on making sure students develop the skills needed for employment, so they usually offer extensive career search and job placement support. And their close partnerships with employers mean internships, job-shadowing opportunities, and careers for tech graduates.

As a result, Conyers says, 85% of BFIT students are either employed or enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program upon graduating.

4. You will learn in small classes from faculty who have experience working in the industry.

While colleges and universities often have lecture classes with hundreds of students, technical colleges are committed to hands-on learning and small class sizes. For example, at BFIT, the student to faculty ratio is just 13:1.

Conyers says these small class sizes allow faculty to individualize learning and provide one-on-one guidance. Small classes also allow students opportunities to develop close relationships with faculty and start to build a network of contacts that will help them succeed throughout their career.

And most of the faculty members at technical colleges are experienced professionals in their field. At BFIT, for example, the chair of the Automotive Department has 23 years of experience as an ASE Master Certified Automotive Technician and all members of the Electrical Technology department hold both a Journeyman’s and Master’s Electrician License.

5. You will take classes related to your major right away.

Technical colleges provide specialized training in a specific career field. Unlike many community colleges and four-year universities that require students to complete general education courses prior to diving into their major field of study, student attending technical colleges typically take courses in their major during their first term. Technical college coursework is tailored to a particular field is designed to be directly relevant to current workplace needs.

Of course, technical programs also offer students opportunities to develop skills like professional communication, information processing, plan implementation, and other qualities that will help them succeed in their career and beyond.

“We’re preparing our students to be ready to work in their industry after just one or two years,” says Conyers. “Of course, they can decide to continue their education, whether for personal growth or career advancement.”

At Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT), we are committed to creating opportunities for any student who wants to work toward a better future. And we promise to always provide the facts you need to make an informed decision about your education.