Precision Metal Working: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 398 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$47,927 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$47,927Median year-4 earnings

$12,900Average institution net-price context

$9,329Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$47,927Median reported earnings · year 4

$44,998Average reported earnings · year 5

$9,329Median federal debt

45thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

398Reporting programs

385With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $47,927
Federal debt: $9,329
Reporting programs: 398

385 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $56,479
Federal debt: $12,000
Reporting programs: 74

74 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $61,829
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$43,883National median$47,92775th percentile$53,017

385 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Riverland Community College$87,864 2Idaho State University$82,683 3Ferris State University$79,641 4White Mountains Community College$71,074 5Hennepin Technical College$69,442 6Santa Ana College$68,633 7Coastal Pines Technical College$68,443 8Riverside City College$67,355 9Owensboro Community and Technical College$67,174 10Alexandria Technical & Community College$65,946

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All OtherSOC 51-4199 · 3 crosswalk linksComputer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsSOC 51-9161 · 2 crosswalk linksCutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4031 · 2 crosswalk linksGrinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4033 · 2 crosswalk linksHeat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4191 · 2 crosswalk linksLayout Workers, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4192 · 2 crosswalk linksMachinistsSOC 51-4041 · 2 crosswalk linksMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4081 · 2 crosswalk linksRolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4023 · 2 crosswalk linksStructural Metal Fabricators and FittersSOC 51-2041 · 2 crosswalk linksComputer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersSOC 51-9162 · 1 crosswalk linksDrilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticSOC 51-4032 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR PRECISION METAL WORKING

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Riverland Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Austin, MN	$87,864	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,427
2	Idaho State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Pocatello, ID	$82,683	$9,000	Baseline needed	$12,193
3	Ferris State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Big Rapids, MI	$79,641	$21,765	Baseline needed	$8,624
4	White Mountains Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Berlin, NH	$71,074	$9,625	Baseline needed	$15,474
5	Hennepin Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Brooklyn Park, MN	$69,442	$9,329	Baseline needed	$10,272
6	Santa Ana CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Santa Ana, CA	$68,633	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,133
7	Coastal Pines Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Waycross, GA	$68,443	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
8	Riverside City CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Riverside, CA	$67,355	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,377
9	Owensboro Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Owensboro, KY	$67,174	$7,475	Baseline needed	$5,800
10	Alexandria Technical & Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Alexandria, MN	$65,946	$9,500	Baseline needed	$13,691
11	Minnesota North CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Hibbing, MN	$65,172	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,432
12	Butte CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Oroville, CA	$64,811	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,520
13	Hawkeye Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Waterloo, IA	$64,717	$7,874	Baseline needed	$9,649
14	Anoka Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Anoka, MN	$64,648	$8,692	Baseline needed	$16,953
15	Fox Valley Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Appleton, WI	$63,662	$7,664	Baseline needed	$11,407
16	Savannah Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Savannah, GA	$63,310	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,114
17	Lee CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Baytown, TX	$62,998	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,879
18	Vincennes UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Vincennes, IN	$62,871	$9,863	Baseline needed	$11,225
19	Hopkinsville Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Hopkinsville, KY	$62,870	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,875
20	Cowley County Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Arkansas City, KS	$62,785	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,175
21	Waukesha County Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Pewaukee, WI	$62,722	$9,500	Baseline needed	$11,101
22	Saint Paul CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Saint Paul, MN	$62,541	$9,928	Baseline needed	$11,495
23	Alpena Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Alpena, MI	$62,203	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,320
24	Clackamas Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Oregon City, OR	$61,033	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,855
25	Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fennimore, WI	$60,707	$5,500	Baseline needed	$12,896
26	Gateway Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Florence, KY	$60,507	$9,041	Baseline needed	$5,725
27	Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lexington, KY	$60,198	$10,684	Baseline needed	$6,113
28	Dunwoody College of TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Minneapolis, MN	$60,061	$6,333	Baseline needed	$26,939
29	Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Louisville, KY	$59,962	$6,794	Baseline needed	$6,376
30	EHOVE Career CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Milan, OH	$59,906	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
31	Northern Michigan UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Marquette, MI	$59,723	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,085
32	Dakota County Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Rosemount, MN	$59,643	$5,500	Baseline needed	$13,548
33	Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Milwaukee, WI	$59,516	$9,500	Baseline needed	$9,112
34	Marshalltown Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Marshalltown, IA	$59,331	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,059
35	Tennessee College of Applied Technology-MurfreesboroUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Murfreesboro, TN	$59,112	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,631
36	Hobart Institute of Welding TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Troy, OH	$59,016	$5,500	Baseline needed	$21,409
37	Tarrant County College DistrictUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fort Worth, TX	$59,011	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,337
38	St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Saint Cloud, MN	$58,749	$9,500	Baseline needed	$9,635
39	Connecticut State Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	New Britain, CT	$58,531	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,513
40	West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Paducah, KY	$58,512	$8,250	Baseline needed	$5,353
41	Central Alabama Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Alexander City, AL	$58,411	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,996
42	Northwest Florida State CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Niceville, FL	$58,333	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,571
43	Lynnes Welding TrainingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fargo, ND	$58,273	$3,700	Baseline needed	$22,960
44	Cisco CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Cisco, TX	$57,960	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,624
45	Moraine Park Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fond du Lac, WI	$57,861	$7,000	Baseline needed	$9,268
46	Shelton State Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tuscaloosa, AL	$57,855	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,557
47	Metropolitan Community College-Kansas CityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Kansas City, MO	$57,729	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,398
48	Baker CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Owosso, MI	$57,680	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,157
49	Del Mar CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Corpus Christi, TX	$57,598	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,399
50	Welder Training and Testing InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Allentown, PA	$57,411	$9,500	Baseline needed	$22,503
51	Lancaster County Career and Technology CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Willow Street, PA	$56,969	$9,500	Baseline needed	$17,505
52	Advanced Technology InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Virginia Beach, VA	$56,751	$12,674	Baseline needed	$16,358
53	Great Oaks Career CampusesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Cincinnati, OH	$56,665	$6,078	Baseline needed	$12,037
54	Ogden-Weber Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Ogden, UT	$56,521	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,229
55	Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Eau Claire, WI	$56,289	$8,109	Baseline needed	$12,285
56	East Valley Institute of TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mesa, AZ	$56,189	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
57	Fortis College-Cuyahoga FallsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Cuyahoga Falls, OH	$56,054	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,374
58	Northern Wyoming Community College DistrictUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Sheridan, WY	$56,041	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,346
59	Bevill State Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Jasper, AL	$55,986	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,937
60	Central Lakes College-BrainerdUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Brainerd, MN	$55,654	$5,500	Baseline needed	$13,869
61	Mountainland Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lehi, UT	$55,570	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
62	North Georgia Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Clarkesville, GA	$55,479	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,005
63	Northeast Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Norfolk, NE	$55,434	$5,500	Baseline needed	$8,544
64	Western Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	La Crosse, WI	$55,158	$5,500	Baseline needed	$11,008
65	Elite Welding Academy LLCUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Cincinnati, OH	$55,098	$9,500	Baseline needed	$31,701
66	Elite Welding Academy South PointUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	South Point, OH	$55,098	$9,500	Baseline needed	$24,642
67	Central Virginia Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lynchburg, VA	$54,998	$8,625	Baseline needed	$6,928
68	Danville Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Danville, VA	$54,963	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,669
69	Northwood Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Rice Lake, WI	$54,941	$5,500	Baseline needed	$8,989
70	Montana State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Bozeman, MT	$54,930	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,499
71	Gateway Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Kenosha, WI	$54,860	$9,700	Baseline needed	$12,928
72	Modern Welding SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Schenectady, NY	$54,806	$6,790	Baseline needed	$22,618
73	Ridgewater CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Willmar, MN	$54,714	$9,750	Baseline needed	$10,046
74	South Central CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	North Mankato, MN	$54,263	$3,666	Baseline needed	$9,082
75	Ranken Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Saint Louis, MO	$54,143	$9,500	Baseline needed	$18,795
76	Bridgerland Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Logan, UT	$53,913	Not available	Baseline needed	$2,338
77	Indian Hills Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Ottumwa, IA	$53,878	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,693
78	Lake Superior CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Duluth, MN	$53,775	$13,350	Baseline needed	$15,492
79	Spartanburg Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Spartanburg, SC	$53,755	Not available	Baseline needed	$2,405
80	Ivy Tech Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Indianapolis, IN	$53,579	$6,387	Baseline needed	$7,258
81	Alaska Vocational Technical CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Seward, AK	$53,551	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,635
82	Lone Star College SystemUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	The Woodlands, TX	$53,293	$4,562	Baseline needed	$11,252
83	Virginia Western Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Roanoke, VA	$53,278	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,966
84	Kennebec Valley Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fairfield, ME	$53,244	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,910
85	Laurel Technical InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Hermitage, PA	$53,141	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,778
86	Mohave Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Kingman, AZ	$53,098	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,974
87	Lincoln Land Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Springfield, IL	$53,017	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,299
88	Brightpoint Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Chester, VA	$52,992	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,490
89	Georgia Northwestern Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Rome, GA	$52,968	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,720
90	Universal Technical Institute of Arizona IncUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Avondale, AZ	$52,936	$10,593	Baseline needed	$30,451
91	Universal Technical Institute of Illinois IncUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lisle, IL	$52,936	$10,593	Baseline needed	$27,060
92	Universal Technical Institute of California IncUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	$52,936	$10,593	Baseline needed	$26,360
93	Universal Technical Institute-MooresvilleUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mooresville, NC	$52,936	$10,593	Baseline needed	$28,915
94	Universal Technical Institute-Southern CaliforniaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Long Beach, CA	$52,936	$10,593	Baseline needed	$27,506
95	Universal Technical Institute-South Florida MiramarUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Miramar, FL	$52,936	$10,593	Baseline needed	$28,759
96	Tennessee College of Applied Technology-MemphisUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Memphis, TN	$52,924	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,315
97	Front Range Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Westminster, CO	$52,873	$8,347	Baseline needed	$13,031
98	Northcentral Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Wausau, WI	$52,792	$5,250	Baseline needed	$10,303
99	Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Green Bay, WI	$52,759	$5,500	Baseline needed	$9,918
100	Tennessee College of Applied Technology-PulaskiUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Pulaski, TN	$52,577	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,269

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.