---
title: Is a Precision Metal Working degree worth the debt?
cip: 4805
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Precision Metal Working degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Certificate**, across **273** colleges (273 of 273 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $33,159 ($31,852 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $8,896 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.26× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $30,046–$37,105 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate | $33,159 | $8,896 | 0.26× | 273 | 273/273 |
| Associate's | $39,194 | $12,000 | 0.31× | 83 | 83/83 |

## Where a Certificate in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coastal Pines Technical College (GA) | $50,619 | — |
| Saint Paul College (MN) | $47,035 | $9,500 |
| Elite Welding Academy LLC (OH) | $45,212 | $9,500 |
| Elite Welding Academy | $45,212 | $9,500 |
| Elite Welding Academy South Point (OH) | $45,212 | $9,500 |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College (WI) | $44,951 | $9,250 |
| Hennepin Technical College (MN) | $44,805 | — |
| Hawkeye Community College (IA) | $44,721 | $6,800 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College (IA) | $44,545 | $5,446 |
| St Cloud Technical and Community College (MN) | $44,202 | $9,500 |
| Dunwoody College of Technology (MN) | $44,042 | $5,500 |
| Anoka Technical College (MN) | $43,787 | $7,145 |
| White Mountains Community College (NH) | $43,756 | $9,625 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College (MN) | $42,747 | $5,500 |
| Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (OH) | $42,691 | $5,500 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/precision-metal-working.jsonld` · `/education/fields/precision-metal-working.json`