NON-CREDENTIAL PROGRAM (PREPARATORY COURSEWORK/TEACHER CERTIFICATION) · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) in Precision Metal Working worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Personal baseline needed
$61,829 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.
$61,829Median year-4 earnings
$6,799Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
Outcomes at a glance
$61,829Typical earnings four years after completion
Not availableAverage earnings five years after completion
Not availableTypical federal student debt
61thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Precision Metal Working
How much do Precision Metal Working non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) graduates earn?
The national median is $61,829 four years after completion across reportable non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Precision Metal Working?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $57,251 to $57,251 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Precision Metal Working?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,927
- Federal debt
- $9,329
- Programs in the comparison
- 398
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,479
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Programs in the comparison
- 74
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,829
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
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$57,251National median$61,82975th percentile$57,251
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
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See the spread, not just the national number.
1Central Virginia Community College$66,4072Danville Community College$57,251Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-13%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$45,950 median wage15,900 jobs nationwide-7.1% projected growth through 2035 · 1,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$35,350–$65,510 typical wage rangeLayout Workers, Metal and Plastic$63,870 median wage5,970 jobs nationwide-3.4% projected growth through 2035 · 500 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$39,980–$93,860 typical wage rangeMachinists$58,750 median wage287,050 jobs nationwide+1.0% projected growth through 2035 · 26,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$39,200–$80,010 typical wage rangeStructural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$51,330 median wage52,360 jobs nationwide-6.2% projected growth through 2035 · 4,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$37,960–$72,280 typical wage rangeComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,690 median wage169,450 jobs nationwide-9.4% projected growth through 2035 · 12,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$38,140–$73,890 typical wage rangeRolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,140 median wage25,250 jobs nationwide-8.3% projected growth through 2035 · 1,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$37,690–$70,310 typical wage rangeHeat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,750 median wage14,000 jobs nationwide-9.5% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$35,180–$66,350 typical wage rangeMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180 median wage124,590 jobs nationwide+0.6% projected growth through 2035 · 11,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$35,780–$74,450 typical wage rangeGrinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550 median wage67,000 jobs nationwide-10.8% projected growth through 2035 · 4,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$36,110–$62,600 typical wage rangeCutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330 median wage171,200 jobs nationwide-10.5% projected growth through 2035 · 13,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$35,760–$65,510 typical wage rangeComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$68,120 median wage28,500 jobs nationwide+5.9% projected growth through 2035 · 2,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$47,530–$100,320 typical wage rangeTool and Die Makers$64,050 median wage56,930 jobs nationwide-9.2% projected growth through 2035 · 4,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$44,680–$92,680 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
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.