How much do Precision Metal Working associate's degree graduates from Western Dakota Technical College earn?

The reported median is $51,988 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $12,000.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 8% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Precision Metal Working associate's degree at Western Dakota Technical College

Rapid City, SD · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$4,463 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 23.1% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −39% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$20,120

$8,000Annual price−$36,120

$13,000Current college-wide context−$46,120

$16,000Annual price−$52,120

$24,000Annual price−$68,120

$32,000Annual price−$84,120

$40,000Annual price−$100,120

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+23%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$37,717 → $46,336

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

17Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

19Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

23Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

46Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

32Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

26Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,067Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$51,988$15,921 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$12,670

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$12,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$51,988

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$127/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE PROGRAM REPORTS

4 related offerings reported to the Department of Labor

These provider-reported records add named prices, completion and employment context where available. They describe a separate workforce-program cohort and may include non-degree training, so they are not blended into the College Scorecard earnings or DegreeVerdict ROI.

Certificate of Completion · CIP 48.0508

Welding and Fabrication | Diploma | Hybrid (36 credit hours)

Reported price: $14,063
Completion: 66.0%
Employed in Q2: 9.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $9,707

This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.

Certificate · CIP 48.0501

Precision Machining Technology | Diploma | Hybrid (42 credit hours)

Reported price: $15,652
Completion: 71.0%
Employed in Q2: Not reported
Q2 quarterly earnings: Not available

This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.

Associate of Applied Science · CIP 48.0508

Welding & Fabrication | AAS | Hybrid (63 credit hours)

Reported price: $22,551
Completion: 53.0%
Employed in Q2: 11.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $10,800

This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.

Associate of Applied Science · CIP 48.0501

Machining and Engineering Technology | AAS | Hybrid (68 credit hours)

Reported price: $24,415
Completion: 53.0%
Employed in Q2: Not reported
Q2 quarterly earnings: Not available

This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.

Program year 2022. Quarterly earnings are not annual salary. Suppressed values appear as “Not reported.” Source: U.S. Department of Labor TrainingProviderResults.gov. Showing 4 of 4 related records.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$12,670Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$18,845Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATENot availableInstitution context

COMPLETION RATE54.2%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$37,717Year 1

$51,988Year 4

$46,336Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

2.9% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,332

Estimated loan payment$127

23borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$51,988 vs. $56,451

$4,463 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$45,950 median wageU.S. estimate · 15,900 jobs · 51-4199-7.1% projected U.S. growth · 1,300 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentLayout Workers, Metal and Plastic$63,870 median wageU.S. estimate · 5,970 jobs · 51-4192-3.4% projected U.S. growth · 500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentMachinists$50,890 median wageSD estimate · 830 jobs · 51-4041$46,280–$58,750 middle 50% of SD wages+1.0% projected U.S. growth · 26,100 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentStructural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$50,800 median wageSD estimate · 180 jobs · 51-2041$40,870–$59,270 middle 50% of SD wages-6.2% projected U.S. growth · 4,800 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,750 median wageSD estimate · 1,420 jobs · 51-9161$46,220–$60,080 middle 50% of SD wages-9.4% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentHeat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,750 median wageU.S. estimate · 14,000 jobs · 51-4191-9.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentCutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,060 median wageSD estimate · 490 jobs · 51-4031$41,900–$53,330 middle 50% of SD wages-10.5% projected U.S. growth · 13,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentRolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,040 median wageSD estimate · 70 jobs · 51-4023$39,020–$48,880 middle 50% of SD wages-8.3% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,700 median wageSD estimate · 120 jobs · 51-4081$38,090–$56,380 middle 50% of SD wages+0.6% projected U.S. growth · 11,600 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentGrinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$39,060 median wageSD estimate · 130 jobs · 51-4033$31,710–$43,590 middle 50% of SD wages-10.8% projected U.S. growth · 4,500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$66,650 median wageSD estimate · 80 jobs · 51-9162$55,070–$79,360 middle 50% of SD wages+5.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree awardModel Makers, Metal and Plastic$63,340 median wageU.S. estimate · 2,610 jobs · 51-4061-17.3% projected U.S. growth · 200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Watertown, SD

Lake Area Technical College

$999 less debt

Earnings: $51,201
Debt: $11,001
Annual net price: $15,979

View outcomes →

Indianapolis, IN

Ivy Tech Community College

$23,014 higher earnings · $5,190 less debt · $5,412 lower annual net price

Earnings: $75,002
Debt: $6,810
Annual net price: $7,258

View outcomes →

Albuquerque, NM

Central New Mexico Community College

$12,202 higher earnings · $5,560 less debt · $8,049 lower annual net price

Earnings: $64,190
Debt: $6,440
Annual net price: $4,621

View outcomes →

Lincoln, NE

Southeast Community College Area

$11,823 higher earnings · $350 less debt · $3,499 lower annual net price

Earnings: $63,811
Debt: $11,650
Annual net price: $9,171

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

19 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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