How much do Precision Metal Working undergraduate certificate or diploma graduates from Northcentral Technical College earn?

The reported median is $52,792 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $5,250.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

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

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Precision Metal Working undergraduate certificate or diploma at Northcentral Technical College

Wausau, WI · 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.

$4,090 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 9.9% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: $32,920 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: Withheld by data safeguards
Available price data: College-wide context only

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+7%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$47,718 → $50,958

99Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

116Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

122Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

37Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

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

20Recent 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.

54Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

31Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

25.0%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers

135Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmarkNot availableInformational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$52,792A like-for-like comparison is unavailable

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$10,303

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

02 · BORROWING$5,250

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$52,792

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$56/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE PROGRAM REPORTS

11 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.

Technical Diploma · CIP 48.0508

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

Reported price: $1,542
Completion: 91.0%
Employed in Q2: 87.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $10,708

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

Technical Diploma · CIP 48.0508

Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW)

Reported price: $1,713
Completion: 93.0%
Employed in Q2: 88.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $10,846

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

Apprenticeship · CIP 48.0501

Machinist

Reported price: $2,012
Completion: 19.0%
Employed in Q2: 63.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $6,090

This program provides in-person instruction only.

Technical Diploma · CIP 48.0508

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)

Reported price: $2,055
Completion: 97.0%
Employed in Q2: 88.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $11,262

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

Technical Diploma · CIP 48.0508

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

Reported price: $2,227
Completion: 91.0%
Employed in Q2: 77.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $10,162

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

Apprenticeship · CIP 48.0507

Tool & Die

Reported price: $2,515
Completion: 87.0%
Employed in Q2: 94.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $16,573

This program provides in-person instruction only.

Technical Diploma · CIP 48.0501

Basic Machining

Reported price: $2,569
Completion: 95.0%
Employed in Q2: 79.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $7,541

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

Technical Diploma · CIP 48.0501

Machine Tool Operation

Reported price: $5,139
Completion: 60.0%
Employed in Q2: 85.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $11,985

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 8 of 11 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$10,303Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$15,768Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATENot availableInstitution context

COMPLETION RATE45.4%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.

$47,718Year 1

$52,792Year 4

$50,958Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

1.3% 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$4,399

Estimated loan payment$56

37borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$52,792 vs. $48,702

$4,090 above 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$45,100 median wageWI estimate · 470 jobs · 51-4199$41,150–$55,310 middle 50% of WI wages-7.1% projected U.S. growth · 1,300 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentLayout Workers, Metal and Plastic$60,810 median wageWI estimate · 150 jobs · 51-4192$53,580–$64,820 middle 50% of WI wages-3.4% projected U.S. growth · 500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentMachinists$59,110 median wageWI estimate · 12,700 jobs · 51-4041$48,430–$63,350 middle 50% of WI wages+1.0% projected U.S. growth · 26,100 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentStructural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$56,310 median wageWI estimate · 1,810 jobs · 51-2041$48,000–$59,860 middle 50% of WI wages-6.2% projected U.S. growth · 4,800 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentComputer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$52,690 median wageWI estimate · 8,330 jobs · 51-9161$47,170–$61,990 middle 50% of WI wages-9.4% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentRolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,370 median wageWI estimate · 290 jobs · 51-4023$45,910–$58,310 middle 50% of WI wages-8.3% projected U.S. growth · 1,900 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentCutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,270 median wageWI estimate · 7,960 jobs · 51-4031$43,930–$58,560 middle 50% of WI wages-10.5% projected U.S. growth · 13,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentHeat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,100 median wageWI estimate · 470 jobs · 51-4191$47,930–$58,400 middle 50% of WI wages-9.5% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,700 median wageWI estimate · 3,570 jobs · 51-4081$42,620–$59,110 middle 50% of WI 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$47,330 median wageWI estimate · 3,570 jobs · 51-4033$41,190–$55,430 middle 50% of WI wages-10.8% projected U.S. growth · 4,500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentSheet Metal Workers$77,760 median wageWI estimate · 3,180 jobs · 47-2211$50,350–$97,320 middle 50% of WI wages+2.5% projected U.S. growth · 9,800 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentTool and Die Makers$68,120 median wageWI estimate · 2,450 jobs · 51-4111$59,680–$77,160 middle 50% of WI wages-9.2% projected U.S. growth · 4,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree award

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.

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Area Technical College

$6,724 higher earnings · $1,191 lower annual net price

Earnings: $59,516
Debt: $9,500
Annual net price: $9,112

View outcomes →

Fond du Lac, WI

Moraine Park Technical College

$5,069 higher earnings · $1,035 lower annual net price

Earnings: $57,861
Debt: $7,000
Annual net price: $9,268

View outcomes →

Rice Lake, WI

Northwood Technical College

$2,149 higher earnings · $1,314 lower annual net price

Earnings: $54,941
Debt: $5,500
Annual net price: $8,989

View outcomes →

Appleton, WI

Fox Valley Technical College

$10,870 higher earnings

Earnings: $63,662
Debt: $7,664
Annual net price: $11,407

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

122 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.

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