Precision Metal Working: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 48.05. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,546 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 1,041 | 61,864 | $42,421 | $48,702 | $8,331 204 programs |
| Associate's degree | 503 | 5,195 | $48,947 | $56,451 | $12,000 29 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 1 | 4 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferris State University MI · Public · 23 graduates measured | $72,223 | $79,641 | $16,757 |
| Lee College TX · Public · 21 graduates measured | $70,412 | $62,998 | Data unavailable |
| Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College KY · Public · 57 graduates measured | $69,657 | Data unavailable | $8,750 |
| Jefferson Community and Technical College KY · Public · 47 graduates measured | $65,286 | $59,962 | $8,250 |
| Hennepin Technical College MN · Public · 43 graduates measured | $64,415 | $69,442 | $14,750 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District IA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $61,035 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Gateway Community and Technical College KY · Public · 42 graduates measured | $60,680 | $60,507 | $7,125 |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College KY · Public · 140 graduates measured | $60,604 | $60,198 | $10,786 |
| Idaho State University ID · Public · 28 graduates measured | $59,367 | $82,683 | $6,500 |
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College KY · Public · 64 graduates measured | $59,272 | $50,712 | $7,224 |
| Saint Paul College MN · Public · 102 graduates measured | $58,976 | $62,541 | $12,585 |
| Vincennes University IN · Public · 16 graduates measured | $58,633 | $62,871 | $5,500 |
| School of Automotive Machinists & Technology TX · Private, for-profit · 22 graduates measured | $57,952 | $51,062 | $9,854 |
| Anoka Technical College MN · Public · 82 graduates measured | $57,915 | $64,648 | $5,500 |
| Emily Griffith Technical College CO · Public · 43 graduates measured | $57,453 | $51,887 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Tech Community College IN · Public · 71 graduates measured | $69,427 | $75,002 | $8,998 |
| Hennepin Technical College MN · Public · 35 graduates measured | $68,632 | $76,020 | $13,954 |
| Des Moines Area Community College IA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $65,355 | $75,145 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology PA · Public · 59 graduates measured | $63,054 | $70,298 | $19,500 |
| Anoka Technical College MN · Public · 33 graduates measured | $62,495 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Dunwoody College of Technology MN · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $60,388 | $70,886 | $12,000 |
| Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology KS · Public · 28 graduates measured | $57,475 | Data unavailable | $10,493 |
| Green River College WA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $56,806 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Hawkeye Community College IA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $54,708 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Southeast Community College Area NE · Public · 44 graduates measured | $54,590 | $63,811 | $9,834 |
| Triangle Tech Inc-Pittsburgh · Private, for-profit · 40 graduates measured | $54,290 | $46,982 | $12,000 |
| Triangle Tech-Chambersburg · Private, for-profit · 40 graduates measured | $54,290 | $46,982 | $12,000 |
| Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology PA · Public · 104 graduates measured | $54,231 | $68,071 | $12,000 |
| Metropolitan Community College Area NE · Public · 18 graduates measured | $53,959 | $54,754 | Data unavailable |
| State Technical College of Missouri MO · Public · 66 graduates measured | $52,814 | $63,519 | $12,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Precision Metal Working
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (9)
- 48.0501 Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
- 48.0503 Machine Shop Technology/Assistant
- 48.0506 Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking
- 48.0507 Tool and Die Technology/Technician
- 48.0508 Welding Technology/Welder
- 48.0509 Ironworking/Ironworker
- 48.0510 Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist
- 48.0511 Metal Fabricator
- 48.0599 Precision Metal Working, Other