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Fields of study · Precision Production

Precision Metal Working

CIP 48.05. 1,006 colleges reported awards in this field, totaling 66,670 awards in the latest award year.

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Award levels

Where this field is awarded, and what graduates earned

Earnings are national medians for graduates of this field at this level, measured four years after they finished, among students who received federal aid and were working. They describe past graduates across all schools, not one school and not you.

LevelCollegesAwardsMedian earningsMiddle range
Certificate99261,486$48,702$31,475 to $65,767
Associate4845,180$56,451$40,160 to $73,662
Bachelor's14Not reportedNot reported
Year, scope, and limits
Cohort or year
Most recent reported cohorts
Scope
Reported for this field of study

National median earnings for this field and credential level, 4 years after completion, across every institution that awards it.

Colleges

Colleges that awarded Precision Metal Working credentials

Listed by awards conferred in the latest award year, which shows size rather than quality. A larger program is not a better program. 3 of these colleges report at least one credential in this field that can be finished fully online.

ArclabsPrivate for-profit, Less than 2-year · Piedmont, SC · Certificate
599 awards$48,541 median 4 years out
South Texas CollegePublic, 4-year · McAllen, TX · Certificate, Associate
535 awards$45,926 median 4 years out
Mesa Community CollegePublic, 4-year · Mesa, AZ · Certificate, Associate
403 awardsProgram earnings not reported
Lone Star College SystemPublic, 4-year · The Woodlands, TX · Certificate, Associate
381 awards$53,293 median 4 years out

Showing 24 of 1,006 colleges. Filter the full directory by this family →

427 of these programs have a published earnings figure. The rest are suppressed or not reported, usually because too few graduates were in the cohort to publish safely. A blank is not a low number.

Year, scope, and limits
Cohort or year
2023-24 award year
Scope
Reported for this field of study

Awards conferred in this field and at this level during the award year.

Related work

Kinds of work this field leads toward

These occupations are commonly linked to CIP 48.05. Wages are national medians across everyone in the occupation, not just recent graduates of this field, and they are not a placement record. Many people in these jobs studied something else.

OccupationGroupMedian wageEmployed
Sheet Metal WorkersConstruction and extraction$61,800119,770
Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersProduction$51,33052,360
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$47,72060,840
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$49,0308,930
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$50,14025,250
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$46,330171,200
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$49,0804,680
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$46,55067,000
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$50,62016,710
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$52,80012,460
MachinistsProduction$58,750287,050
Model Makers, Metal and PlasticProduction$63,3402,610
Patternmakers, Metal and PlasticProduction$58,0001,470
Foundry Mold and CoremakersProduction$48,11012,790
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticProduction$47,180124,590

9 more occupations are linked to this field.

Year, scope, and limits
Cohort or year
May 2025
Scope
Reported for this occupation, nationally

National median wage across all workers in the occupation, not only recent graduates of one field. Wages vary by state, industry, and experience. A wage at or above 239,200 dollars a year is published only as at or above that figure.

Nearby fields

Woodworking79 colleges · 636 awardsPrecision Production, Other17 colleges · 95 awardsLeatherworking and Upholstery10 colleges · 26 awardsBoilermaking/Boilermaker4 colleges · 25 awardsPrecision Production Trades, General8 colleges · 17 awards

Limits

What this page cannot tell you

  • Awards conferred describe last year's graduates. A program can start, change, or close, so confirm the exact program, level, and start term with the college.
  • Earnings vary by state, employer, and role. One median hides a wide spread.
  • Program availability does not mean the program is offered every term or in your state.
  • Nothing here is a chance of admission or a promise of a job.