Precision Metalworking
Precision Production · federal classification: Precision Metal Working
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $47,407 | $41,972 to $52,968 | 353 | 93% |
| Associate's Degree | $56,425 | $48,709 to $63,897 | 73 | 97% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth -9% (2025 to 2035), about 147,500 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | +2.4% | 40,300 |
| Machinists | $58,750 | +1% | 26,100 |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,330 | -10.5% | 13,200 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $50,690 | -9.4% | 12,500 |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,180 | +0.6% | 11,600 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $61,800 | +2.5% | 9,800 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a precision metalworking program, of 958 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Tulsa Welding School-Houston
- Tulsa Welding School-Jacksonville
- Ivy Tech Community College
- Front Range Community College
- Tulsa Welding School-Tulsa
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College
- Owensboro Community and Technical College
- Texas State Technical College
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.