Precision Metal Working Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Precision Metal Working maps to BLS occupations averaging about $67,133, with roughly 58,240 workers nationwide in those roles. Median program completion runs near 60%; median in-state published tuition is about $4,889.
Key Statistics
Precision Metal Working: what the data shows
Common questions about precision metal working degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a precision metal working degree?
A Precision Metal Working program is classified under NCES CIP 48.0000 in the Precision Production Trades, General field family (48.00).
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in creating products using precision crafting and technical illustration.
IPEDS counted 36 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
How long does it take to get a precision metal working degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 48.0000 in our file:
- 9 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)—about two years of full-time study
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What do you learn in precision metal working?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What degree do you need?
For Machinists (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a precision metal working degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Precision Metal Working to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Machinists | 298,790 | $56,150 |
| Tool and Die Makers | 55,130 | $63,180 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 424,040 | $51,000 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | 117,470 | $60,850 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a precision metal working degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $4,889 and median net price is $15,550.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Precision Metal Working and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$4,889 Median In-State Public
$10,362 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Precision Metal Working majors are, on average, $4,889 for in-state public colleges, and $10,362 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Precision Metal Working programs.
Institutions awarding the most Precision Metal Working degrees
| # | Institution | State | Completions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IYRS School of Technology & Trades | RI | 8 |
| 2 | Metropolitan Community College Area | NE | 6 |
| 3 | Montcalm Community College | MI | 1 |
| 4 | Butler County Community College | PA | 1 |
| 5 | Delaware County Community College | PA | 1 |
IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), all award levels for this CIP in our extract.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
36 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Precision Metal Working from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Precision Metal Working.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hinton Barber and Beauty College | CA | 62 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Precision Metal Working programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insufficient Data | |||
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Precision Metal Working programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hinton Barber and Beauty College | CA | $15,550 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Precision Metal Working programs.
Graduation Rates
59.74% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.83% Average Graduation Rate
243 Institutions Reporting
44.64% - 71.62% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Precision Metal Working programs across institutions.
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 48.0000 in the survey year used in our extract (9 total across levels below).
- 9 Associate (100.0% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $67,133. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Precision Metal Working graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Machinists | $61,610 | 298,790 |
| Tool and Die Makers | $77,564 | 55,130 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $63,590 | 424,040 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $89,073 | 117,470 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$67,204 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Precision Metal Working majors is $67,204.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Precision Metal Working majors.
Occupations by Share
58,240 2023 Workforce
The number of Precision Metal Working graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Precision Metal Working by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Debt and earnings fields below come from College Scorecard where present in our degree extract.
Financial value (extract)
$11,445 Median Student Debt
N/A Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
nan% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
$62,200 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for Precision Metal Working degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Precision Metal Working in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Precision Metal Working.
Age distribution for Precision Metal Working degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
36 Total Degrees Awarded
16 Male (44.44%)
20 Female (55.56%)
Gender distribution of Precision Metal Working degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
18 White (50.00%)
6 Asian (16.67%)
3 Hispanic or Latino (8.33%)
1 Two or More Races (2.78%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Precision Metal Working degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Precision Metal Working are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Precision Metal Working.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Precision Metal Working field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Precision Metal Working majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Precision Metal Working majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Precision Metal Working majors.
About
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in creating products using precision crafting and technical illustration.
In 2023, 36 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Precision Metal Working.
CIP Code
48.0000 - Precision Metal Working
What the data shows
Men earned 11.8% of 17 Precision Metal Working completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $67,133. The largest mapped role by headcount is Machinists (298,790 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.