Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Advanced Technology Institute

Median Earnings (1yr)

$43,656

88th percentile

80th percentile in Virginia

Median Debt

$12,674

41% above national median

Analysis

Advanced Technology Institute's precision metal working program commands higher tuition than typical community college alternatives, but the numbers suggest it delivers on that premium. At $43,656, first-year earnings place this program in the 80th percentile among Virginia metalworking programs—outpacing nearby Brightpoint CC by $4,000 and crushing the state median of $34,650. The $12,674 in debt is higher than the state's $9,062 median, but still represents just 29 cents for every dollar earned in year one, making it manageable for most graduates.

The slight earnings dip to $41,363 by year four deserves attention, though this could reflect industry cycles rather than program quality. What matters more: graduates still earn $6,700 above the Virginia median four years out, maintaining a substantial advantage over cheaper alternatives. For a moderate-sized cohort, this consistency is reassuring.

Your child is effectively paying an extra $3,600 in debt for an $8,000-to-$9,000 annual earnings advantage over the typical Virginia metalworking program. That premium pays itself back within the first year. If they're committed to metalworking as a career and can handle the slightly higher debt load, Advanced Technology Institute offers a faster path to higher wages than most in-state options.

Where Advanced Technology Institute Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all precision metal working certificate's programs nationally

Earnings Distribution

How Advanced Technology Institute graduates compare to all programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Advanced Technology Institute	$43,656	$41,363	-5%
Ferris State University	$68,852	$74,137	+8%
Alexandria Technical & Community College	$51,141	$55,483	+8%
Idaho State University	$64,581	$55,405	-14%
Tidewater Tech-Trades	$32,269	$36,914	+14%

Compare to Similar Programs in Virginia

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Virginia (23 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Advanced Technology InstituteVirginia Beach	$14,568	$43,656	$41,363	$12,674	0.29
Brightpoint Community CollegeChester	$4,938	$39,273	—	—	—
Central Virginia Community CollegeLynchburg	$4,998	$37,281	—	$8,625	0.23
Patrick & Henry Community CollegeMartinsville	$4,858	$37,030	—	—	—
Tidewater Tech-TradesNorfolk	$16,337	$32,269	$36,914	$9,500	0.29
Tidewater Community CollegeNorfolk	$5,714	$23,785	—	$8,455	0.36
National Median	—	$36,248	—	$9,000	0.25

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with precision metal working graduates

Sheet Metal Workers

Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.

$60,850/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Machinists

Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

$57,700/yrJobs growth:

Tool and Die Makers

Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

$57,700/yrJobs growth:

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

$51,000/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Advanced Technology Institute, approximately 36% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 49 graduates with reported earnings and 44 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.