Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at All-State Career School

Median Earnings (1yr)

$38,191

63rd percentile

60th percentile in Pennsylvania

Median Debt

$13,000

44% above national median

Analysis

All-State Career's precision metal working certificate produces graduates earning more than 60% of similar programs in Pennsylvania—solidly above the state median of $34,638. With just $13,000 in debt, graduates face manageable payments even on that first-year salary of $38,191. The debt burden ranks in the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of similar programs leave students with more debt. For a school serving a predominantly Pell-eligible population (67%), these low debt levels matter enormously.

The concern here is earnings trajectory: graduates see a 5% income drop by year four rather than the gains you'd hope for. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) makes this pattern less reliable—a few graduates taking time off work or changing careers could skew the numbers significantly. What's clearer is that graduates aren't reaching the earnings of Pennsylvania's top programs, which post first-year medians closer to $46,000-$47,000.

For families prioritizing minimal debt over maximum earnings, this program delivers. The combination of reasonable starting pay and very low borrowing creates a low-risk path into skilled trades work. Just understand you're likely trading some earning potential—this isn't a ticket to the highest-paying welding and metalworking jobs in the state, but it gets your child working without the debt burden that could haunt them for years.

Where All-State Career School Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How All-State Career School 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
All-State Career School	$38,191	$36,282	-5%
Pittsburgh Technical College	$38,300	$46,876	+22%
Welder Training and Testing Institute	$47,528	$42,629	-10%
New Castle School of Trades	$29,655	$38,741	+31%
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center	$46,331	$38,022	-18%

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (43 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
All-State Career SchoolEssington	—	$38,191	$36,282	$13,000	0.34
Welder Training and Testing InstituteAllentown	—	$47,528	$42,629	$9,500	0.20
Lancaster County Career and Technology CenterWillow Street	—	$46,331	$38,022	$9,500	0.21
Laurel Technical InstituteHermitage	$11,470	$39,287	$31,731	—	—
Pittsburgh Technical CollegeOakdale	$18,980	$38,300	$46,876	—	—
Johnson CollegeScranton	$20,733	$37,243	—	—	—
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 All-State Career School, approximately 67% 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 21 graduates with reported earnings and 22 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.