Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$37,078

55th percentile

60th percentile in North Carolina

Est. Median Debt

$7,913

Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

A precision metal working certificate in North Carolina positions graduates in the middle of the earnings pack, with this program's $37,078 first-year outcomes landing right at the state median. While nearby Davidson-Davie's program shows stronger earnings at around $40,000, A-B Tech's graduates are performing competitively with peers across the state's 59 programs. The estimated debt of roughly $7,900—based on comparable certificate programs nationally—comes in notably lower than the $10,593 typical for metal working programs statewide, creating a favorable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21.

That low debt burden matters significantly here. Similar programs in North Carolina often saddle students with $10,000+ in debt for comparable first-year earnings, so this program appears to deliver its training more efficiently. The near-$38,000 starting salary won't make anyone wealthy, but it's real income in a field with clear employer demand, and the sub-$8,000 debt estimate suggests graduates could clear their obligation within months rather than years.

The practical question is whether these middle-tier outcomes justify the time investment. For someone seeking quick entry into manufacturing work in the Asheville area, the numbers work: competitive earnings for the region with manageable debt exposure. Just remember these debt figures are estimates from peer programs—the actual cost for your student could vary based on financial aid and time to completion.

Where Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in North Carolina

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in North Carolina (59 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community CollegeAsheville	$2,882	$37,078	—	$7,913*	—
Davidson-Davie Community CollegeThomasville	$1,978	$39,990	—	$11,000*	0.28
NASCAR Technical InstituteMooresville	—	$37,568	—	$10,593*	0.28
Guilford Technical Community CollegeJamestown	$2,319	$36,930	$36,750	—*	—
Johnston Community CollegeSmithfield	$2,657	$34,171	—	—*	—
Richmond Community CollegeHamlet	$2,552	$31,268	—	—*	—
National Median	—	$36,248	—	$9,000*	0.25

* Estimated from similar programs

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 Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, approximately 29% 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 19 graduates with reported earnings and 13 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.