Precision Metal Working at Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Bluegrass Community and Technical College's Precision Metal Working program charges notably more debt than Kentucky peers—about $2,300 above the state median—while delivering earnings that, though strong nationally, sit squarely in the middle of Kentucky programs. At $46,133 first-year earnings versus $41,824 statewide, graduates earn well but trail programs at schools like Southcentral Kentucky ($58,996) and Elizabethtown ($53,172) by considerable margins. The premium debt is harder to justify when similar Kentucky community colleges produce better outcomes at lower cost.

The fundamentals remain sound: a 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, and graduates still outpace 95% of metal working programs nationally. The $10,684 debt load won't derail anyone financially. But for Kentucky families, this represents a value gap. Your child would graduate owing about $2,000 more than at Gateway Community College while earning roughly the same, or substantially less than top-tier state alternatives.

If Bluegrass offers geographic convenience or specialized training unavailable elsewhere, the premium may be worth it—skilled metal workers remain in demand. But parents should know this sits at the higher end of Kentucky's cost spectrum for this credential without matching the earnings upside that other in-state programs deliver. Consider whether location advantages outweigh the financial trade-off.