Location: Rio Grande, OH
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$38,713
Est. from OH median (14 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$6,203
Est. from OH median (4 programs)

Analysis

In Ohio's competitive metalworking training landscape, where top programs produce first-year earnings above $45,000, this certificate appears positioned near the middle of the pack. Similar precision metalworking programs across the state typically generate around $38,700 in first-year earnings, though the strongest career centers—like Hobart Institute and Butler Technology—consistently place graduates at $42,000 to $45,000. That $6,000+ earnings gap matters over a career, particularly when you're making an educational investment.

The estimated debt picture here looks more favorable than most alternatives. At roughly $6,200, it's significantly below both the state median of $9,500 and the national median of $9,000 for these programs. This lower borrowing load translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.16—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with about two months' salary. Even programs with higher earnings often saddle students with $3,000 to $4,000 more in debt.

The practical question is whether Buckeye Hills offers enough hands-on training and employer connections to compete with Ohio's top-performing career centers. For families prioritizing minimal debt over maximum earnings, this program makes sense. But if your child has access to a school like Hobart or Butler Tech without dramatically higher costs, those extra thousands in annual earnings will compound over time. Visit the campus and ask specifically about job placement rates and which local manufacturers hire their graduates.

Where Buckeye Hills Career Center Stands

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

Buckeye Hills Career Center (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Ohio

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Ohio (61 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Buckeye Hills Career CenterRio Grande—$38,713*—$6,203*—
Hobart Institute of Welding TechnologyTroy—$45,370*$47,472$5,500*0.12
Butler Technology and Career Development SchoolsMonroe—$42,625*—$6,327*0.15
Great Oaks Career CampusesCincinnati—$41,277*$38,354$6,078*0.15
Fortis College-Cuyahoga FallsCuyahoga Falls$14,050$39,990*$35,129—*—
Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical SchoolsGroveport—$39,328*$44,145$6,485*0.16
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 Buckeye Hills Career Center, approximately 44% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 14 similar programs in OH. Actual outcomes may vary.