Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degree) at Central Piedmont Community College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$40,149

38th percentile

60th percentile in North Carolina

Est. Median Debt

$11,562

Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

Precision metal working programs across North Carolina typically produce first-year earnings around $40,149, and Central Piedmont's graduates appear to track right at this mark. The estimated debt of $11,562—derived from comparable associate programs at the school—translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29, meaning graduates would owe less than three months' salary. That's a solid foundation for a technical career, particularly when you consider that earnings grow 16% by year four. While this program falls slightly below the national median for precision metal working graduates, it sits comfortably in the middle of the pack for North Carolina programs.

The practical reality is straightforward: your child would be entering a stable skilled trades field with debt they could realistically pay down within a few years. First-year earnings of $40,000 won't fund a lavish lifestyle, but combined with the low debt load, it offers genuine financial independence. The 16% earnings growth suggests room for advancement as skills develop. Central Piedmont serves a significant population of Pell-eligible students (39%), indicating the program successfully serves families who need affordable pathways to middle-class wages. For a family weighing community college options in manufacturing or skilled trades, this represents a relatively low-risk investment in marketable technical skills.

Where Central Piedmont Community College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Central Piedmont Community College 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
Central Piedmont Community College	$40,149	$46,439	+16%
Ferris State University	$56,811	$77,380	+36%
Hennepin Technical College	$59,829	$73,136	+22%
Ivy Tech Community College	$56,292	$64,893	+15%
Dunwoody College of Technology	$55,188	$61,261	+11%

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at top institutions nationally

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlotte	$2,792	$40,149	$46,439	$11,562*	—
Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park	$5,881	$59,829	$73,136	—*	—
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids	$13,630	$56,811	$77,380	$17,500*	0.31
Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis	$4,912	$56,292	$64,893	$6,810*	0.12
Dunwoody College of TechnologyMinneapolis	$25,659	$55,188	$61,261	$12,000*	0.22
Vincennes UniversityVincennes	$6,886	$54,908	$52,065	$12,000*	0.22
National Median	—	$41,504	—	$12,000*	0.29

* 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 Central Piedmont Community College, approximately 39% 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 27 graduates with reported earnings and 13 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.