Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Charter College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$32,204

31st percentile

Median Debt

$15,363

71% above national median

Analysis

Charter College's metal working program starts $4,000 below both national and Alaska medians, but the earnings trajectory tells a more optimistic story. Graduates see their income jump 31% by year four, reaching $42,247—above typical outcomes for this credential and ranking in the 40th percentile statewide. Still, even after that growth, earnings trail the state's top performer (Alaska Vocational Technical Center) by about $6,000.

The $15,363 in debt sits higher than most metal working programs nationally but matches the Alaska median, reflecting the state's higher cost structure. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 means graduates earn more than twice what they owe in their first year—a manageable balance even with the modest starting salary. Over half the students here receive Pell grants, suggesting the program serves working-class Alaskans who need credentials leading to steady employment.

For a family evaluating metal working training in Alaska, this program offers solid prospects if your child can weather a slower start. The strong earnings growth indicates graduates develop skills that command better pay over time. However, if minimizing debt is the priority, exploring whether other Alaska programs offer similar training at lower cost makes sense.

Where Charter College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Charter 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
Charter College	$32,204	$42,247	+31%
Ferris State University	$68,852	$74,137	+8%
Alexandria Technical & Community College	$51,141	$55,483	+8%
Idaho State University	$64,581	$55,405	-14%
Madison Area Technical College	$37,860	$53,952	+43%

Compare to Similar Programs in Alaska

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Alaska (5 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Charter CollegeAnchorage	$18,678	$32,204	$42,247	$15,363	0.48
Alaska Vocational Technical CenterSeward	—	$38,973	—	—	—
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 Charter College, approximately 56% 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 55 graduates with reported earnings and 60 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.