Precision Metal Working at Coffeyville Community College

Precision metal working programs nationally produce median first-year earnings around $41,500, which Coffeyville's program likely mirrors given the specialized nature of this training. What makes this field attractive is the debt picture: similar community college programs typically saddle graduates with roughly $11,500 in loans, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28—well below the concerning threshold of 1.0. In practical terms, that's manageable repayment even on an entry-level machinist's salary.

The challenge with this program is that we're working entirely from national averages for similar metal working degrees. Kansas has 17 schools offering this credential, but none report sufficient graduate data to show how the local labor market actually values these skills. That means we don't know if Kansas employers pay at, above, or below the national median for precision metalworkers, or whether Coffeyville's specific curriculum and industry connections produce better or worse outcomes than the typical program.

For families considering this path, the national picture suggests solid trade-school economics: reasonable debt for stable blue-collar work. But given the complete absence of Kansas-specific data, visit local manufacturers and machine shops to understand what they actually pay entry-level workers and whether they actively recruit from Coffeyville's program. The estimates point toward a sensible investment, but you need local market intelligence that the federal data simply can't provide.