Location: Keshena, WI•In-State Tuition: $6,200
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$41,852
Est. from WI median (14 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$8,424
Est. from national median (15 programs)

Analysis

Wisconsin's technical colleges produce some of the strongest outcomes in precision metal working nationally, and similar programs in the state suggest first-year earnings around $41,850—slightly above the national median. For a certificate program, that's solid entry-level pay, particularly in manufacturing regions. With estimated debt of $8,400, graduates would owe roughly two months of gross pay, a manageable burden that compares favorably to the typical $9,000 nationally.

The challenge is that other Wisconsin technical colleges with reported outcomes show significantly higher earnings, with several programs producing graduates who earn $44,000 to $53,500 in their first year. That gap matters: it's the difference between a decent start and the kind of wage that provides real stability. The College of Menominee Nation serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population, which suggests students here may especially benefit from placement support and connections to higher-paying employers in the region.

For families weighing this option, the estimated debt-to-earnings picture looks reasonable on paper, but investigate how this specific program connects graduates to jobs. Ask about employer partnerships, placement rates, and whether graduates are finding work at wages closer to Fox Valley's $53,500 or the state median of $41,850. That $10,000+ difference in starting salary compounds significantly over a career.

Where College of Menominee Nation Stands

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

College of Menominee Nation (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Wisconsin

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Wisconsin (17 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
College of Menominee NationKeshena$6,200$41,852*—$8,424*—
Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppleton$4,916$53,507*$52,715$7,664*0.14
Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau Claire$4,724$48,638*$51,817$8,109*0.17
Lakeshore Technical CollegeCleveland$4,649$48,619*$47,025—*—
Northcentral Technical CollegeWausau$3,861$47,718*$45,028$5,250*0.11
Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville$4,170$44,698*$45,468—*—
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 College of Menominee Nation, approximately 51% 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 WI. Actual outcomes may vary.