Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Connecticut State Community College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$41,378

80th percentile

Est. Median Debt

$7,913

Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

Connecticut State Community College's precision metal working certificate stands out for delivering above-average earnings at what appears to be a relatively modest debt load. With first-year earnings of $41,378—exceeding both the state median of $39,408 and the national median of $36,248—this program positions graduates in the 80th percentile nationally for their field.

The estimated $7,913 in debt comes from national patterns for similar certificate programs at community colleges, not this school's actual graduate outcomes. If accurate, this would represent a strong value proposition: the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19 means graduates might pay off their loans in under three months of gross income. For context, Connecticut's other precision metal working programs carry median debt closer to $11,600, though those figures reflect actual reported data. The difference matters because precision metal working is a credential where financial outcomes can vary significantly based on the specific training equipment, employer partnerships, and placement support a school provides.

The practical upside is clear: skilled trades certifications often lead to immediate employment, and this program's earnings suggest strong employer demand. The uncertainty lies in whether this particular school's graduates actually carry the lower debt burden the estimates suggest, or whether they face financing closer to the state norm. That $3,700 difference would be meaningful for a household earning in the low-40s, so verifying actual costs and completion rates before enrolling would be worth the effort.

Where Connecticut State Community College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Connecticut State Community College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Connecticut

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Connecticut (4 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Connecticut State Community CollegeNew Britain	$5,092	$41,378	—	$7,913*	—
Lincoln Technical Institute-East WindsorEast Windsor	—	$39,408	$42,154	$11,597*	0.29
Lincoln Technical Institute-New BritainNew Britain	—	$39,408	$42,154	$11,597*	0.29
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 Connecticut State Community College, 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.