Location: Media, PA•In-State Tuition: $6,660•Out-of-State Tuition: $14,940
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$40,225
Est. from PA median (8 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$11,562
Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

Pennsylvania's precision metal working programs show a wide range of outcomes, with top performers like Thaddeus Stevens and Penn College of Technology producing graduates who earn over $50,000 in their first year—substantially above the state median of $40,225 that Delaware County Community College's program appears likely to match. With estimated debt around $11,500, graduates would face a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29, meaning they'd owe roughly three months of their first-year salary.

The challenge here is uncertainty. Because this program's actual outcomes aren't reported due to small graduate numbers, we're working with estimates derived from eight similar programs across Pennsylvania. What we can say is that if this program performs at the state median, students would start near $40,000—decent for an associate's degree in skilled trades, though noticeably behind the state's strongest programs. The relatively modest debt burden keeps the financial risk contained, which matters given that 40% of the college's students receive Pell grants.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether Delaware County's outcomes align with the state median or fall elsewhere on that spectrum. The $12,000 gap between median performers and top programs in Pennsylvania is significant enough to warrant reaching out to the school directly for placement rates and employer connections in the region's manufacturing sector.

Where Delaware County Community College Stands

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

Delaware County Community College (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (22 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Delaware County Community CollegeMedia$6,660$40,225*—$11,562*—
Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnologyLancaster$9,050$52,298*$54,954$12,000*0.23
Pennsylvania College of TechnologyWilliamsport$17,940$50,402*$55,060$14,750*0.29
New Castle School of TradesNew Castle—$43,671*$43,303$9,931*0.23
Triangle Tech Inc-BethlehemBethlehem$18,593$40,225*$45,784$18,262*0.45
Triangle Tech Inc-GreensburgGreensburg$18,513$40,225*$45,784$18,262*0.45
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 Delaware County Community College, approximately 40% 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 8 similar programs in PA. Actual outcomes may vary.