Location: Davenport, IA•In-State Tuition: $4,680•Out-of-State Tuition: $6,299
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$41,613
Est. from IA median (7 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$5,500
Est. from IA median (5 programs)

Analysis

A certificate in precision metal working from Eastern Iowa Community College District comes with an estimated debt load of just $5,500—considerably lighter than the national median of $9,000 for this credential. That matters when you're looking at a technical field where graduates typically start working immediately rather than pursuing further education.

Similar programs across Iowa suggest first-year earnings around $41,600, which aligns closely with the state median and sits above the national benchmark of $36,200. The resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.13 means graduates could theoretically pay off their debt with just over six weeks of gross income. Looking at peer programs in Iowa, outcomes cluster in a relatively narrow band from $39,400 to $46,000, suggesting this field offers fairly consistent entry points regardless of which community college you choose.

The real question is whether Eastern Iowa's program competes effectively with nearby options like Hawkeye Community College ($45,500) or Northeast Iowa Community College ($43,600), both of which show stronger estimated earnings. Without actual graduate data for this specific program, you're taking on faith that it performs at the state average rather than at the lower end. For a short-term certificate with manageable debt, that's a reasonable bet—but if other programs are geographically accessible and show better outcomes, they deserve a serious look before committing.

Where Eastern Iowa Community College District Stands

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

Eastern Iowa Community College District (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Iowa

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Iowa (15 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictDavenport$4,680$41,613*—$5,500*—
Marshalltown Community CollegeMarshalltown$5,304$45,972*——*—
Hawkeye Community CollegeWaterloo$6,308$45,509*$44,868$7,874*0.17
Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCalmar$6,600$43,588*$49,983$5,479*0.13
Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeSioux City$5,042$41,613*—$7,910*0.19
Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny$5,550$39,397*$43,506$5,500*0.14
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 Eastern Iowa Community College District, approximately 22% 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 7 similar programs in IA. Actual outcomes may vary.