Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Ferris State University

Median Earnings (1yr)

$68,852

95th percentile

Median Debt

$21,765

142% above national median

Analysis

Ferris State's Precision Metal Working certificate proves you don't need elite credentials to deliver elite outcomes. With graduates earning $68,852 their first year—double the state median and nearly double the national median—this program ranks in the 95th percentile both nationally and among Michigan's 33 competing programs. That's not a typo: this accessible program at an 81% acceptance-rate school outearns Delta College and Grand Rapids Community College by a factor of two.

The $21,765 debt load is higher than the typical precision metalworking certificate (state median is $11,790), but context matters. When you're earning nearly $70,000 right out of the gate, that debt represents just 32% of first-year income—exceptionally manageable by any standard. Graduates see steady income growth to $74,137 by year four, suggesting employers value the specialized training enough to invest in retention and advancement.

The premium price tag appears justified by premium results. Among over 1,000 programs nationally, Ferris State consistently places graduates in Michigan's top-tier manufacturing roles. For families worried about certificate programs delivering on their promises, this one has a track record that speaks clearly: the earning power justifies the investment several times over.

Where Ferris State University Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Ferris State University graduates compare to all programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Ferris State University	$68,852	$74,137	+8%
Alexandria Technical & Community College	$51,141	$55,483	+8%
Idaho State University	$64,581	$55,405	-14%
Grand Rapids Community College	$34,042	$38,509	+13%
Delta College	$34,112	$36,436	+7%

Compare to Similar Programs in Michigan

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Michigan (33 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids	$13,630	$68,852	$74,137	$21,765	0.32
Delta CollegeUniversity Center	$4,640	$34,112	$36,436	—	—
Grand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids	$4,059	$34,042	$38,509	$4,540	0.13
Universal Technical Institute-CantonCanton	$17,252	$33,636	—	$11,790	0.35
National Median	—	$36,248	—	$9,000	0.25

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 Ferris State University, approximately 34% 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.

Sample Size: Based on 49 graduates with reported earnings and 56 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.