Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Flathead Valley Community College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,248

Est. from national median (299 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$7,913

Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

A technical certificate with less than $8,000 in estimated debt creates immediate breathing room in a skilled trade where hands-on experience often matters more than extended education. Based on typical debt levels at similar community colleges nationally, Flathead Valley's program appears to keep costs notably lean—the estimated $7,913 falls below the $9,000 national median for precision metalworking certificates, while comparable programs nationwide suggest first-year earnings around $36,000.

The 0.22 debt-to-earnings ratio tells a practical story: graduates would need roughly 11 weeks of gross pay to cover their educational investment. For a field where advancement often comes through mastery rather than additional credentials, starting with minimal debt while building marketable skills offers clear advantages. Montana's manufacturing sector, particularly in specialized metalworking, tends to reward certifiable competence, and the relatively low Pell grant percentage (16%) suggests this program attracts a mix of career-changers and established workers upgrading skills.

The caveat matters here: these figures draw from peer programs nationally, not tracked outcomes from Flathead Valley specifically. Montana has 13 schools offering similar programs, but without their actual data for comparison, parents should directly ask the college about job placement rates and local employer relationships. If regional manufacturers actively recruit from this program, the modest debt investment becomes even more defensible.

Where Flathead Valley Community College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at top institutions nationally

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Flathead Valley Community CollegeKalispell	$4,748	$36,248*	—	$7,913*	—
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids	$13,630	$68,852*	$74,137	$21,765*	0.32
Idaho State UniversityPocatello	$8,356	$64,581*	$55,405	$9,000*	0.14
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeBowling Green	$4,656	$58,996*	—	$9,413*	0.16
Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppleton	$4,916	$53,507*	$52,715	$7,664*	0.14
Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegeElizabethtown	$4,656	$53,172*	—	$7,166*	0.13
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 Flathead Valley Community College, approximately 16% 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 national median of 299 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.