Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Gateway Technical College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$38,659

66th percentile

40th percentile in Wisconsin

Median Debt

$9,700

8% above national median

Analysis

Gateway Technical College's precision metal working certificate lands solidly in the middle of the pack—better than most programs nationally, but trailing other Wisconsin options. Starting at $38,659 puts graduates in the 66th percentile nationally, though that same salary ranks in just the 40th percentile among Wisconsin's 17 programs. Fox Valley Tech's graduates earn nearly $15,000 more right out of the gate, and several other Wisconsin technical colleges show similar advantages.

The financials are straightforward: $9,700 in debt equals just three months of first-year earnings, and graduates see consistent wage growth to $45,260 by year four. That's a 17% increase that suggests this trade rewards experience. The debt load is slightly higher than Wisconsin's $7,000 median for the program but remains manageable.

The real question is location. If Kenosha works for your family's logistics, this is a perfectly viable path into skilled manufacturing. But if you're willing to consider other Wisconsin technical colleges, the data shows you could gain $5,000-$15,000 in starting salary without necessarily taking on significantly more debt. For a certificate program, that difference accumulates quickly over a career.

Where Gateway Technical College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Gateway Technical College 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
Gateway Technical College	$38,659	$45,260	+17%
Madison Area Technical College	$37,860	$53,952	+43%
Fox Valley Technical College	$53,507	$52,715	-1%
Chippewa Valley Technical College	$48,638	$51,817	+7%
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College	$35,167	$50,833	+45%

Compare to Similar Programs in Wisconsin

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Wisconsin (17 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Gateway Technical CollegeKenosha	$4,853	$38,659	$45,260	$9,700	0.25
Fox Valley Technical CollegeAppleton	$4,916	$53,507	$52,715	$7,664	0.14
Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau Claire	$4,724	$48,638	$51,817	$8,109	0.17
Lakeshore Technical CollegeCleveland	$4,649	$48,619	$47,025	—	—
Northcentral Technical CollegeWausau	$3,861	$47,718	$45,028	$5,250	0.11
Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville	$4,170	$44,698	$45,468	—	—
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 Gateway Technical College, 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.

Sample Size: Based on 83 graduates with reported earnings and 67 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.