Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

Analysis

A $36,834 starting salary positions this precision metal working certificate slightly above the state median but firmly in the middle of the pack—several other Alabama community colleges report outcomes $4,000 to $9,000 higher for the same credential. The debt picture looks manageable: based on comparable certificate programs nationally, graduates typically carry around $7,900 in loans, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21. That means you'd owe about two months' salary, which should be workable on a machinist's income.

What's harder to assess is whether Wallace-Dothan's program delivers the quality instruction that separates $36,000 outcomes from $45,000 ones seen at places like Bevill State. The earnings data here is actual and reported, so we know what recent graduates made. But without a clear picture of what makes some Alabama precision metal working programs outperform others by 25%, you're making an investment without full visibility into the variables that matter most—equipment quality, industry partnerships, job placement support.

The practical question: can your child access one of the higher-performing programs in Alabama, or does geography and convenience point to Wallace-Dothan? At this price point and debt load, it's not a risky bet, but it's also not a standout opportunity. The half of students here on Pell grants suggests the school serves students with limited options—which may be your situation too.

Where George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How George C Wallace Community College-Dothan graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Alabama

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Alabama (19 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
George C Wallace Community College-DothanDothan	$4,920	$36,834	—	$7,913*	—
Bevill State Community CollegeJasper	$4,678	$45,423	$41,491	—*	—
Gadsden State Community CollegeGadsden	$4,032	$41,252	$42,422	—*	—
Lawson State Community CollegeBirmingham	$4,980	$35,941	—	—*	—
Lurleen B Wallace Community CollegeAndalusia	$4,980	$32,714	—	—*	—
George C Wallace State Community College-SelmaSelma	$4,680	$31,092	$35,937	—*	—
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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan, approximately 49% 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.