Location: Chillicothe, MO•Admission Rate: 100%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$34,863
Est. from MO median (4 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$7,913
Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

Comparable precision metal working programs in Missouri suggest first-year earnings around $35,000—modest but solid for a certificate that carries an estimated $7,900 in debt. That's a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23, meaning graduates would owe roughly three months of their first-year income. This is manageable territory, though it's worth noting that the state's top program at Ranken Technical College reports earnings nearly $10,000 higher, while this estimate lands in the middle of Missouri's range.

The challenge with Grand River is that both earnings and debt figures are estimates based on peer programs rather than actual outcomes from this school's graduates. The small sample size that triggered data suppression could mean the program is newly launched or has limited enrollment, which parents should investigate directly. With 38% of students receiving Pell grants and open admission, this school serves a population often seeking affordable, quick paths to employment, and the estimated debt burden appears reasonable for that mission.

For a family considering this program, the key question is whether Grand River provides the same training quality and employer connections as schools with verified outcomes. Call the school to ask about job placement rates, equipment investments, and partnerships with local manufacturers. At under $8,000 in estimated debt for skills training that peers suggest leads to $35,000 starting wages, the fundamentals look workable—if the program delivers what similar Missouri schools achieve.

Where Grand River Technical School Stands

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

Grand River Technical School (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Missouri

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Missouri (23 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Grand River Technical SchoolChillicothe—$34,863*—$7,913*—
Ranken Technical CollegeSaint Louis$17,490$45,004*$49,350$9,500*0.21
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas CityKansas City$3,630$36,908*——*—
Ozarks Technical Community CollegeSpringfield$4,184$32,817*$39,166$4,737*0.14
Midwest Technical Institute-MissouriSpringfield—$31,630*$33,836$9,500*0.30
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 Grand River Technical School, approximately 38% 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 4 similar programs in MO. Actual outcomes may vary.