Location: Goodman, MS•In-State Tuition: $3,510•Out-of-State Tuition: $6,210
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$41,504
Est. from national median (56 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$11,562
Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 suggests relatively manageable financial risk, but the lack of reported outcomes from Holmes Community College itself—or any other precision metal working program in Mississippi—means you're flying blind on what this specific program delivers. The estimates here ($41,504 in first-year earnings, $11,562 in debt) come from national medians across similar associate programs, giving you a broad sense of the field but no insight into whether Holmes prepares students better or worse than average.

Precision metal working typically offers stable employment in manufacturing, and the estimated debt load is modest compared to many associate degrees. Mississippi's manufacturing sector includes automotive and aerospace suppliers that hire skilled metal workers. However, with 42% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are making this investment with limited financial cushion. The difference between a program that connects graduates to $47,000 jobs versus $35,000 jobs matters enormously, and you simply don't have that school-specific information.

Before committing, contact Holmes directly for job placement rates and employer partnerships. Talk to recent graduates if possible. The fundamentals of the field look reasonable, but you need evidence that this particular program delivers on its promise—evidence the federal data can't provide here.

Where Holmes Community College Stands

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

Holmes Community College (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at top institutions nationally

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Holmes Community CollegeGoodman$3,510$41,504*—$11,562*—
Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park$5,881$59,829*$73,136—*—
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids$13,630$56,811*$77,380$17,500*0.31
Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis$4,912$56,292*$64,893$6,810*0.12
Dunwoody College of TechnologyMinneapolis$25,659$55,188*$61,261$12,000*0.22
Vincennes UniversityVincennes$6,886$54,908*$52,065$12,000*0.22
National Median—$41,504*—$12,000*0.29
* 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 Holmes Community College, approximately 42% 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 56 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.