Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Johnson College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$37,243

57th percentile

60th percentile in Pennsylvania

Est. Median Debt

$8,424

Est. from national median (15 programs)

Analysis

Johnson College's Precision Metal Working certificate manages to deliver above-average outcomes despite an estimated debt picture derived from the institution's other technical programs. First-year earnings of $37,243 land solidly in the middle of the pack—above most Pennsylvania programs and the national median, though trailing the state's top welding schools by $8,000-$10,000. The college's open-door approach (97% admission rate) and substantial Pell population (46%) suggest it's effectively serving students who might not have other pathways into skilled trades.

The estimated $8,424 in debt—based on similar certificate programs at Johnson—translates to a manageable 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would need roughly three months of gross income to cover the educational investment. That's favorable compared to the $9,000-$9,500 typical debt loads seen across precision metalworking programs nationally and in Pennsylvania. The caveat: since this specific program's debt isn't reported due to small graduate cohorts, parents should confirm actual costs directly with the college before enrolling.

The practical verdict: this certificate appears positioned as a middle-tier entry point into Pennsylvania's metalworking sector. It won't command the premium wages that top programs in the state produce, but the combination of modest estimated debt and earnings that beat state and national benchmarks makes it a workable option—particularly for students needing the accessibility Johnson provides. Verify the actual debt load and ask about job placement rates in local manufacturing to ensure those estimated figures align with reality.

Where Johnson College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Johnson College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (43 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Johnson CollegeScranton	$20,733	$37,243	—	$8,424*	—
Welder Training and Testing InstituteAllentown	—	$47,528	$42,629	$9,500*	0.20
Lancaster County Career and Technology CenterWillow Street	—	$46,331	$38,022	$9,500*	0.21
Laurel Technical InstituteHermitage	$11,470	$39,287	$31,731	—*	—
Pittsburgh Technical CollegeOakdale	$18,980	$38,300	$46,876	—*	—
All-State Career SchoolEssington	—	$38,191	$36,282	$13,000*	0.34
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 Johnson College, approximately 46% 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 27 graduates with reported earnings and 18 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.