Location: Duluth, MN•In-State Tuition: $5,786
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$53,468
Est. from MN median (4 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$11,562
Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

Is a metal working associate's degree worth borrowing for? Based on the four other Minnesota programs with reported outcomes, the answer looks reasonably solid. Similar programs across the state suggest first-year earnings around $53,500 against estimated debt of $11,600—a ratio of 0.22 that makes the investment manageable. To put that in perspective, you're looking at debt equal to roughly 2-3 months of gross income, well below levels that typically strain new graduates.

What makes this calculation slightly more encouraging is the national picture. Minnesota precision metal working programs consistently outperform the national median of $41,500, and Lake Superior's estimated outcomes align with that state advantage. The top programs in Minnesota—Hennepin Tech and Dunwoody—show earnings in the mid-$50,000s to nearly $60,000 range, suggesting the field supports decent wages for skilled workers. Where Lake Superior's program actually lands within that range remains unclear given the limited graduate data, but the statewide pattern is consistent enough to be meaningful.

The practical consideration: at under $12,000 in estimated debt, even if outcomes fall short of the state median, the financial downside is contained. This isn't a program where you're betting heavily on exceptional results to justify the cost. The risk here is whether your child can secure the skilled jobs these numbers reflect, not whether the debt will become unmanageable.

Where Lake Superior College Stands

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

Lake Superior College (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Minnesota

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at peer institutions in Minnesota (12 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Lake Superior CollegeDuluth$5,786$53,468*—$11,562*—
Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park$5,881$59,829*$73,136—*—
Dunwoody College of TechnologyMinneapolis$25,659$55,188*$61,261$12,000*0.22
Anoka Technical CollegeAnoka$6,267$51,747*——*—
Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeMinneapolis$6,128$44,635*$53,551—*—
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 Lake Superior College, approximately 19% 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 MN. Actual outcomes may vary.