Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis

Median Earnings (1yr)

$37,249

57th percentile

Median Debt

$9,429

5% above national median

Analysis

This precision metalworking program delivers solid, immediate career results with manageable debt, though it doesn't lead the pack in Indiana. With median first-year earnings of $37,249 and just $9,429 in debt, graduates face a very reasonable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.25—meaning they could theoretically pay off their loans in three months of gross earnings. The 14% earnings growth to $42,279 by year four shows steady career progression in this skilled trade.

However, the program ranks in the 40th percentile among Indiana's three metalworking programs, trailing Ivy Tech's stronger $41,767 median by about $4,500 annually. While the debt level matches the state median, the earnings lag behind Indiana's $39,508 median for this field. Nationally, the program performs slightly above average at the 57th percentile, but this relative strength matters less than the in-state comparison since most students will compete locally for jobs.

For families prioritizing quick entry into stable work with minimal debt, this program delivers on that promise. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates and the school's 64% Pell grant population suggest it serves working-class students well. However, if your child can access Ivy Tech's superior program, that would offer better long-term earning potential in the same field.

Where Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis graduates compare to all programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis	$37,249	$42,279	+14%
Ferris State University	$68,852	$74,137	+8%
Alexandria Technical & Community College	$51,141	$55,483	+8%
Idaho State University	$64,581	$55,405	-14%
Ivy Tech Community College	$41,767	$45,078	+8%

Compare to Similar Programs in Indiana

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Indiana (3 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Lincoln College of Technology-IndianapolisIndianapolis	—	$37,249	$42,279	$9,429	0.25
Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis	$4,912	$41,767	$45,078	$6,387	0.15
National Median	—	$36,248	—	$9,000	0.25

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 Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis, approximately 64% 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 1223 graduates with reported earnings and 1194 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.