Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Moore Career College

Analysis

Moore Career College graduates earn $22,104 their first year after this precision metal working certificate—putting them roughly $10,000 below what Louisiana community colleges typically deliver for the same credential. While the program sits near the Louisiana median (40th percentile statewide), that's partly because Louisiana's entire precision metal working landscape underperforms: the state median is only $25,603 versus $36,248 nationally. Delgado Community College graduates earn nearly 50% more with the same certificate, suggesting location and employer connections matter enormously in this field.

The positive here is minimal debt—just $7,762, which translates to a manageable 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio. With 100% of students receiving Pell grants, Moore serves a genuinely low-income population who can't afford mistakes. The low debt reduces risk, but it doesn't solve the core problem: these earnings barely exceed minimum wage work. At $22,104 annually, graduates would struggle to cover basic expenses in Baton Rouge, much less get ahead financially.

If your child is serious about precision metal working in Louisiana, Delgado's program offers significantly stronger earnings outcomes with similar debt levels. Moore's certificate keeps debt low, which matters, but the earning power simply doesn't justify even a short-term investment when better alternatives exist within the same state.

Where Moore Career College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Moore Career College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Louisiana

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Louisiana (14 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Moore Career CollegeBaton Rouge	—	$22,104	—	$7,762	0.35
Delgado Community CollegeNew Orleans	$4,678	$32,636	—	$18,137	0.56
Louisiana Delta Community CollegeMonroe	$4,159	$26,069	$28,362	$7,916	0.30
Northshore Technical Community CollegeLacombe	$4,203	$25,818	—	$10,500	0.41
Compass Career CollegeHammond	—	$25,735	—	$7,790	0.30
South Louisiana Community CollegeLafayette	$4,210	$25,471	$38,573	$6,125	0.24
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 Moore Career College, approximately 100% 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 71 graduates with reported earnings and 74 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.