Location: Bethlehem, PA•In-State Tuition: $5,310•Out-of-State Tuition: $14,730
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$40,225
Est. from PA median (8 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$11,562
Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

Pennsylvania has strong precision metal working programs, but the estimates here—based on eight similar programs statewide—don't inspire confidence. First-year earnings around $40,000 put this program firmly in the middle of the state pack, while debt estimates from comparable community colleges nationally suggest you'd borrow roughly $11,500. That's a manageable 0.29 ratio, meaning less than three months of gross income to cover the full loan.

The problem is what you're competing against. Thaddeus Stevens and Pennsylvania College of Technology graduates start around $50,000—that's $10,000 more annually than this program's peer-based projection. Even if Northampton's actual outcomes edge higher than the state median, you're still looking at potentially leaving five figures on the table over your first few years in the workforce. Metal working pays well enough that either path clears the debt quickly, but one path clears it while banking substantially more.

Before committing here, get the school to share their actual placement data and starting wages for recent graduates. If they can't produce concrete numbers that rival the top programs in Pennsylvania, the safer bet is applying to schools with proven track records. The 38% Pell grant rate shows Northampton serves working families well, but you need hard evidence their training delivers competitive outcomes in this field.

Where Northampton County Area Community College Stands

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

Northampton County Area Community College (estimated ±10%)Other precision metal working programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (22 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Northampton County Area Community CollegeBethlehem$5,310$40,225*—$11,562*—
Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnologyLancaster$9,050$52,298*$54,954$12,000*0.23
Pennsylvania College of TechnologyWilliamsport$17,940$50,402*$55,060$14,750*0.29
New Castle School of TradesNew Castle—$43,671*$43,303$9,931*0.23
Triangle Tech Inc-BethlehemBethlehem$18,593$40,225*$45,784$18,262*0.45
Triangle Tech Inc-GreensburgGreensburg$18,513$40,225*$45,784$18,262*0.45
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 Northampton County Area Community College, approximately 38% 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 8 similar programs in PA. Actual outcomes may vary.