Precision Metal Working at Ridgewater College

Ridgewater College's precision metal working certificate sits in an interesting position: it vastly outperforms the national median by $8,000, yet trails the Minnesota state median by nearly $5,000. With 22 programs statewide, Minnesota has created a robust training pipeline for metalworking, and Ridgewater graduates land squarely in the middle of that pack—ranking in the 40th percentile among state programs. The top programs from Hennepin Technical and Alexandria Technical push earnings about $2,000 to $8,000 higher.

The financial fundamentals are solid regardless of where this ranks in-state. At $9,750 in debt—about 22% of first-year earnings—graduates enter the workforce with manageable obligations and see steady 11% wage growth to nearly $50,000 by year four. For families weighing community college options, this represents a low-risk entry into skilled trades with immediate earning potential.

The real question is whether location matters for your student. If they're tied to the Willmar area or prefer Ridgewater's specific training approach, this program delivers good value. But if flexibility exists, the data suggests shopping around among Minnesota's technical colleges could yield notably higher starting wages for similar debt levels. Either way, the precision metalworking field in Minnesota offers better prospects than most states nationwide.