Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Ridgewater College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$44,421

91st percentile

40th percentile in Minnesota

Median Debt

$9,750

8% above national median

Analysis

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.

Where Ridgewater College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Ridgewater College 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
Ridgewater College	$44,421	$49,456	+11%
Alexandria Technical & Community College	$51,141	$55,483	+8%
Lake Superior College	$43,610	$53,291	+22%
Central Lakes College-Brainerd	$40,671	$53,271	+31%
Hennepin Technical College	$52,456	$52,821	+1%

Compare to Similar Programs in Minnesota

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Minnesota (22 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Ridgewater CollegeWillmar	$6,109	$44,421	$49,456	$9,750	0.22
Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park	$5,881	$52,456	$52,821	$9,329	0.18
Alexandria Technical & Community CollegeAlexandria	$6,213	$51,141	$55,483	$9,500	0.19
Saint Paul CollegeSaint Paul	$6,318	$50,842	$50,851	$9,928	0.20
Dakota County Technical CollegeRosemount	$6,419	$50,464	$45,038	$5,500	0.11
St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeSaint Cloud	$4,957	$49,636	$52,427	$9,500	0.19
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 Ridgewater College, approximately 34% 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 35 graduates with reported earnings and 23 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.