Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Salina Area Technical College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,490

Est. from KS median (6 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$6,642

Est. from KS median (4 programs)

Analysis

Similar programs across Kansas suggest this precision metalworking certificate delivers solid returns with minimal financial risk. Based on peer schools in the state, graduates typically earn around $36,500 in their first year—right in line with the national median—while carrying just $6,642 in debt. That 0.18 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would need roughly two months of their salary to clear their loans, one of the better ratios you'll find in technical education.

The four-year earnings figure of $41,137 is actual data for Salina Area Technical College, showing steady income growth beyond the entry level. This trajectory is typical for skilled trades where experience commands higher pay. Compared to other Kansas programs with reported outcomes, Salina's graduates track closely with established schools like Flint Hills Technical College and Manhattan Area Technical College, though slightly below top performers like Washburn at nearly $40,000.

The practical takeaway: precision metalworking offers a clear path to middle-class earnings without the debt burden that often accompanies longer degree programs. While we're working with estimated figures for the first-year snapshot, both the actual four-year data and the comparison to peer programs point to a program that delivers what technical education should—marketable skills at a price that makes financial sense.

Where Salina Area Technical College Stands

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

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Salina Area Technical College	—	$41,137	—
Kansas City Kansas Community College	$36,248	$51,614	+42%
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology	$30,515	$46,674	+53%
Manhattan Area Technical College	$34,077	$42,926	+26%
Washburn Institute of Technology	$39,720	$35,996	-9%

Compare to Similar Programs in Kansas

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Kansas (23 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Salina Area Technical CollegeSalina	$7,020	$36,490*	$41,137	$6,642*	—
Washburn Institute of TechnologyTopeka	$9,120	$39,720*	$35,996	$6,642*	0.17
Washburn UniversityTopeka	$9,578	$39,720*	$35,996	$6,642*	0.17
Flint Hills Technical CollegeEmporia	$6,196	$36,731*	—	—*	—
Kansas City Kansas Community CollegeKansas City	$3,150	$36,248*	$51,614	—*	—
Manhattan Area Technical CollegeManhattan	$9,276	$34,077*	$42,926	$8,250*	0.24
National Median	—	$36,248*	—	$9,000*	0.25

* 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 Salina Area Technical College, approximately 14% 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 6 similar programs in KS. Actual outcomes may vary.