Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Somerset Community College

Analysis

Somerset Community College's precision metal working certificate delivers solid earnings at $41,415—well above the $36,248 national median—but falls short of what other Kentucky programs achieve. While this ranks in the 80th percentile nationally, it's only the 40th percentile within Kentucky, where the state median is $41,824 and top programs like Southcentral Kentucky and Elizabethtown push past $53,000. That geographic gap matters if your child has multiple in-state options.

The financial mechanics work in your favor: $8,439 in debt against first-year earnings creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.20, meaning graduates earn back their debt roughly five times over in the first year. That's manageable by any standard, and the certificate format keeps both time investment and debt minimal. Nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting the program serves working-class families effectively.

The catch is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could swing significantly year to year. If Somerset is your local community college and commuting distance matters, the convenience might outweigh the earnings difference. But if you're willing to travel within Kentucky for training, programs like Southcentar Kentucky's, earning $58,996, offer substantially better returns for similar or lower debt. The program works, but Kentucky has stronger options.

Where Somerset Community College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Somerset Community College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Kentucky

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Kentucky (17 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Somerset Community CollegeSomerset	$4,656	$41,415	—	$8,439	0.20
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeBowling Green	$4,656	$58,996	—	$9,413	0.16
Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegeElizabethtown	$4,656	$53,172	—	$7,166	0.13
Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegeLexington	$4,706	$46,133	—	$10,684	0.23
Owensboro Community and Technical CollegeOwensboro	$4,656	$45,366	—	$7,475	0.16
Gateway Community and Technical CollegeFlorence	$4,656	$42,233	—	$9,041	0.21
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 Somerset Community College, approximately 43% 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 29 graduates with reported earnings and 19 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.