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

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$34,863

Est. from MO median (4 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$7,913

Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

In Missouri, precision metal working programs span a $14,000 range in first-year earnings, and while St Charles Community College's estimated $34,863 sits near the state median, it trails programs like Ranken Technical College by more than $10,000. Based on comparable certificate programs at community colleges nationwide, students here would likely graduate with around $7,900 in debt—a manageable burden that represents just three months of earnings. This debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 suggests a reasonable financial proposition, though parents should note these figures come from peer programs rather than actual St Charles graduates.

The challenge is that similar programs in Missouri show you can do better without necessarily paying more. Ranken's graduates—with similar credentials—earn nearly 30% more in their first year, which compounds over a career. Even Metropolitan Community College's program estimates suggest earnings roughly $2,000 higher annually. The lower debt estimate for St Charles helps offset this gap somewhat, but earnings differences of this magnitude matter when you're starting in the mid-$30,000s rather than higher income brackets.

For parents weighing this program, the key question is whether St Charles offers specific advantages—location, employer connections, equipment, or scheduling—that justify accepting potentially lower earnings. The debt load won't sink anyone, but if other Missouri programs can position graduates for stronger starting salaries, that's worth investigating before committing.

Where St Charles Community College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Missouri

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

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
St Charles Community CollegeCottleville	$3,000	$34,863*	—	$7,913*	—
Ranken Technical CollegeSaint Louis	$17,490	$45,004*	$49,350	$9,500*	0.21
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas CityKansas City	$3,630	$36,908*	—	—*	—
Ozarks Technical Community CollegeSpringfield	$4,184	$32,817*	$39,166	$4,737*	0.14
Midwest Technical Institute-MissouriSpringfield	—	$31,630*	$33,836	$9,500*	0.30
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 St Charles Community College, approximately 25% 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 4 similar programs in MO. Actual outcomes may vary.