Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at St Cloud Technical and Community College

Median Earnings (1yr)

$49,636

95th percentile

60th percentile in Minnesota

Median Debt

$9,500

6% above national median

Analysis

St Cloud Technical delivers earnings well above the national average for precision metal working, with first-year graduates earning $49,636 compared to the national median of $36,248. That's nearly $13,000 more annually—strong evidence that their training connects students with quality manufacturing jobs. However, within Minnesota's competitive landscape of technical colleges, this program lands in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, trailing schools like Hennepin Technical ($52,456) and Alexandria Tech ($51,141).

The financial picture is straightforward: with just $9,500 in median debt and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19, graduates can realistically pay off their loans within months of entering the workforce. Earnings grow modestly to $52,427 by year four, suggesting stable employment in Minnesota's manufacturing sector. For students focused on entering a skilled trade quickly without accumulating significant debt, this represents a practical pathway to middle-class earnings.

The takeaway: If your child wants hands-on metalworking training and plans to stay in Minnesota, this program delivers solid value with minimal financial risk. While a few other state technical colleges show slightly higher earnings, the differences are marginal enough that location and fit should guide your decision more than chasing an extra thousand or two in median salary.

Where St Cloud Technical and Community College Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How St Cloud Technical and Community 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
St Cloud Technical and Community College	$49,636	$52,427	+6%
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
St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeSaint Cloud	$4,957	$49,636	$52,427	$9,500	0.19
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
Anoka Technical CollegeAnoka	$6,267	$49,632	$51,324	$8,692	0.18
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 St Cloud Technical and Community College, approximately 35% 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 40 graduates with reported earnings and 27 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.