Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degree) at State Fair Community College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$43,922

Est. from MO median (3 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$11,562

Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

For Missourians interested in skilled trades, precision metal working programs typically offer solid early returns—and State Fair Community College's estimated outcomes align with that pattern. Based on similar programs in Missouri, graduates can expect first-year earnings around $43,922, right at the state median and slightly above the national benchmark of $41,504. With estimated debt of $11,562, that puts the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.26, meaning graduates would need roughly a quarter of their first-year income to cover what they borrowed—a manageable burden for a two-year credential.

The challenge here is that we're working entirely from estimates since State Fair's graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to publish. What we do know is that the top precision metal working programs in Missouri—State Technical College of Missouri and Ranken Technical College—report first-year earnings between $44,000 and $47,000, suggesting this field delivers relatively consistent outcomes across the state. The estimated debt here is actually lower than Missouri's median of $13,237 for these programs, which is a positive sign.

The practical question is whether State Fair can match the performance of established programs like State Tech. For a student committed to precision metal working and looking to stay local in central Missouri, these estimates suggest reasonable potential—but visiting the school's lab facilities and talking to recent graduates would help confirm whether this smaller program can compete with Missouri's better-known technical colleges.

Where State Fair Community College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Missouri

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at peer institutions in Missouri (12 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
State Fair Community CollegeSedalia	$4,104	$43,922*	—	$11,562*	—
State Technical College of MissouriLinn	$7,830	$47,325*	$50,656	$11,474*	0.24
Ranken Technical CollegeSaint Louis	$17,490	$43,922*	$53,275	$15,000*	0.34
Ozarks Technical Community CollegeSpringfield	$4,184	$40,696*	$40,821	—*	—
National Median	—	$41,504*	—	$12,000*	0.29

* 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 State Fair Community College, approximately 33% 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 3 similar programs in MO. Actual outcomes may vary.