Precision Metal Working at Stautzenberger College-Maumee

Precision metalworking graduates from this program earn roughly $8,000 less than the typical Ohio metalworking certificate holder and $5,500 below the national median—landing in just the 25th percentile among Ohio programs. For context, stronger Ohio options like Hobart Institute and Butler Technology see graduates earning $42,000-$45,000 in their first year. That's a significant gap for a trade where hands-on skill development should translate directly into earning power.

The one bright spot here is manageable debt: at $13,000, it's higher than typical for metalworking programs but still represents less than half of first-year earnings. With three-quarters of students receiving Pell grants, that matters. The debt won't be crushing, but the earnings trajectory is concerning when better-performing programs exist across Ohio.

If your child is set on metalworking in the Toledo area, look closely at what differentiates this program from higher-earning alternatives elsewhere in the state. The earnings gap suggests either weaker industry connections, less comprehensive training, or placement in lower-paying segments of the metalworking field. A certificate program should be a direct pipeline to decent-paying trade work—at $30,800 annually, this falls short of that promise when Ohio's median is pushing $39,000.