Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville

Analysis

Tennessee's precision metal working programs cluster tightly around $35-40K in first-year earnings, and TCAT-Hartsville lands squarely in the middle of that pack. While graduates here earn $36,283—essentially the national median—top TCAT programs in Jackson and Murfreesboro push $43-44K, suggesting location and employer connections matter significantly within Tennessee's manufacturing corridor.

The estimated debt of $7,913 creates a remarkably manageable 0.22 ratio to first-year earnings, well below the concerning 1.0 threshold. Comparable certificate programs nationally carry median debt around $9,000, so Hartsville appears to keep costs reasonable. That said, the earnings gap with higher-performing Tennessee programs is real: graduates at TCAT-Jackson earn roughly $7,500 more annually in year one, which compounds quickly over a career.

The practical question is whether Hartsville's location works for your family. If you're already in the area and avoiding relocation costs, this program offers solid skilled trades training at low debt. But if you have flexibility on location, the data suggests casting a wider net among Tennessee's TCAT system—several campuses deliver the same credential with noticeably stronger employer pipelines and earning outcomes. For a short-term certificate program, those differences in starting salary matter more than they might for a four-year degree.

Where Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville graduates compare to all programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Tennessee

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Tennessee (30 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-HartsvilleHartsville	—	$36,283	—	$7,913*	—
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-JacksonJackson	—	$43,864	$41,465	—*	—
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-MurfreesboroMurfreesboro	—	$42,688	—	—*	—
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-ShelbyvilleShelbyville	—	$40,605	$46,721	—*	—
Chattanooga State Community CollegeChattanooga	$4,550	$39,664	$38,759	$4,611*	0.12
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-KnoxvilleKnoxville	—	$39,054	$43,143	—*	—
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 Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville, approximately 19% 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.