Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degree) at Triangle Tech-Chambersburg

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$40,225

Est. from PA median (8 programs)

Median Debt

$13,944

16% above national median

Analysis

Triangle Tech-Chambersburg's precision metal working program carries an estimated $13,944 in debt—just below the national median for these programs—while similar Pennsylvania programs suggest first-year earnings around $40,225. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 means graduates typically owe about four months of their first-year salary, a manageable starting point for a skilled trade. However, the reported four-year earnings of $44,040 show modest growth, raising questions about whether this field offers the wage progression that can make an associate's degree investment worthwhile over time.

The gap between Triangle Tech-Chambersburg and Pennsylvania's top performers is significant. Thaddeus Stevens College and Penn College of Technology both produce graduates earning over $50,000, while Triangle Tech's outcomes align with the state median. For a school serving a predominantly working-class population (52% Pell recipients), these figures represent solid but unspectacular returns. The debt is reasonable, but families should consider whether the program's outcomes justify two years of education when the earnings trajectory appears relatively flat.

The practical takeaway: This program offers a path to stable employment without crushing debt, but it won't deliver the dramatic earnings growth some skilled trades promise. If your child is mechanically inclined and wants immediate workforce entry, the debt burden here is manageable. Just understand that the earnings estimates suggest a steady middle-income trajectory rather than exceptional financial returns, especially when stronger programs exist elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

Where Triangle Tech-Chambersburg Stands

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

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Triangle Tech-Chambersburg	—	$44,040	—
Pennsylvania College of Technology	$50,402	$55,060	+9%
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology	$52,298	$54,954	+5%
Pittsburgh Technical College	$39,573	$50,258	+27%
Triangle Tech Inc-Greensburg	$40,225	$45,784	+14%

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (22 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Triangle Tech-ChambersburgChambersburg	$18,961	$40,225*	$44,040	$13,944	—
Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnologyLancaster	$9,050	$52,298*	$54,954	$12,000	0.23
Pennsylvania College of TechnologyWilliamsport	$17,940	$50,402*	$55,060	$14,750	0.29
New Castle School of TradesNew Castle	—	$43,671*	$43,303	$9,931	0.23
Triangle Tech Inc-BethlehemBethlehem	$18,593	$40,225*	$45,784	$18,262	0.45
Triangle Tech Inc-GreensburgGreensburg	$18,513	$40,225*	$45,784	$18,262	0.45
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 Triangle Tech-Chambersburg, approximately 52% 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 8 similar programs in PA. Actual outcomes may vary.