Precision Metal Working at Vernon College

Vernon College's Precision Metal Working program charges remarkably little—just $5,500 in median debt, far below both the Texas average of $9,168 and the national figure of $12,000. That's the good news. The challenge is that graduates earn about $32,200 in their first year, landing in the 40th percentile among Texas metal working programs and just the 15th percentile nationally. This puts Vernon's program well behind regional competitors like Austin Community College ($45,279) and Texas State Technical College ($39,234), though the earnings gap narrows somewhat by year four when Vernon graduates reach $37,399.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.17 is excellent—among the best you'll find for any technical program—so graduates aren't drowning in payments. But the fundamental question is whether starting near the bottom of the earnings distribution is worth it, even with minimal debt. For a student who needs to stay in the Vernon area or values keeping costs extremely low, this program delivers affordable training with manageable risk. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift considerably with more data.

If your child has access to one of the stronger Texas programs without significantly higher debt, that's likely the better path. But if geography or cost constraints make Vernon the practical choice, the minimal debt load at least ensures this won't be a financial disaster.