Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degree) at Wabash Valley College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$41,504

Est. from national median (56 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$11,562

Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

At just under $12,000 in estimated debt, this precision metal working program appears manageable based on what we see from comparable associate's degrees nationwide. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 suggests graduates from similar programs could pay off their loans with about three months of first-year income—a relatively comfortable position in skilled trades education.

The estimated $41,500 first-year earnings sits at the national median for precision metal working programs, which tells us this field generally offers consistent entry-level wages regardless of where you train. Illinois hosts 27 programs in this specialty, yet none have published graduate outcomes, making it difficult to assess whether Wabash Valley's approach differs meaningfully from competitors. What we can say is that the debt burden here tracks close to the national norm of $12,000, avoiding the inflated costs that sometimes plague community college technical programs.

For parents weighing this investment, the fundamental question is whether their student is committed to manufacturing work. The economics look reasonable if your child will actually use this credential—precision metal working leads to specific machining and manufacturing roles with steady demand. However, without school-specific outcomes data, you're essentially betting on your student's ability to match what peer programs produce nationally. Visit the campus, talk to instructors about job placement, and confirm local employers actively hire from this program before committing.

Where Wabash Valley College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at top institutions nationally

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Wabash Valley CollegeMount Carmel	$4,390	$41,504*	—	$11,562*	—
Hennepin Technical CollegeBrooklyn Park	$5,881	$59,829*	$73,136	—*	—
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids	$13,630	$56,811*	$77,380	$17,500*	0.31
Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis	$4,912	$56,292*	$64,893	$6,810*	0.12
Dunwoody College of TechnologyMinneapolis	$25,659	$55,188*	$61,261	$12,000*	0.22
Vincennes UniversityVincennes	$6,886	$54,908*	$52,065	$12,000*	0.22
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 Wabash Valley College, approximately 24% 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 national median of 56 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.