Precision Metal Working at Waukesha County Technical College

Waukesha County Technical College's precision metal working program delivers strong earnings—outpacing 87% of similar programs nationally—but Wisconsin families have access to several higher-performing options in-state. At $43,380 starting out, graduates earn about $7,000 more than the national median for this credential, though the program ranks around the 60th percentile among Wisconsin's 17 precision metal working programs. Fox Valley Technical College, for instance, launches graduates at $53,507, roughly $10,000 more annually.

The debt picture is manageable: $9,500 represents just 22% of first-year earnings, meaning most graduates could realistically pay this off within a year or two of focused repayment. Earnings growth to $48,286 by year four shows solid progression in a field where hands-on experience typically increases value. The low Pell grant percentage (11%) might signal either a well-prepared student body or demographic factors worth understanding.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, a few outliers could significantly skew these numbers. If proximity or program timing makes Waukesha County the practical choice, the combination of strong national standing and reasonable debt makes this workable. But if your student has flexibility, Fox Valley or Chippewa Valley's programs show meaningfully higher returns for roughly similar debt levels.