Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Wenatchee Valley College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,248

Est. from national median (299 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$7,913

Est. from national median (94 programs)

Analysis

Is a certificate in precision metal working worth $7,900 in debt when first-year earnings hover around $36,000? Similar programs nationally suggest this ratio—about 22 cents of debt for every dollar earned—falls within reasonable bounds for a technical credential. However, peer programs in Washington typically produce slightly higher outcomes, with median earnings near $38,300. Perry Technical Institute, for instance, reports graduates earning over $41,000, suggesting location and program quality can significantly impact your child's prospects in this field.

The debt load, estimated from similar community college programs, appears manageable. At roughly $36,000 in first-year earnings, graduates would face monthly loan payments around $90 on a standard repayment plan—about 3% of gross income. For students entering metalworking without prior experience, this certificate could provide a faster pathway to skilled employment than a two-year degree, though the earnings ceiling may be lower long-term.

Before committing, your child should investigate what specifically distinguishes Wenatchee Valley's program from higher-performing competitors in Washington. Tour the facilities, ask about industry partnerships and job placement rates, and talk to current students about the quality of hands-on training. Given that these figures are based on peer programs rather than this school's actual outcomes, direct evidence of employer connections and graduate success becomes even more critical in evaluating this investment.

Where Wenatchee Valley College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Washington

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Washington (24 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Wenatchee Valley CollegeWenatchee	$5,118	$36,248*	—	$7,913*	—
Perry Technical InstituteYakima	—	$41,301*	$38,791	$8,390*	0.20
Spokane Community CollegeSpokane	$4,057	$35,309*	—	$9,500*	0.27
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 Wenatchee Valley College, approximately 27% 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 299 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.