Certificate (under 1 year)-7% vs national median1,628 grads tracked
Precision Metal Working at Southwestern Illinois College
Ranked 95th of 150 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Precision Metal Working by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$35,892
middle 50%: $25,208 – $49,665
Median · 5 years out
$49,794
middle 50%: $35,091 – $67,403
Median · 10 years out
$58,090
middle 50%: $40,309 – $78,965
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Precision Metal Working (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Precision Metal Working graduates from Southwestern Illinois College start at $36k. Median pay reaches $58k by year ten.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
8.5 yrs
≈ $9,907 total interest
Same major at other universities
Cisco College
$50,083 · 5 yrs out
Western Iowa Tech Community College
$50,050 · 5 yrs out
Red Rocks Community College
$50,050 · 5 yrs out
Southwest Texas Junior College
$49,920 · 5 yrs out
Southwestern Oregon Community College
$49,855 · 5 yrs out
Mountainland Technical College
$49,855 · 5 yrs out
Coastal Bend College
$49,438 · 5 yrs out
Cuyahoga Community College
$48,943 · 5 yrs out
Southeastern Illinois College
$48,829 · 5 yrs out
Saint Philip's College
$48,670 · 5 yrs out
Illinois Central College
$48,631 · 5 yrs out
Orangeburg - Calhoun Technical College
$48,487 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Southwestern Illinois College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$99,192 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Certificate)
$80,595 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Certificate)
$72,907 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Certificate)
$72,907 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$72,441 · 5 yrs out
Carpenters (Certificate)
$70,557 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$70,365 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate)
$69,946 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$68,650 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$68,526 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Certificate)
$67,570 · 5 yrs out
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Certificate)
$66,712 · 5 yrs out