Certificate (1-2 years)+31% vs national median372 grads tracked
Precision Production at Southwestern Illinois College
Ranked 8th of 123 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Precision Production by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$63,808
middle 50%: $45,557 – $83,070
Median · 5 years out
$72,907
middle 50%: $58,430 – $90,504
Median · 10 years out
$80,472
middle 50%: $64,546 – $101,595
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Precision Production (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Precision Production certificate holders earn $63.8k in their first year. This specialty outpaces national medians by 31% at the five-year mark.
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
5.3 yrs
≈ $5,579 total interest
Same major at other universities
Prairie State College
$111,686 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Region 1
$99,319 · 5 yrs out
Central Virginia Community College
$82,447 · 5 yrs out
Texas State Technical College
$77,691 · 5 yrs out
Rock Valley College
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana- Region 3
$73,958 · 5 yrs out
Cuyahoga Community College
$73,075 · 5 yrs out
Mt. Hood Community College
$72,585 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
$70,012 · 5 yrs out
West Virginia University - Parkersburg
$69,384 · 5 yrs out
Ogden-Weber Technical College
$69,286 · 5 yrs out
Anoka Technical College
$68,363 · 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 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
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$66,338 · 5 yrs out