Certificate (1-2 years)+18% vs national median232 grads tracked
Precision Metal Working at Del Mar College
Ranked 21st of 123 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Precision Metal Working by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$47,270
middle 50%: $36,275 – $72,966
Median · 5 years out
$65,353
middle 50%: $42,555 – $88,675
Median · 10 years out
$75,158
middle 50%: $49,855 – $152,658
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Precision Metal Working (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Graduates with a Precision Metal Working certificate start at a $47k median. Ten-year median earnings hit $75k.
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
6.3 yrs
≈ $7,198 total interest
Same major at other universities
Anoka Technical College
$68,363 · 5 yrs out
Kankakee Community College
$66,619 · 5 yrs out
Northern Wyoming Community College District
$66,474 · 5 yrs out
Cuyahoga Community College
$66,438 · 5 yrs out
College of Lake County
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
Hennepin Technical College
$65,723 · 5 yrs out
Amarillo College
$64,402 · 5 yrs out
College Of DuPage
$64,175 · 5 yrs out
Southern Maine Community College
$62,818 · 5 yrs out
Eastern Wyoming College
$62,446 · 5 yrs out
Greenville Technical College
$62,224 · 5 yrs out
Asnuntuck Community College
$62,158 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Del Mar College
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$116,020 · 5 yrs out
Science Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$112,512 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$101,251 · 5 yrs out
Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$99,192 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$93,589 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Associate)
$85,664 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics (Associate)
$85,664 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$85,617 · 5 yrs out
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$75,855 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$75,063 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$74,110 · 5 yrs out