Certificate (under 1 year)+1% vs national median897 grads tracked
Precision Metal Working at South Texas College
Ranked 63rd of 150 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Precision Metal Working by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$35,961
middle 50%: $24,620 – $53,763
Median · 5 years out
$54,292
middle 50%: $35,360 – $77,107
Median · 10 years out
$63,874
middle 50%: $42,776 – $82,379
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
Metal working certificate graduates earn $36k initially. Salaries reach $64k by the tenth year.
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
7.9 yrs
≈ $9,320 total interest
Same major at other universities
Texas State Technical College
$55,507 · 5 yrs out
Hawkeye Community College
$55,464 · 5 yrs out
Pine Technical and Community College
$55,335 · 5 yrs out
Panola College
$55,111 · 5 yrs out
Owens Community College
$55,086 · 5 yrs out
Ogden-Weber Technical College
$54,757 · 5 yrs out
Portland Community College
$54,665 · 5 yrs out
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
$54,051 · 5 yrs out
Front Range Community College
$53,655 · 5 yrs out
Central Carolina Technical College
$53,578 · 5 yrs out
Vernon College
$53,306 · 5 yrs out
Uintah Basin Technical College
$53,243 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at South Texas College
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$89,484 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$82,389 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$74,301 · 5 yrs out
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Certificate)
$67,042 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate)
$66,918 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Certificate)
$66,346 · 5 yrs out
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Certificate)
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$65,698 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$65,698 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate)
$64,854 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Certificate)
$63,681 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$61,749 · 5 yrs out