Precision Metal Working programs in California
145 schools in California teach this, at certificate or associate level. 8 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $35,487 at Summit College.
What this work pays in California
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in California earn a median of $58,060 a year across 26,060 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in California |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $56,510 | 21,680 |
| Machinists | $57,190 | 18,950 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $76,590 | 8,390 |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic | $45,890 | 7,800 |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,450 | 7,710 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summit College San Bernardino | Undergraduate certificate | $7,600 | $35,487 (133 grads) | 262 |
| Advanced Career Institute Visalia | Undergraduate certificate | $8,023 | $31,314 (62 grads) | 177 |
| The Fab School Rancho Cucamonga | Undergraduate certificate | $4,449 | $28,960 (81 grads) | 169 |
| CET-Colton Colton | Undergraduate certificate | $8,500 | $27,675 (409 grads) | 41 |
| CET-El Centro El Centro | Undergraduate certificate | $8,500 | $27,675 (409 grads) | 49 |
| CET-San Diego San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | $8,500 | $27,675 (409 grads) | 95 |
| CET-San Jose San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | $8,500 | $27,675 (409 grads) | — |
| CET-Watsonville Watsonville | Undergraduate certificate | $8,500 | $27,675 (409 grads) | 25 |
| Institute of Technology Clovis | Undergraduate certificate | $9,703 | not published | 24 |
| Universal Technical Institute of California Inc Rancho Cucamonga | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 122 |
| Universal Technical Institute-Southern California Long Beach | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | not published | 133 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 23 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| American River College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 14 |
| American River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 13 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 19 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 15 |
| Barstow Community College Barstow | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Barstow Community College Barstow | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| Butte College Oroville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 106 |
| Butte College Oroville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Cabrillo College Aptos | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 5 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 94 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Associate's degree | — | not published | 15 |
| Cerro Coso Community College Ridgecrest | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 23 |
| Cerro Coso Community College Ridgecrest | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Chabot College Hayward | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 11 |
| Chabot College Hayward | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Charles A Jones Career and Education Center Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 19 |
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Coalinga College Coalinga | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| College of Marin Kentfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| College of Marin Kentfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 14 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 10 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| College of the Siskiyous Weed | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| College of the Siskiyous Weed | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Columbia College Sonora | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| Compton College Compton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 16 |
| Compton College Compton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 48 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Associate's degree | — | not published | 15 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 19 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Associate's degree | — | not published | 16 |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Foothill College Los Altos Hills | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Foothill College Los Altos Hills | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 39 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| Fullerton College Fullerton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 8 |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Hacienda La Puente Adult Education La Puente | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 24 |
| Hartnell College Salinas | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Hartnell College Salinas | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Laney College Oakland | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Laney College Oakland | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Lassen Community College Susanville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Lassen Community College Susanville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Associate's degree | — | not published | 24 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 48 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Associate's degree | — | not published | 10 |
| Madera Community College Madera | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Madera Community College Madera | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| Merced College Merced | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 64 |
| Merced College Merced | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 33 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 21 |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Associate's degree | — | not published | 13 |
| Napa Valley College Napa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Napa Valley College Napa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Norco College Norco | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 8 |
| Norco College Norco | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 33 |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 14 |
| Palo Verde College Blythe | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Palo Verde College Blythe | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 54 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 5 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Pomona Unified School District Adult and Career Education Pomona | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Porterville College Porterville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 19 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 32 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 14 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| San Diego City College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| San Diego City College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 38 |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| San Jose City College San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| San Jose City College San Jose | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 97 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Associate's degree | — | not published | 14 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 42 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| Santiago Canyon College Orange | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Santiago Canyon College Orange | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Shasta College Redding | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Shasta College Redding | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| Sierra College Rocklin | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Sierra College Rocklin | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Taft College Taft | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 10 |
| Taft College Taft | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Tri-Community Adult Education Covina | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 120 |
| UEI College-Gardena Gardena | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 87 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Ventura College Ventura | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Ventura College Ventura | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 16 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| Woodland Community College Woodland | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 21 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Precision Metal Working — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.