Precision Metal Working programs in Pennsylvania
52 schools in Pennsylvania teach this, at certificate or associate level. 19 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $46,193 at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
What this work pays in Pennsylvania
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers in Pennsylvania earn a median of $52,900 a year across 17,850 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 Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Machinists | $57,810 | 12,380 |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $47,860 | 8,890 |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,070 | 7,960 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $54,590 | 7,840 |
| Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, & Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic | $47,650 | 3,830 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster | Associate's degree | $12,000 | $46,193 (67 grads) | 81 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport | Associate's degree | $14,250 | $40,461 (19 grads) | 67 |
| York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education York | Undergraduate certificate | — | $38,289 (15 grads) | 18 |
| Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh | Undergraduate certificate | — | $37,593 (21 grads) | 107 |
| Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center Altoona | Undergraduate certificate | — | $37,424 (27 grads) | 15 |
| Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Willow Street | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | $36,221 (27 grads) | 6 |
| New Castle School of Trades New Castle | Associate's degree | — | $35,823 (57 grads) | 10 |
| Penn Commercial Business/Technical School Washington | Undergraduate certificate | — | $34,704 (14 grads) | 8 |
| Welder Training and Testing Institute Allentown | Undergraduate certificate | $9,217 | $33,459 (61 grads) | 61 |
| Johnson College Scranton | Undergraduate certificate | — | $32,569 (23 grads) | 14 |
| Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh | Associate's degree | — | $30,771 (13 grads) | 3 |
| Erie Institute of Technology Inc Erie | Undergraduate certificate | $8,475 | $30,616 (103 grads) | — |
| Laurel Technical Institute Hermitage | Undergraduate certificate | — | $30,409 (25 grads) | 10 |
| New Castle School of Trades New Castle | Undergraduate certificate | $8,758 | $29,092 (170 grads) | 49 |
| Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology Pleasant Gap | Undergraduate certificate | — | $28,055 (25 grads) | 7 |
| All-State Career School Essington | Undergraduate certificate | $13,000 | $27,048 (34 grads) | 3 |
| All-State Career School-Pittsburgh West Mifflin | Undergraduate certificate | $12,289 | $26,933 (50 grads) | 17 |
| Indiana County Technology Center Indiana | Undergraduate certificate | — | $25,194 (20 grads) | 7 |
| Philadelphia Technician Training Philadelphia | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | $16,225 (103 grads) | 124 |
| Rosedale Technical College Pittsburgh | Undergraduate certificate | $9,000 | not published | 24 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Pennsylvania Inc Exton | Undergraduate certificate | $6,855 | not published | — |
| Berks Career & Technology Center Leesport | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 9 |
| Butler County Community College Butler | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Butler County Community College Butler | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center Clearfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Commonwealth Technical Institute Johnstown | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 13 |
| Community College of Beaver County Monaca | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Delaware County Community College Media | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 12 |
| Delaware County Community College Media | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Fayette County Career & Technical Institute Practical Nursing Program Uniontown | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center Johnstown | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 26 |
| Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center Johnstown | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 33 |
| Institute of Medical Careers Pittsburgh | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Johnson College Scranton | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Laurel Technical Institute Uniontown | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 11 |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Lehigh Career & Technical Institute Schnecksville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Luzerne County Community College Nanticoke | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 13 |
| Luzerne County Community College Nanticoke | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Johnstown | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Reading Area Community College Reading | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Schuylkill Technology Center Frackville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| Somerset County Technology Center Somerset | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center Springville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2 |
| Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 20 |
| Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood | Associate's degree | — | not published | 19 |
| Williamson College of the Trades Media | Associate's degree | — | not published | 10 |
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.