Best Precision Metal Working Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
284
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$144,242
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$18,402
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ferris State University
Grad rate: 48.6% |
MI | +$587,291 | $74,137 | $26,066 | $21,765 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Community College of Denver
Grad rate: 16.8% |
CO | +$308,833 | $59,103 | $18,377 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Hennepin Technical College
Grad rate: 38.1% |
MN | +$245,515 | $55,697 | $15,830 | $9,329 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Idaho State University
Grad rate: 37.7% |
ID | +$234,866 | $55,405 | $21,084 | $9,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Frank Phillips College
Grad rate: 32.2% |
TX | +$205,713 | $53,022 | $14,727 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Great Basin College
Grad rate: 49.9% |
NV | +$177,770 | $51,489 | $12,010 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
St Cloud Technical and Community College
Grad rate: 37.6% |
MN | +$144,021 | $50,611 | $15,374 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Minnesota State College Southeast
Grad rate: 42.5% |
MN | +$122,447 | $49,974 | $20,158 | $12,500 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
San Jacinto Community College
Grad rate: 33.3% |
TX | +$120,690 | $48,784 | $14,990 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Wharton County Junior College
Grad rate: 17.5% |
TX | +$120,314 | $48,536 | $10,406 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Central Lakes College-Brainerd
Grad rate: 47.2% |
MN | +$114,852 | $49,014 | $18,003 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Saint Paul College
Grad rate: 31.9% |
MN | +$111,280 | $49,133 | $17,977 | $9,928 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Gwinnett Technical College
Grad rate: 29.1% |
GA | +$107,162 | $48,312 | $19,078 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Alexandria Technical & Community College
Grad rate: 60.9% |
MN | +$106,873 | $48,933 | $18,962 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Vincennes University
Grad rate: 34.1% |
IN | +$100,758 | $48,676 | $19,446 | $9,863 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Fox Valley Technical College
Grad rate: 55.2% |
WI | +$98,006 | $48,200 | $15,647 | $7,664 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Anoka Technical College
Grad rate: 50.5% |
MN | +$78,923 | $47,366 | $16,662 | $8,692 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Madison Area Technical College
Grad rate: 24.4% |
WI | +$77,700 | $47,387 | $17,215 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Wayne County Schools Career Center
Grad rate: 74.5% |
OH | +$71,984 | $47,217 | $32,356 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
College of Western Idaho
Grad rate: 26.7% |
ID | +$71,756 | $46,675 | $12,294 | $7,000 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Owens Community College
Grad rate: 29.4% |
OH | +$71,061 | $46,254 | $14,019 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Chippewa Valley Technical College
Grad rate: 46.4% |
WI | +$69,729 | $46,848 | $16,283 | $8,109 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Moraine Park Technical College
Grad rate: 47.2% |
WI | +$65,935 | $46,474 | $14,095 | $7,000 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Ridgewater College
Grad rate: 45.0% |
MN | +$65,822 | $46,759 | $16,195 | $9,750 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
West Kentucky Community and Technical College
Grad rate: 47.3% |
KY | +$60,845 | $46,272 | $13,457 | $8,250 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Northeast Community College
Grad rate: 53.1% |
NE | +$59,490 | $46,038 | $13,845 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
North Dakota State College of Science
Grad rate: 46.7% |
ND | +$59,149 | $45,772 | $16,291 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools
Grad rate: 73.8% |
OH | +$55,484 | $46,079 | $17,341 | $6,485 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Ranken Technical College
Grad rate: 51.2% |
MO | +$50,686 | $46,587 | $28,229 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Elite Welding Academy
Grad rate: 80.0% |
TX | +$46,239 | $46,401 | $28,956 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Elite Welding Academy LLC
Grad rate: 85.5% |
OH | +$42,356 | $46,401 | $32,839 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
South Central College
Grad rate: 27.4% |
MN | +$36,870 | $44,861 | $15,400 | $3,666 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Black River Technical College
Grad rate: 33.6% |
AR | +$34,676 | $44,465 | $14,624 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 34 | Elite Welding Academy South Point | OH | +$32,528 | $46,401 | $42,667 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Clarendon College
Grad rate: 54.2% |
TX | +$31,067 | $44,316 | $15,253 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Dunwoody College of Technology
Grad rate: 54.6% |
MN | +$26,056 | $45,472 | $34,834 | $6,333 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Northeast Iowa Community College
Grad rate: 48.1% |
IA | +$26,023 | $44,507 | $16,720 | $5,479 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Grad rate: 19.7% |
WI | +$25,186 | $44,761 | $17,209 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology
Grad rate: 88.6% |
OH | +$24,963 | $44,835 | $24,312 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Gadsden State Community College
Grad rate: 28.2% |
AL | +$24,953 | $43,782 | $10,687 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Northern Wyoming Community College District
Grad rate: 38.0% |
WY | +$24,026 | $43,997 | $15,914 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
School of Automotive Machinists & Technology
Grad rate: 88.9% |
TX | +$22,561 | $45,729 | $29,941 | $16,354 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Danville Community College
Grad rate: 40.7% |
VA | +$14,040 | $43,405 | $14,060 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Montana State University
Grad rate: 57.1% |
MT | +$13,021 | $43,840 | $23,779 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Western Technical College
Grad rate: 40.7% |
WI | +$12,267 | $43,762 | $15,548 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Ogden-Weber Technical College
Grad rate: 50.6% |
UT | +$12,028 | $42,952 | $7,012 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Iowa Central Community College
Grad rate: 40.7% |
IA | +$11,615 | $43,351 | $15,405 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Mid-State Technical College
Grad rate: 48.2% |
WI | +$11,359 | $43,661 | $15,448 | $4,750 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Southeastern Technical College
Grad rate: 39.7% |
GA | +$5,968 | $43,063 | $15,292 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Eastern Wyoming College
Grad rate: 41.4% |
WY | +$5,653 | $43,499 | $14,943 | $6,951 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Precision Metal Working Degrees by State
Browse Precision Metal Working programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.