Precision Metal Working graduates from Ridgewater College earn $54,714 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $9,750.
Precision Metal Working at Ridgewater College
Willmar, Minnesota • Certificate
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Precision Metal Working at Ridgewater College
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Ridgewater College and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Precision Metal Working at the certificate credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 25 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Ridgewater College, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $54,714 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $45,599 across all institutions offering Precision Metal Working, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Ridgewater College, the mean median-earnings figure is $49,121, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Precision Metal Working graduates at Ridgewater College is $9,750, which translates to roughly $81 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.18 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Precision Metal Working at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Riverland Community College | $87,864 | — |
| Idaho State University | $82,683 | $9,000 |
| Ferris State University | $79,641 | $18,439 |
| White Mountains Community College | $71,074 | $9,625 |
| Hennepin Technical College | $69,442 | — |
| Santa Ana College | $68,633 | — |
| Coastal Pines Technical College | $68,443 | — |
| Riverside City College | $67,355 | — |
| Owensboro Community and Technical College | $67,174 | — |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College | $65,946 | $5,500 |
Other Programs at Ridgewater College
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | $77,727 | — |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | $73,764 | $15,015 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | $73,528 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $69,504 | $15,250 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $63,210 | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | $56,311 | — |
| Precision Metal Working (current) | $54,714 | $9,750 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $52,107 | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $51,792 | $9,885 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $50,108 | — |
Other Schools with Precision Metal Working
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.