Best Schools for Precision Metalworking in 2026

355 schools ranked by TSW Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Precision Metalworking, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Precision Metalworking graduate earns $36,870/yr across 355 schools.

Programs Ranked
355
Avg Earnings
$36,870/yr
Avg TSW Score
57/100
AI-Proof Rating
AI-Proof
17% task exposure

All Precision Metalworking Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

# School TSW Score Earnings ROI
1 Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI · Precision Metalworking
68
67–69
$68,852/yr 56.3x
2 Idaho State University
Pocatello, ID · Precision Metalworking
72
71–73
$64,581/yr 87.9x
3 Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
Bowling Green, KY · Precision Metalworking
75
74–75
$58,996/yr 125.7x
4 Hennepin Technical College
Brooklyn Park, MN · Precision Metalworking
67
65–69
$59,829/yr 63.2x
5 Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN · Precision Metalworking
67
66–69
$56,292/yr 67.5x
6 Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
Elizabethtown, KY · Precision Metalworking
73
72–74
$53,172/yr 113.2x
7 Hennepin Technical College
Brooklyn Park, MN · Precision Metalworking
71
70–72
$52,456/yr 100.2x
8 White Mountains Community College
Berlin, NH · Precision Metalworking
69
68–70
$53,066/yr 54.3x
9 Fox Valley Technical College
Appleton, WI · Precision Metalworking
73
72–73
$53,507/yr 118.2x
10 Fox Valley Technical College
Appleton, WI · Precision Metalworking
65
65–66
$52,449/yr 60.8x
11 Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
Elizabethtown, KY · Precision Metalworking
64
63–65
$48,709/yr 51.3x
12 Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids, MI · Precision Metalworking
66
66–67
$50,089/yr 60.7x
13 Alexandria Technical & Community College
Alexandria, MN · Precision Metalworking
70
69–71
$51,141/yr 97.2x
14 Anoka Technical College
Anoka, MN · Precision Metalworking
69
68–70
$49,632/yr 89.4x
15 Dakota County Technical College
Rosemount, MN · Precision Metalworking
69
68–69
$50,464/yr 81.1x
16 St Cloud Technical and Community College
Saint Cloud, MN · Precision Metalworking
72
70–73
$49,636/yr 128.6x
17 Saint Paul College
Saint Paul, MN · Precision Metalworking
70
69–71
$50,842/yr 94.1x
18 Minnesota State College Southeast
Winona, MN · Precision Metalworking
66
66–66
$49,342/yr 66.1x
19 Southeast Community College Area
Lincoln, NE · Precision Metalworking
69
67–70
$49,114/yr 86.3x
20 North Dakota State College of Science
Wahpeton, ND · Precision Metalworking
63
62–64
$51,647/yr 50.8x
21 York Technical College
Rock Hill, SC · Precision Metalworking
71
70–71
$50,309/yr 89.8x
22 Lakeshore Technical College
Cleveland, WI · Precision Metalworking
71
70–71
$48,619/yr 103.9x
23 Chippewa Valley Technical College
Eau Claire, WI · Precision Metalworking
71
70–72
$48,638/yr 120.0x
24 Arkansas Northeastern College
Blytheville, AR · Precision Metalworking
73
72–74
$47,110/yr 182.3x
25 Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA · Precision Metalworking
74
72–74
$45,864/yr 387.7x
26 Aims Community College
Greeley, CO · Precision Metalworking
74
73–75
$47,680/yr 227.1x
27 Vincennes University
Vincennes, IN · Precision Metalworking
62
62–63
$54,908/yr 43.0x
28 Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown, IA · Precision Metalworking
69
68–70
$45,972/yr 85.7x
29 Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Lexington, KY · Precision Metalworking
70
69–71
$46,133/yr 97.0x
30 Midlands Technical College
West Columbia, SC · Precision Metalworking
71
69–71
$47,556/yr 98.3x
31 Amarillo College
Amarillo, TX · Precision Metalworking
74
73–75
$48,263/yr 304.1x
32 Clark College
Vancouver, WA · Precision Metalworking
62
62–63
$46,609/yr 52.9x
33 Northcentral Technical College
Wausau, WI · Precision Metalworking
72
71–72
$47,718/yr 131.0x
34 Bevill State Community College
Jasper, AL · Precision Metalworking
69
69–70
$45,423/yr 98.7x
35 North Georgia Technical College
Clarkesville, GA · Precision Metalworking
72
71–73
$45,472/yr 161.8x
36 Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo, IA · Precision Metalworking
68
66–69
$45,509/yr 87.7x
37 Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Precision Metalworking
61
60–62
$48,114/yr 45.7x
38 Northeast Iowa Community College
Calmar, IA · Precision Metalworking
66
64–67
$43,588/yr 83.5x
39 Anoka Technical College
Anoka, MN · Precision Metalworking
62
62–63
$51,747/yr 40.3x
40 Lake Superior College
Duluth, MN · Precision Metalworking
68
65–69
$43,610/yr 102.5x
41 Ridgewater College
Willmar, MN · Precision Metalworking
68
65–69
$44,421/yr 95.1x
42 Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City, SD · Precision Metalworking
63
63–64
$44,614/yr 50.0x
43 Austin Community College District
Austin, TX · Precision Metalworking
69
68–70
$45,279/yr 87.8x
44 Blackhawk Technical College
Janesville, WI · Precision Metalworking
70
69–71
$44,698/yr 123.3x
45 Waukesha County Technical College
Pewaukee, WI · Precision Metalworking
70
67–71
$43,380/yr 123.7x
46 Owensboro Community and Technical College
Owensboro, KY · Precision Metalworking
70
69–70
$45,366/yr 96.4x
47 Gadsden State Community College
Gadsden, AL · Precision Metalworking
68
67–68
$41,252/yr 103.5x
48 Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ · Precision Metalworking
67
66–68
$41,132/yr 100.9x
49 Pueblo Community College
Pueblo, CO · Precision Metalworking
59
60–60
$43,715/yr 46.0x
50 Connecticut State Community College
Hartford, CT · Precision Metalworking
67
65–69
$41,378/yr 104.3x

Methodology

Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (projected earnings vs. program tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Precision Metalworking?
Based on our TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Ferris State University ranks #1 for Precision Metalworking with a score of 68/100 and graduate earnings of $68,852/yr.
How much do Precision Metalworking graduates earn?
Across 355 schools, Precision Metalworking graduates earn an average of $36,870/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $68,852/yr.
Is Precision Metalworking an AI-proof career?
Precision Metalworking has an average AI task exposure of 17%, rated "AI-Proof". This is a highly AI-proof trade — hands-on work that AI cannot automate.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.