Precision Metal Working at Northwest State Community College
OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 48.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Precision Metal Working degree from Northwest State Community College earn a median salary of $60,837 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $67,522. The degree typically pays for itself in 8 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$43,047
Typical Career
$60,837
Top Performers
$79,368
Estimated break-even: 8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$406
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,070. Most students can comfortably afford about a $406 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$67,522
Nominal: $60,837 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $36,215 | $46,435 | $73,872 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $43,047 | $60,837 | $79,368 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $54,757 | $72,585 | $102,529 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $60,837 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $60,837 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010)
= $67,522 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program's graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for 66.0% of placements, followed by additional roles in the same sector at 30.5% and Manufacturing at 25.0%. This distribution suggests a strong alignment with industries that are not only stable but also growing. With an estimated break-even point of approximately eight years compared to a high-school-only path, the overall return on investment for students pursuing this program appears favorable, particularly in light of the robust job market in health care and manufacturing.
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Other Degrees at Northwest State Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.