Precision Metal Working at West Virginia University - Parkersburg
WV · Associate's Degree · CIP 48.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Precision Metal Working degree from West Virginia University - Parkersburg earn a median salary of $65,194 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WV, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $73,087. 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
$43,842
Typical Career
$65,194
Top Performers
$89,739
Estimated break-even: 8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$435
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,433. Most students can comfortably afford about a $435 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in West Virginia buys what costs $0.89 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Educational Services.
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
$73,087
Nominal: $65,194 in West Virginia (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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 | $29,471 | $40,342 | $58,956 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $43,842 | $65,194 | $89,739 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $48,030 | $69,876 | $94,389 |
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 $65,194 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WV, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $65,194 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $73,087 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance (28.0%), Public Administration (23.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance again at 22.4%. This diverse industry entry suggests a stable demand for skills acquired in the program. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 7.7 years compared to a high-school-only path, the overall return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, particularly in a state with a lower cost of living index.
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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.