Best colleges for Precision Metal Working in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Santa Ana College, The Fab School and Universal Technical Institute - Southern California are the top Precision Metal Working programs in California by graduate earnings. Santa Ana College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $45,864, College Scorecard. Cerritos College, Advanced Career Institute and Summit College award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in California: 283, 274 and 244 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 80 California colleges offer Precision Metal Working and award 4,407 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Precision Metal Working program focuses on the skills and techniques needed for various metalworking occupations. This program is ideal for students interested in hands-on work involving machinery, fabrication, and assembly of metal…
Top 8 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana Public · Certificate | $45,864 | 97 | 31% | — | — |
| 2 | The Fab School Rancho Cucamonga Private for-profit · Certificate | $39,592 | 138 | 95% | $37,485 | $4,449 |
| 3 | Universal Technical Institute - Southern California Long Beach Private for-profit · Certificate | $37,568 | 207 | 63% | $26,553 | — |
| 4 | Summit College San Bernardino Private for-profit · Certificate | $37,502 | 244 | 62% | $25,402 | $7,600 |
| 5 | Institute of Technology Clovis Private for-profit · Certificate | $35,194 | 35 | 73% | $24,518 | $9,703 |
| 6 | CET-San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $32,817 | 88 | 87% | $21,055 | $8,424 |
| 7 | Advanced Career Institute Visalia Private for-profit · Certificate | $31,401 | 274 | 81% | — | $8,023 |
| 8 | Merced College Merced Public · Certificate | $27,541 | 175 | 36% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Precision Metal Working degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerritos College Norwalk Public | 283 | Not reported |
| 2 | Advanced Career Institute Visalia Private for-profit | 274 | $31,401 |
| 3 | Summit College San Bernardino Private for-profit | 244 | $37,502 |
| 4 | Universal Technical Institute - Southern California Long Beach Private for-profit | 207 | $37,568* |
| 5 | Universal Technical Institute of California Inc Rancho Cucamonga Private for-profit | 191 | $37,568* |
| 6 | Merced College Merced Public | 175 | $27,541 |
| 7 | American River College Sacramento Public | 162 | Not reported |
| 8 | Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc Sacramento Private for-profit | 153 | Not reported |
| 9 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills Public | 139 | Not reported |
| 10 | The Fab School Rancho Cucamonga Private for-profit | 138 | $39,592 |
ShowHide the other 70 California colleges offering Precision Metal Working
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Sheet Metal Workers (SOC 47-2211).
Top skills
What Sheet Metal Workers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Precision Metal Working programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Precision Metal Working degrees?+
Cerritos College (283 graduates a year), Advanced Career Institute (274 graduates a year) and Summit College (244 graduates a year) award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 80 California colleges offer Precision Metal Working.
What is the best college for Precision Metal Working in California?+
By graduate earnings, Santa Ana College leads among Precision Metal Working programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $45,864, College Scorecard. The Fab School and Universal Technical Institute - Southern California follow. By degrees awarded, Cerritos College is the largest, with 283 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Precision Metal Working program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Santa Ana College tops the list at $45,864. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Sheet Metal Workers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Sheet Metal Workers in California is $85,580 (median $76,590), across about 8,390 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Precision Metal Working program?+
The Precision Metal Working program focuses on the skills and techniques needed for various metalworking occupations. This program is ideal for students interested in hands-on work involving machinery, fabrication, and assembly of metal…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, monitoring, mathematics, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Sheet Metal Workers?+
The national job outlook is about +2.4% growth with around 10,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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