North Carolina · Precision Metal Working

Best colleges for Precision Metal Working in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

Central Piedmont Community College, Davidson-Davie Community College and Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville are the top Precision Metal Working programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. Central Piedmont Community College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,149, College Scorecard. Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville, Wake Technical Community College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in North Carolina: 196, 192 and 150 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 60 North Carolina colleges offer Precision Metal Working and award 3,555 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…

Institutions
60
offering CIP 48.05
States offered
50
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,555
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$37,078
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,093
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
43%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Sheet Metal Workers
$54,560
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte Public · Associate degree
$40,14911131%——
2Davidson-Davie Community College
Thomasville Public · Certificate
$39,99014646%—$11,000
3Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville
Mooresville Private for-profit · Certificate
$37,56819665%$25,348$10,593
4Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Asheville Public · Certificate
$37,0787440%——
5Guilford Technical Community College
Jamestown Public · Certificate
$36,9305131%——
6Johnston Community College
Smithfield Public · Certificate
$34,1718337%——
7Richmond Community College
Hamlet Public · Certificate Small program
$31,2681646%——

Colleges awarding the most Precision Metal Working degrees in North Carolina

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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville
Mooresville Private for-profit
196$37,568
2Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh Public
192Not reported
3Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury Public
150Not reported
4Davidson-Davie Community College
Thomasville Public
146$39,990
5Wayne Community College
Goldsboro Public
137Not reported
6Pitt Community College
Winterville Public
136Not reported
7Randolph Community College
Asheboro Public
130Not reported
8Catawba Valley Community College
Hickory Public
121Not reported
9Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem Public
118Not reported
10Blue Ridge Community College
Flat Rock Public
115Not reported
Show the other 50 North Carolina colleges offering Precision Metal Working
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlottePublic111
College of the AlbemarleElizabeth CityPublic106
Central Carolina Community CollegeSanfordPublic100
Sampson Community CollegeClintonPublic94
Johnston Community CollegeSmithfieldPublic83
Cleveland Community CollegeShelbyPublic82
Piedmont Community CollegeRoxboroPublic79
Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeFayettevillePublic76
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community CollegeAshevillePublic74
Surry Community CollegeDobsonPublic66
Wilkes Community CollegeWilkesboroPublic66
Miller-Motte College - RaleighRaleighPrivate for-profit65
Cape Fear Community CollegeWilmingtonPublic63
Gaston CollegeDallasPublic61
Vance-Granville Community CollegeHendersonPublic58
Lenoir Community CollegeKinstonPublic56
Guilford Technical Community CollegeJamestownPublic51
James Sprunt Community CollegeKenansvillePublic50
Rockingham Community CollegeWentworthPublic46
Martin Community CollegeWilliamstonPublic45
Beaufort County Community CollegeWashingtonPublic41
Craven Community CollegeNew BernPublic40
Southwestern Community CollegeSylvaPublic35
Brunswick Community CollegeBoliviaPublic34
Carteret Community CollegeMorehead CityPublic33
Southeastern Community CollegeWhitevillePublic32
Caldwell Community College and Technical InstituteHudsonPublic31
Halifax Community CollegeWeldonPublic31
Alamance Community CollegeGrahamPublic31
Edgecombe Community CollegeTarboroPublic29
McDowell Technical Community CollegeMarionPublic27
Mayland Community CollegeSpruce PinePublic26
Coastal Carolina Community CollegeJacksonvillePublic23
Haywood Community CollegeClydePublic23
Western Piedmont Community CollegeMorgantonPublic23
Stanly Community CollegeAlbemarlePublic22
Bladen Community CollegeDublinPublic21
Montgomery Community CollegeTroyPublic21
Isothermal Community CollegeSpindalePublic19
Durham Technical Community CollegeDurhamPublic18
Roanoke-Chowan Community CollegeAhoskiePublic18
Richmond Community CollegeHamletPublic16
Pamlico Community CollegeGrantsboroPublic15
South Piedmont Community CollegePolktonPublic12
Wilson Community CollegeWilsonPublic12
Nash Community CollegeRocky MountPublic11
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-CharlotteCharlottePrivate for-profit11
Tri-County Community CollegeMurphyPublic10
Mitchell Community CollegeStatesvillePublic9
Robeson Community CollegeLumbertonPublic8

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Sheet Metal Workers (SOC 47-2211).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~10,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$60,850
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringMathematicsActive ListeningSpeaking

What Sheet Metal Workers earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
2,780
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$54,560
median $50,730
Best-paying metro
$56,100
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Related careers

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
$53,720 avg · 11,750 jobs
Machinists
$54,880 avg · 8,330 jobs
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$45,980 avg · 3,940 jobs
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
$54,890 avg · 3,680 jobs
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$49,070 avg · 3,200 jobs
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$50,690 avg · 2,950 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Precision Metal Working programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Precision Metal Working degrees?+

Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville (196 graduates a year), Wake Technical Community College (192 graduates a year) and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (150 graduates a year) award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 60 North Carolina colleges offer Precision Metal Working.

What is the best college for Precision Metal Working in North Carolina?+

By graduate earnings, Central Piedmont Community College leads among Precision Metal Working programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,149, College Scorecard. Davidson-Davie Community College and Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville follow. By degrees awarded, Universal Technical Institute - Mooresville is the largest, with 196 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Precision Metal Working program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Central Piedmont Community College tops the list at $40,149. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Sheet Metal Workers earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Sheet Metal Workers in North Carolina is $54,560 (median $50,730), across about 2,780 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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