North Dakota · Precision Metal Working

Best colleges for Precision Metal Working in North Dakota

Ranked by graduate earnings

Lynnes Welding Training, North Dakota State College of Science and Williston State College award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in North Dakota: 104, 46 and 31 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 North Dakota colleges offer Precision Metal Working and award 227 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
8
offering CIP 48.05
States offered
50
with a program page
Degrees / yr
227
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$45,833
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$3,883
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
46%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Sheet Metal Workers
$66,540
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 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
1North Dakota State College of Science
Wahpeton Public · Associate degree
$51,6474655%—$11,246
2Lynnes Welding Training
Fargo Private for-profit · Certificate
$45,83310498%$22,895$3,700

Colleges awarding the most Precision Metal Working degrees in North Dakota

Top 6 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)
1Lynnes Welding Training
Fargo Private for-profit
104$45,833
2North Dakota State College of Science
Wahpeton Public
46$51,647
3Williston State College
Williston Public
31Not reported
4Bismarck State College
Bismarck Public
21Not reported
5Dickinson State University
Dickinson Public
10Not reported
6Turtle Mountain College
Belcourt Private not-for-profit
4Not reported
Show the other 2 North Dakota colleges offering Precision Metal Working
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
United Tribes Technical CollegeBismarckPrivate not-for-profit9
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish CollegeNew TownPublic2

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 Dakota

Jobs in North Dakota
290
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$66,540
median $65,180
Best-paying metro
$70,530
Fargo, ND-MN

Related careers

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
$64,880 avg · 2,590 jobs
Machinists
$63,830 avg · 560 jobs
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$52,580 avg · 490 jobs
Sheet Metal Workers
$66,540 avg · 290 jobs
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
$58,490 avg · 250 jobs
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$51,620 avg · 230 jobs

Common questions

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

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

Lynnes Welding Training (104 graduates a year), North Dakota State College of Science (46 graduates a year) and Williston State College (31 graduates a year) award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in North Dakota, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 North Dakota colleges offer Precision Metal Working.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, North Dakota State College of Science tops the list at $51,647. 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 Dakota?+

The average annual wage for Sheet Metal Workers in North Dakota is $66,540 (median $65,180), across about 290 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.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card