South Carolina · Precision Metal Working

Best colleges for Precision Metal Working in South Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

York Technical College, Florence-Darlington Technical College and Piedmont Technical College are the top Precision Metal Working programs in South Carolina by graduate earnings. York Technical College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,309, College Scorecard. Arclabs, Piedmont Technical College and Tri-County Technical College award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in South Carolina: 669, 293 and 275 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 South Carolina colleges offer Precision Metal Working and award 2,114 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
16
offering CIP 48.05
States offered
50
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,114
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$34,928
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
9
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,425
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
31%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Sheet Metal Workers
$53,200
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 9 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
1York Technical College
Rock Hill Public · Certificate
$50,3098630%—$11,250
2Florence-Darlington Technical College
Florence Public · Certificate
$34,94813534%—$7,230
3Piedmont Technical College
Greenwood Public · Certificate
$34,92829333%—$11,625
4Arclabs
Piedmont Private for-profit · Certificate
$34,84366976%$26,425$9,500
5Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Conway Public · Certificate
$33,0028938%—$5,875
6Central Carolina Technical College
Sumter Public · Certificate
$32,1965134%——
7Midlands Technical College
West Columbia Public · Certificate
$47,5567618%—$10,500
8Spartanburg Community College
Spartanburg Public · Certificate
$38,14712228%——
9Greenville Technical College
Greenville Public · Certificate
$34,76117521%—$10,279

Colleges awarding the most Precision Metal Working degrees in South 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)
1Arclabs
Piedmont Private for-profit
669$34,843
2Piedmont Technical College
Greenwood Public
293$34,928
3Tri-County Technical College
Pendleton Public
275Not reported
4Florence-Darlington Technical College
Florence Public
135$34,948
5Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Conway Public
89$33,002
6York Technical College
Rock Hill Public
86$50,309
7Central Carolina Technical College
Sumter Public
51$32,196
8Trident Technical College
Charleston Public
24Not reported
9Aiken Technical College
Graniteville Public
13Not reported
10Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College
Orangeburg Public
13Not reported
Show the other 6 South Carolina colleges offering Precision Metal Working
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Greenville Technical CollegeGreenvillePublic175
Spartanburg Community CollegeSpartanburgPublic122
Midlands Technical CollegeWest ColumbiaPublic76
Northeastern Technical CollegeCherawPublic61
Denmark Technical CollegeDenmarkPublic17
Williamsburg Technical CollegeKingstreePublic15

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 South Carolina

Jobs in South Carolina
1,710
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$53,200
median $49,920
Best-paying metro
$62,150
Spartanburg, SC

Related careers

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
$52,120 avg · 7,380 jobs
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$49,330 avg · 4,520 jobs
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$45,540 avg · 4,100 jobs
Machinists
$57,030 avg · 3,790 jobs
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
$53,390 avg · 2,460 jobs
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
$50,980 avg · 2,000 jobs

Common questions

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

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

Arclabs (669 graduates a year), Piedmont Technical College (293 graduates a year) and Tri-County Technical College (275 graduates a year) award the most Precision Metal Working degrees and certificates in South Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 South Carolina colleges offer Precision Metal Working.

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

By graduate earnings, York Technical College leads among Precision Metal Working programs in South Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,309, College Scorecard. Florence-Darlington Technical College and Piedmont Technical College follow. By degrees awarded, Arclabs is the largest, with 669 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, York Technical College tops the list at $50,309. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

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

The average annual wage for Sheet Metal Workers in South Carolina is $53,200 (median $49,920), across about 1,710 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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