Precision Metal Working at Alexandria Technical and Community College
MN · Associate's Degree · CIP 48.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Precision Metal Working degree from Alexandria Technical and Community College earn a median salary of $57,311 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,904. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.1 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
$44,737
Typical Career
$57,311
Top Performers
$66,905
Estimated break-even: 9.1 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$382
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,776. Most students can comfortably afford about a $382 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Public Administration.
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
$60,904
Nominal: $57,311 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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 | $35,757 | $46,953 | $57,448 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $44,737 | $57,311 | $66,905 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $52,839 | $62,818 | $81,043 |
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 $57,311 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $57,311 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410)
= $60,904 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The program's graduates predominantly enter fields such as Public Administration (49.2%) and Health Care & Social Assistance (44.5%), with a notable portion also finding roles in Health Care & Social Assistance (18.5%). The estimated break-even point for this educational path compared to a high school-only route is approximately 9.1 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to recover, the long-term returns in terms of earnings and job placement in stable industries present a favorable return on investment for prospective students.
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Other Degrees at Alexandria Technical and Community College
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.