Precision Metal Working at Wharton County Junior College
TX · Certificate Degree · CIP 48.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Precision Metal Working degree from Wharton County Junior College earn a median salary of $56,086 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,897. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.8 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
$41,272
Typical Career
$56,086
Top Performers
$81,148
Estimated break-even: 9.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$374
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,674. Most students can comfortably afford about a $374 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Construction.
Where Certificate 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
$60,897
Nominal: $56,086 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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 | $28,331 | $39,425 | $54,639 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $41,272 | $56,086 | $81,148 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $47,666 | $65,986 | $87,070 |
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 $56,086 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $56,086 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210)
= $60,897 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 the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, which accounts for 32.9% of employment, followed by 25.2% in the same sector and 20.6% in Public Administration. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 9.8 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment appears favorable. This suggests that pursuing a degree in Precision Metal Working can lead to a solid career foundation and financial stability over time.
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Other Degrees at Wharton County Junior 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.