Ranked #30 in popularity, precision metal working is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 78 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 4,930 associate degrees in precision metal working during the <nil> academic year.
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Choosing a Great Precision Metal Working School for Your Associate Degree
The precision metal working associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality precision metal working program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
Overall Quality Is a Must
The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average Early-Career Salaries
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to precision metal working students as compared to other majors.
Major Demand - How many other precision metal working students want to attend this school to pursue a associate degree.
Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
Student Debt - How much debt precision metal working students go into to obtain their associate degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized precision metal working related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for precision metal working students working on their associate degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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ADBLOCK #171
Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Precision Metal Working in the United States
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in precision metal working. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
15 Top Schools for an Associate in Precision Metal Working
Ivy Tech Community College is a great option for students pursuing an associate degree in precision metal working. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a public college with a very large student population.
Associate recipients from the precision metal working major at Ivy Tech Community College get $14,320 above the average college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
Every student who is interested in an associate degree in precision metal working has to look into Texas State Technical College. Located in the midsize city of Waco, TSTC is a public college with a large student population.
Soon after graduating, precision metal working associate recipients typically earn about $39,234 in the first five years of their career.
Hennepin Technical College is a good option for students interested in an associate degree in precision metal working. Located in the large suburb of Brooklyn Park, Hennepin Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
Precision Metal Working associate degree recipients from Hennepin Technical College get an earnings boost of about $17,857 over the average earnings of precision metal working graduates.
Located in the small city of Lancaster, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a public college with a small student population.
Associate recipients from the precision metal working degree program at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology get $10,326 above the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
Located in the city of Lincoln, Southeast Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Precision Metal Working associate degree recipients from Southeast Community College Area get an earnings boost of approximately $7,142 over the average income of precision metal working majors.
FVTC is a fairly large public college located in the midsize suburb of Appleton.
Associate recipients from the precision metal working degree program at Fox Valley Technical College get $10,477 more than the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
Located in the town of Big Rapids, Ferris is a public university with a medium-sized student population.
Associate recipients from the precision metal working major at Ferris State University make $14,839 more than the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
Penn College is a small public college located in the small city of Williamsport.
Precision Metal Working associate degree recipients from Pennsylvania College of Technology receive an earnings boost of approximately $8,430 over the average earnings of precision metal working majors.
North Dakota State College of Science is a small public college located in the remote town of Wahpeton.
Those precision metal working students who get their associate degree from North Dakota State College of Science make $9,675 more than the standard precision metal working graduate.
Vincennes University is a fairly large public university located in the remote town of Vincennes.
Associate recipients from the precision metal working major at Vincennes University get $12,936 more than the standard college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
Located in the city of Minneapolis, Dunwoody College of Technology is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Precision Metal Working associate degree recipients from Dunwoody College of Technology receive an earnings boost of around $13,216 over the typical income of precision metal working graduates.
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Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools award.
The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
The precision metal working associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality precision metal working program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
