Precision Production

Types of Degrees Precision Production Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many precision production graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	31,221
Undergraduate Certificate	19,097
Associate Degree	5,070
Bachelor’s Degree	12

What Precision Production Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to precision production were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Precision Production Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for Precision Production Majors

When studying precision production, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Abilities for Precision Production Majors

As a precision production major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Precision Production Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with precision production:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Boilermakers	8.7%	$62,150
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	2.3%	$34,740
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic	16.3%	$53,190
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic	1.1%	$40,070
Machinists	2.0%	$43,630
Sheet Metal Workers	8.6%	$48,460
Solderers and Brazers	5.6%	$41,380
Upholsterers	0.5%	$34,480
Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters	5.6%	$41,380
Woodworkers	3.3%	$31,170
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing	0.5%	$29,730

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Precision Production?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 90% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of precision production majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	101
Black or African American	209
Hispanic or Latino	851
White	3,478
International Students	17
Other Races/Ethnicities	414

Geographic Diversity

Precision Production appeals to people across the globe. About 0.3% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Precision Production Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $36,580 to $47,130 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to precision production. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Precision Production

Some careers associated with precision production require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to precision production have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	13.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	52.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	22.1%
Some College Courses	7.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	1.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.4%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	0.1%

Online Precision Production Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	2,548	12
Certificate (2-4 Years)	172	0
Associate’s Degree	1,486	2
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	4	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Precision Production Worth It?

The median salary for a precision production grad is $40,790 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 2% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $17,800 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Precision Production

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to precision production.

Major	Number of Grads
Personal & Culinary Services	149,352
Mechanic & Repair Technologies	105,741
Construction Trades	40,802
Transportation & Materials Moving	33,306

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.