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Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region

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2023 Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

18 Colleges
$6,334 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$39,159 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree School for You

With 52,308 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, precision metal working is the #7 most popular major in the United States.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This report analyzed 18 schools in the Southwest Region to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for precision metal working students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region

Check out the precision metal working associate degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 10 Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools

#1

Amarillo College

Amarillo, TX

Our 2023 rankings named Amarillo College the best value school in the Southwest Region for precision metal working students working on their associate degree. Located in the city of Amarillo, Amarillo College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Amarillo College are $4,704 a year.

Read More…

#2

Hill College

Hillsboro, TX

Out of the 18 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Hill College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the town of Hillsboro, Hill College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hill College are $3,382 per year. On average, precision metal working graduates from Hill College take out $18,646 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Precision Metal Working at Hill College Report

#3

South Plains College

Levelland, TX

The excellent associate degree programs at South Plains College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value precision metal working schools in the Southwest Region . South Plains College is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Levelland.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Plains College are $4,276 per year.

Full Precision Metal Working at South Plains College Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend San Jacinto Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. San Jacinto College is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Pasadena.

San Jacinto College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,040 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Precision Metal Working at San Jacinto Community College

#5

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, TX

The excellent associate degree programs at Lone Star College System helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value precision metal working schools in the Southwest Region . Located in the city of The Woodlands, North Harris Montgomery is a public college with a very large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at North Harris Montgomery are $6,168 per year. Precision Metal Working majors at North Harris Montgomery take out an average of $13,368 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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Austin Community College District ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Austin Community College District is a fairly large public school located in the city of Austin.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Austin Community College District are $10,590 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, precision metal working graduates from Austin Community College District carry an average student debtload of $12,832.

Full Precision Metal Working at Austin Community College District Report

#7

Del Mar College

Corpus Christi, TX

Del Mar College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree precision metal working programs. Located in the city of Corpus Christi, DMC is a public college with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at DMC are $5,930 a year.

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New Mexico State University - Carlsbad ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in the rural area of Carlsbad, NMSU Carlsbad is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at NMSU Carlsbad are $4,008 a year. After completing their Associate Degree, precision metal working graduates from NMSU Carlsbad carry an average student debtload of $13,801.

Read full report on Precision Metal Working at New Mexico State University - Carlsbad

Texas State Technical College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. TSTC is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Waco.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at TSTC are $11,369 per year. On average, precision metal working graduates from TSTC take out $13,083 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, TSTC also is in the top 15% of our Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking.

Full Precision Metal Working at Texas State Technical College Report

#10

Texarkana College

Texarkana, TX

Texarkana College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Texarkana College is a small public school located in the city of Texarkana.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Texarkana College are $5,236 per year.

Full Precision Metal Working at Texarkana College Report

Best Precision Metal Working Colleges by State

Explore the best precision metal working schools for a specific state in the Southwest region.

State Degrees Awarded
Arizona 927
Texas 6,978
Oklahoma 1,721
New Mexico 235

One of 5 majors within the trade school area of study, precision metal working has other similar majors worth exploring.

Precision Metal Working Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Welding Technology/Welder 42,490
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist 3,285
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist 2,689
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant 1,921
Tool & Die Technology/Technician 584
Metal Fabricator 430
Ironworking/Ironworker 316
Other Precision Metal Working 314
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking 279

Majors Similar to Precision Metal Working

Related Major Annual Graduates
Woodworking 423
Other Precision Production 68
Leatherworking & Upholstery 54
Precision Production Trades 39
Boilermaking 13

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 18 schools only.

  • 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.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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