2024 Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota

Precision Metal Working is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #30 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

College Factual reviewed 2 schools in South Dakota to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of precision metal working. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 51 associate degrees in precision metal working during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

• Best Associate Degree Schools List

Early-Career Earnings

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

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 complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for precision metal working students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The precision metal working school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Precision Metal Working Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Precision Metal Working in South Dakota

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for precision metal working students seeking a an associate degree.

Top South Dakota Schools for an Associate in Precision Metal Working

1

Lake Area Technical Institute
Watertown, SD

35 Annual Graduates

$37,581 Median Starting Salary

$11,001 Median Student Debt

Lake Area Technical Institute is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in precision metal working. LATI is a small public school located in the town of Watertown.

After graduation, precision metal working associate recipients usually make an average of $37,581 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in precision metal working from Lake Area Technical Institute

2

Western Dakota Technical Institute
Rapid City, SD

16 Annual Graduates

$38,018 Median Starting Salary

$12,000 Median Student Debt

Any student who is interested in an associate degree in precision metal working needs to take a look at Western Dakota Technical Institute. Located in the rural area of Rapid City, Western Dakota Tech is a public school with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the precision metal working program state that they receive average early career earnings of $38,018.

More information about a associate in precision metal working from Western Dakota Technical Institute

Best Precision Metal Working Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Precision Metal Working Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State	Colleges	Degrees Awarded
Minnesota	151	115
Kansas	146	68
Missouri	117	143
Iowa	116	92
Nebraska	98	105
North Dakota	92	36

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Precision Metal Working Related Rankings by Major

One of 5 majors within the Precision Production area of study, Precision Metal Working has other similar majors worth exploring.

Precision Metal Working Focus Areas

Major	Annual Graduates
Welding Technology/Welder	32
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	19

Notes and References

• 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.
• 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.