Career Training Path › North Carolina › Catawba Valley Community College
Catawba Valley Community College
Hickory, North Carolina · Public community college
Address: 2550 Hwy 70 SE, Hickory, NC 28602 · Phone: (828) 327-7000 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
No accreditor sanctions in the last 36 months
What these trades pay once you're working
| Occupation | Starting (10th pct) | Median | Experienced (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers | $38,540 | $50,590 | $60,870 |
| Electricians | $40,130 | $56,800 | $61,920 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | $31,500 | $48,200 | $63,170 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | $26,880 | $38,410 | $48,300 |
| Machinists | $37,110 | $55,230 | $62,680 |
| Dental hygienists | $77,270 | $97,850 | $100,930 |
| Emergency medical technicians | $35,190 | $44,250 | $49,310 |
| Medical records specialists | $36,840 | $49,620 | $64,800 |
| Surgical technologists | $45,990 | $60,920 | $68,520 |
| HVAC and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $37,780 | $57,260 | $64,310 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians | $52,860 | $74,450 | $83,340 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in North Carolina (May 2025; national where the state figure is not published). The program table below shows what this campus's own graduates earned in their first year, whatever job they took.
Trade programs at this campus
| Program | Credential | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Earnings, yr 2 | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 82 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 37 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 35 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate, 1–2 years | 24 | not reported | $14,627 | not reported |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | Certificate, 1–2 years | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Associate degree | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Associate degree | 15 | not reported | $44,869 | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Associate degree | 11 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Associate degree | 10 | $46,010 | $42,930 | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 9 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Certificate, 1–2 years | 9 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 8 | $31,634 | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Associate degree | 7 | $46,010 | $42,930 | not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Associate degree | 7 | $46,010 | $42,930 | not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 7 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Associate degree | 5 | $20,861 | $27,155 | not reported |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate, 1–2 years | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 1–2 years | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 1–2 years | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Graduates per year from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey. Earnings and debt are College Scorecard field-of-study medians for graduates of this program at this campus (reported at the 4-digit program level, so closely related programs share a figure); "not reported" means too few graduates were counted to publish a figure.
Data: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026. Figures are the U.S. Department of Education's official measures, not Career Training Path's opinion. Tuition, schedules and program availability change — confirm with the school before enrolling.