IPEDS ID 198570

Gaston College

Dallas, North Carolina. In the 2023-24 award year this school reported 173 awards in the trades we track: electrician, welding, auto mechanic, HVAC, machining and CNC.

Address: 201 Hwy 321 S, Dallas, NC 28034
Open in Maps
Website: www.gaston.edu
Phone: (704) 922-6200
Type: Public, 2-year
Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Federal student aid: Eligible (Title IV)
Undergrads (all programs): 3,518

Trade programs and graduates

Awards (certificates and degrees) conferred July 2023 to June 2024, first majors, as reported to IPEDS.

Trade	Program (CIP)	Award levels	Awards
Electrician	Electrician (46.0302)	Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (32); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (10); Associate degree (12)	54
Welding	Welding Technology/Welder (48.0508)	Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (31); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (15)	46
Auto Mechanic	Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician (47.0604)	Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (19); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (6); Associate degree (8)	33
HVAC	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (47.0201)	Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (22); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (6)	28
Machining and CNC	Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist (48.0510)	Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (7); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (5)	12

What it costs

Published charges for 2025-26, as reported to College Scorecard.

In-state tuition and fees, per year	$3,229
Out-of-state tuition and fees, per year	$9,373
Books and supplies	$1,520
Cost of attendance, per year (incl. living costs)	$14,217
Average net price after grants (aided students)	$3,981

Estimate your own price with the school's net price calculator.

Outcomes

College Scorecard field-of-study results for graduates who received federal aid. Fields are the broader 4-digit program family, so welding and machining share "Precision Metal Working". Earnings are medians for graduates working and not enrolled; cohorts lag several years. Scorecard reports outcomes under the school's federal aid ID, which can combine several branch campuses, so counts can exceed this campus's own graduates.

Field	Credential	Median pay, 1 yr	Median pay, 5 yrs	Median federal debt
Precision Metal Working (48.05)	Undergraduate certificate	$39,568 n=16	$40,979	n/a

School-wide College Scorecard measures (all programs, and all campuses that share the federal aid ID):

Completion rate within 150% of normal time (first-time, full-time students, all programs): 60%
Median earnings 10 years after entering, all students and programs: $39,978

College Scorecard record College Navigator record

Nearby schools with the same trades

Cleveland Community College

17.3 mi

137 S Post Rd, Shelby, NC · Public, 2-year

WELD 38
BODY 31
HVAC 26
ELEC 12
CNST 6
CNC 4
PLMB 4

Trade grads 2023-24: 121
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $2,588
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $37,128

Central Piedmont Community College

21.3 mi

1201 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte, NC · Public, 2-year

WELD 258
AUTO 249
CNST 203
ELEC 163
DSL 96
HVAC 65
BODY 42

Trade grads 2023-24: 1,076
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $2,454
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $43,413

Catawba Valley Community College

27.4 mi

2550 Hwy 70 SE, Hickory, NC · Public, 2-year

WELD 122
ELEC 64
AUTO 45
HVAC 6

Trade grads 2023-24: 237
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $2,427
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $41,272

NASCAR Technical Institute

27.6 mi

220 Byers Creek Road, Mooresville, NC · Private for-profit, 2-year

AUTO 506
WELD 105
CNC 48
HVAC 6

Trade grads 2023-24: 665
Largest program 2025-26: $53,500
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $62,466

York Technical College

28.3 mi

452 S Anderson Rd, Rock Hill, SC · Public, 2-year

WELD 70
LINE 36
AUTO 21
CNC 18
CARP 13
HVAC 13
IMT 8
BODY 2
CNST 1
DSL 1

Trade grads 2023-24: 183
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $8,064
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $42,244

Mitchell Community College

36.5 mi

500 W Broad Street, Statesville, NC · Public, 2-year

HVAC 14
ELEC 10
WELD 9
CNC 3

Trade grads 2023-24: 36
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $2,641
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $37,865

Compare more

Sources: IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Directory (HD2024), NCES; College Scorecard institution data (2025-26 charges, released Nov 2, 2026) and field-of-study data (Oct 15, 2026); FMCSA Training Provider Registry (as of 2026-11-02); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked 2026-11-02. IPEDS unit ID 198570. How we build this list.