Trade Schools in the United States

Every school in the U.S. that offers a certificate or associate program in a skilled trade, transportation, beauty or allied health career, with the federal data on cost and outcomes.

The United States has 3,329 schools with trade and career programs in this directory: 1,277 public and 2,052 private. Together they graduated 600,503 students from these programs in the latest federal count.

Published program tuition runs from $351 to $150,455, with a median of $13,500 across the 5,302 programs that report a program price.

Graduates earned a median of $36,696 one year after finishing, where the Department of Education reports earnings for the program.

The largest programs by graduates are at Ivy Tech Community College, NUC University and Ultimate Medical Academy.

3,329
Schools
600,503
Graduates last year
$13,500
Median program tuition
$36,696
Median earnings, 1 yr after

Trade Schools by state

Largest schools

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Aviation Maintenance, Carpentry and CDL Truck Driving and 18 more
Average net price
$5,673
Completion rate
43%
Type
Public

NUC University

Bayamon, PR

Programs
Barber, Cosmetology, Dental Assistant and Electrician and 11 more
Average net price
$11,921
Completion rate
52%
Type
Private for-profit

Ultimate Medical Academy

Clearwater, FL

Programs
CNA, Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant and Medical Billing and Coding and 2 more
Average net price
$23,657
Completion rate
55%
Type
Private nonprofit

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Carpentry, Dental Assistant and Diesel Mechanic and 10 more
Average net price
$7,005
Completion rate
41%
Type
Public

Texas State Technical College

Waco, TX

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Aviation Maintenance, Diesel Mechanic and Electrician and 8 more
Average net price
$13,663
Completion rate
53%
Type
Public

Central Georgia Technical College

Warner Robins, GA

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Aviation Maintenance, Barber and Carpentry and 18 more
Average net price
$8,881
Completion rate
45%
Type
Public

Dallas College

Dallas, TX

Programs
Auto Mechanic, CNA, Diesel Mechanic and Electrician and 7 more
Average net price
$16,414
Completion rate
24%
Type
Public

Unitek College

Fremont, CA

Programs
Dental Assistant, LPN and Medical Assistant
Average net price
$27,942
Completion rate
72%
Type
Private for-profit

Delta Technical College-Mississippi

Horn Lake, MS

Programs
CDL Truck Driving, Cosmetology, Dental Assistant and Electrician and 5 more
Average net price
$25,724
Completion rate
66%
Type
Private for-profit

Somerset Community College

Somerset, KY

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Aviation Maintenance, Carpentry and CDL Truck Driving and 12 more
Average net price
$543
Completion rate
48%
Type
Public

Tulsa Welding School-Houston

Houston, TX

Programs
Electrician, HVAC and Welding
Average net price
$25,251
Completion rate
69%
Type
Private for-profit

College of Lake County

Grayslake, IL

Programs
Auto Mechanic, CNA, Electrician and EMT and Paramedic and 9 more
Average net price
$7,280
Completion rate
39%
Type
Public

Davis Technical College

Kaysville, UT

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Carpentry, CDL Truck Driving and CNA and 17 more
Average net price
$9,899
Completion rate
54%
Type
Public

Gateway Technical College

Kenosha, WI

Programs
Auto Mechanic, Barber, Carpentry and CDL Truck Driving and 14 more
Average net price
$11,704
Completion rate
56%
Type
Public

Common questions

How much does trade school training cost in the United States?

The median published tuition is $13,500 (range $351 to $150,455, 5,302 programs reporting). The lowest listed prices are at Davis Technical College ($351), Ogden-Weber Technical College ($365) and ABC Adult School ($415). Public community and technical colleges often charge less but report tuition per year rather than per program, so check each school's net price calculator.

How long does trade school school take?

Programs that report a length take a median of 9 months to finish (1 to 48 months). Certificates are shorter; associate degrees usually take about two years.

How much do trade school graduates earn?

Across 9,387 programs with reported outcomes, the median graduate earned $36,696 one year after finishing (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard). Earnings vary by program and local labor market.

Are there public trade school programs in the United States?

Yes. 1,277 public schools offer it, including University of Alabama at Birmingham, Central Alabama Community College, Chattahoochee Valley Community College, Enterprise State Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College.

Data: U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2024-25 and College Scorecard (October 2026 release). How this directory is built.