Trade School Cost and Earnings by State
Updated October 2026. Sources and methods.
This table summarizes 3,329 schools and 21,880 certificate and associate programs in 26 trades. Tuition is the published price for the whole program at schools that report one; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, where the Department of Education reports them.
Reporters and researchers may use these figures with a link to this page as the source.
Trades ranked by median earnings one year after finishing
| Trade | Schools | Median program tuition | Median length | Median earnings, 1 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lineman Schools | 92 | $11,841 | 8 months | $60,860 |
| Surgical Tech Programs | 498 | $36,285 | 18 months | $58,285 |
| EMT and Paramedic Programs | 753 | $2,300 | 5 months | $57,586 |
| Aviation Maintenance Schools | 190 | $17,010 | 17 months | $51,322 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator Schools | 71 | $9,500 | 10 months | $49,954 |
| LPN Programs | 1,039 | $16,055 | 12 months | $49,110 |
| CDL Schools | 253 | $5,000 | 2 months | $48,327 |
| Electrician Schools | 546 | $17,500 | 10 months | $46,786 |
| CNA Classes | 591 | $1,355 | 2 months | $45,139 |
| Machinist and CNC Schools | 431 | $7,987 | 10 months | $45,087 |
| Diesel Mechanic Schools | 336 | $31,750 | 11 months | $44,988 |
| Welding Schools | 943 | $5,899 | 10 months | $43,431 |
| HVAC Schools | 825 | $16,301 | 10 months | $43,060 |
| Auto Mechanic Schools | 789 | $7,000 | 13 months | $43,055 |
| Plumbing Schools | 212 | $10,920 | 10 months | $42,613 |
| Carpentry Schools | 268 | $3,232 | 9 months | $38,292 |
| Medical Billing and Coding Programs | 594 | $17,922 | 9 months | $34,856 |
| Medical Assistant Programs | 1,150 | $16,297 | 9 months | $34,012 |
| Pharmacy Technician Programs | 436 | $16,316 | 9 months | $34,012 |
| Phlebotomy Classes | 362 | $1,820 | 3 months | $33,466 |
| Dental Assistant Programs | 589 | $16,979 | 9 months | $31,781 |
| Massage Therapy Schools | 434 | $11,618 | 8 months | $28,859 |
| Esthetician Schools | 756 | $10,100 | 6 months | $23,801 |
| Cosmetology Schools | 1,397 | $16,625 | 12 months | $23,015 |
| Nail Tech Schools | 590 | $4,767 | 4 months | $22,350 |
| Barber Schools | 550 | $14,540 | 10 months | $22,078 |
By state
| State | Schools | Schools per 100,000 residents | Graduates last year | Median program tuition | Median earnings, 1 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 44 | 0.9 | 9,319 | $16,264 | $31,856 |
| Alaska | 8 | 1.1 | 1,420 | $11,733 | $48,517 |
| Arizona | 66 | 0.9 | 18,098 | $15,567 | $34,886 |
| Arkansas | 49 | 1.6 | 7,721 | $16,000 | $38,255 |
| California | 381 | 1.0 | 75,989 | $16,227 | $31,896 |
| Colorado | 45 | 0.8 | 14,044 | $17,158 | $40,438 |
| Connecticut | 25 | 0.7 | 5,096 | $17,219 | $38,421 |
| Delaware | 9 | 0.9 | 1,284 | $9,900 | $45,033 |
| District of Columbia | 3 | 0.4 | 232 | $18,043 | $24,835 |
| Florida | 218 | 0.9 | 46,696 | $6,349 | $33,287 |
| Georgia | 68 | 0.6 | 24,859 | $19,260 | $38,467 |
| Hawaii | 10 | 0.7 | 752 | $9,969 | $37,602 |
| Idaho | 26 | 1.3 | 2,603 | $10,935 | $38,303 |
| Illinois | 123 | 1.0 | 27,574 | $16,975 | $37,226 |
| Indiana | 54 | 0.8 | 13,640 | $16,297 | $32,174 |
| Iowa | 37 | 1.1 | 8,436 | $13,694 | $42,912 |
| Kansas | 45 | 1.5 | 11,171 | $15,155 | $42,497 |
| Kentucky | 54 | 1.2 | 22,043 | $15,017 | $40,986 |
| Louisiana | 73 | 1.6 | 14,339 | $14,450 | $30,624 |
| Maine | 13 | 0.9 | 1,342 | $11,950 | $42,765 |
| Maryland | 40 | 0.6 | 4,020 | $18,945 | $34,226 |
| Massachusetts | 54 | 0.8 | 4,307 | $13,600 | $42,182 |
| Michigan | 109 | 1.1 | 11,930 | $16,297 | $31,684 |
| Minnesota | 44 | 0.8 | 8,996 | $13,516 | $48,390 |
| Mississippi | 33 | 1.1 | 6,917 | $15,977 | $34,388 |
| Missouri | 69 | 1.1 | 5,918 | $12,463 | $38,453 |
| Montana | 20 | 1.8 | 1,018 | $10,800 | $43,629 |
| Nebraska | 20 | 1.0 | 3,408 | $17,900 | $46,087 |
| Nevada | 26 | 0.8 | 7,309 | $16,445 | $32,534 |
| New Hampshire | 15 | 1.1 | 940 | $14,400 | $31,676 |
| New Jersey | 77 | 0.8 | 10,338 | $15,025 | $34,389 |
| New Mexico | 32 | 1.5 | 4,519 | $14,880 | $30,247 |
| New York | 152 | 0.8 | 16,617 | $12,750 | $37,792 |
| North Carolina | 88 | 0.8 | 15,848 | $18,040 | $38,927 |
| North Dakota | 18 | 2.3 | 1,105 | $14,500 | $44,049 |
| Ohio | 168 | 1.4 | 20,183 | $10,320 | $39,077 |
| Oklahoma | 63 | 1.5 | 11,854 | $3,783 | $35,838 |
| Oregon | 39 | 0.9 | 3,849 | $15,250 | $27,987 |
| Pennsylvania | 155 | 1.2 | 12,806 | $17,000 | $39,575 |
| Puerto Rico | 79 | 2.5 | 14,303 | $10,895 | $14,507 |
| Rhode Island | 9 | 0.8 | 1,963 | $16,500 | $44,336 |
| South Carolina | 44 | 0.8 | 7,447 | $16,050 | $38,146 |
| South Dakota | 12 | 1.3 | 1,354 | $7,604 | $45,897 |
| Tennessee | 88 | 1.2 | 12,272 | $5,492 | $39,418 |
| Texas | 252 | 0.8 | 53,907 | $14,328 | $32,208 |
| Utah | 45 | 1.3 | 11,574 | $5,245 | $31,388 |
| Vermont | 3 | 0.5 | 312 | $12,750 | $35,742 |
| Virginia | 72 | 0.8 | 7,750 | $16,114 | $39,309 |
| Washington | 55 | 0.7 | 10,452 | $14,195 | $39,151 |
| West Virginia | 44 | 2.5 | 2,792 | $5,638 | $28,968 |
| Wisconsin | 44 | 0.7 | 16,093 | $12,396 | $42,872 |
| Wyoming | 9 | 1.5 | 1,744 | $31,750 | $49,700 |
Cite as: Trade School Map, "Trade School Cost and Earnings by State," October 2026, https://tradeschoolmap.com/reports/trade-school-cost-by-state/. Licensed CC BY 4.0.