Trade Schools and Career Colleges
In United States, 1,782 trade schools, also called vocational schools, career colleges or technical colleges, are active in 2025. A trade school is a less than 2-years school and mostly private institute. Those schools focus on certificate programs in specific areas rather than degree programs.
- The 2025 average tuition & fees of trade schools is $15,198. The amount is average over all vocational programs and it varies by area of study and program length.
- A total of 310,772 students have enrolled in trade schools and 2,527 students enrolled online exclusively.
- The average students to faculty ratio is 16 to 1.
- The average financial aid amount received at trade schools is $5,347.
- The average graduation rate is 73.4%.
Data Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Vocational Programs by Category
The following list shows the top level vocational programs with average tuition and program completion information. You can discover specific and concentrated program on each field by following the link on the study.
- 2025 Average Tuition: $9,843
- Books & Supplies Costs: $1,090
- Program Length: 815 Hours
- Completion Time: 10.29 Months
- 2025 Average Tuition: $12,850
- Books & Supplies Costs: $700
- Program Length: 694 Hours
- Completion Time: 11.48 Months
- 2025 Average Tuition: $27,462
- Books & Supplies Costs: $1,766
- Program Length: 455 Hours
- Completion Time: 13.17 Months
- 2025 Average Tuition: $12,173
- Books & Supplies Costs: $1,307
- Program Length: 683 Hours
- Completion Time: 11.20 Months
- 2025 Average Tuition: $12,685
- Books & Supplies Costs: $1,305
- Program Length: 410 Hours
- Completion Time: 11.25 Months
- 2025 Average Tuition: $67,080
- Books & Supplies Costs: $7,560
- Program Length: 120 Hours
- Completion Time: 39.00 Months
Trade Schools Statistics by State
| State | Number of Trade Schools | Average Tuition & Fees | Number of Students | Graduation Rate | Average Amount of Financial Aid | Students to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 | $5,619 | 269 | 100.0% | $2,848 | 12 to 1 |
| Alabama | 16 | $15,006 | 2,642 | 59.9% | $5,179 | 19 to 1 |
| Arkansas | 30 | $15,250 | 2,448 | 64.3% | $5,729 | 14 to 1 |
| Arizona | 44 | $14,906 | 9,051 | 74.4% | $4,840 | 15 to 1 |
| California | 210 | $15,852 | 46,733 | 76.1% | $5,547 | 17 to 1 |
| Colorado | 31 | $14,730 | 9,367 | 78.6% | $5,493 | 14 to 1 |
| Connecticut | 33 | $16,747 | 6,038 | 76.7% | $4,791 | 13 to 1 |
| District of Columbia | 3 | $20,320 | 560 | 51.3% | $4,553 | 18 to 1 |
| Delaware | 10 | $13,661 | 1,853 | 67.2% | $6,012 | 13 to 1 |
| Florida | 143 | $12,447 | 38,521 | 74.4% | $4,771 | 15 to 1 |
| Georgia | 35 | $18,405 | 6,622 | 60.0% | $5,266 | 15 to 1 |
| Hawaii | 4 | $35,018 | 167 | 89.5% | $3,788 | 8 to 1 |
| Iowa | 15 | $16,880 | 1,528 | 78.3% | $5,964 | 14 to 1 |
| Idaho | 16 | $17,204 | 1,536 | 76.4% | $4,908 | 13 to 1 |
| Illinois | 89 | $16,587 | 11,566 | 71.0% | $5,647 | 14 to 1 |
| Indiana | 34 | $16,985 | 3,831 | 68.7% | $5,092 | 18 to 1 |
| Kansas | 13 | $17,223 | 2,482 | 66.2% | $5,368 | 13 to 1 |
| Kentucky | 27 | $16,377 | 2,560 | 64.0% | $5,507 | 17 to 1 |
| Louisiana | 56 | $16,440 | 8,478 | 70.5% | $5,677 | 15 to 1 |
| Massachusetts | 46 | $14,022 | 4,828 | 79.5% | $5,533 | 11 to 1 |
| Maryland | 24 | $19,045 | 3,754 | 63.3% | $4,310 | 18 to 1 |
| Maine | 5 | $15,715 | 660 | 80.3% | $5,191 | 16 to 1 |
| Michigan | 68 | $16,510 | 6,537 | 69.6% | $4,929 | 19 to 1 |
| Minnesota | 10 | $18,765 | 1,915 | 67.6% | $5,226 | 14 to 1 |
| Missouri | 61 | $14,153 | 4,414 | 78.4% | $6,223 | 11 to 1 |
| Mississippi | 17 | $16,000 | 3,152 | 72.5% | $5,714 | 16 to 1 |
| Montana | 5 | $14,487 | 272 | 77.3% | $5,677 | 19 to 1 |
| North Carolina | 27 | $17,540 | 2,147 | 60.8% | $5,408 | 16 to 1 |
| North Dakota | 7 | $15,915 | 373 | 81.7% | $6,421 | 14 to 1 |
| New Hampshire | 12 | $19,824 | 1,132 | 79.9% | $4,963 | 14 to 1 |
| New Jersey | 66 | $17,361 | 16,472 | 71.2% | $4,901 | 18 to 1 |
| New Mexico | 9 | $14,048 | 815 | 76.1% | $5,336 | 15 to 1 |
| Nevada | 19 | $17,919 | 4,746 | 75.0% | $4,706 | 15 to 1 |
| New York | 114 | $14,663 | 16,482 | 79.3% | $5,630 | 14 to 1 |
| Ohio | 87 | $12,353 | 11,496 | 76.9% | $5,206 | 11 to 1 |
| Oklahoma | 52 | $9,209 | 15,853 | 75.2% | $4,951 | 12 to 1 |
| Oregon | 7 | $14,113 | 501 | 85.0% | $5,044 | 12 to 1 |
| Pennsylvania | 98 | $17,551 | 10,963 | 71.6% | $5,815 | 14 to 1 |
| Puerto Rico | 48 | $10,656 | 8,898 | 72.2% | $5,999 | 23 to 1 |
| Rhode Island | 6 | $16,099 | 1,232 | 84.2% | $4,670 | 14 to 1 |
| South Carolina | 27 | $15,401 | 3,473 | 67.0% | $5,295 | 15 to 1 |
| South Dakota | 3 | $15,745 | 279 | 85.0% | $4,986 | 13 to 1 |
| Tennessee | 44 | $15,257 | 4,721 | 72.0% | $5,432 | 15 to 1 |
| Texas | 157 | $13,979 | 21,003 | 73.3% | $5,160 | 16 to 1 |
| Utah | 40 | $12,665 | 22,509 | 76.0% | $4,230 | 12 to 1 |
| Virginia | 36 | $13,573 | 3,247 | 69.4% | $5,082 | 13 to 1 |
| Vermont | 2 | $19,750 | 184 | 79.0% | $8,124 | 17 to 1 |
| Washington | 25 | $15,529 | 4,198 | 70.7% | $6,001 | 15 to 1 |
| Wisconsin | 14 | $13,801 | 1,256 | 71.1% | $5,054 | 12 to 1 |
| West Virginia | 21 | $7,735 | 938 | 80.9% | $5,834 | 11 to 1 |
| Wyoming | 1 | $17,300 | 47 | 71.0% | $4,926 | 16 to 1 |