Cost of Trade School Programs by State (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Certificate-focused trade schools charge a median $5,460 in tuition and have a median net price of $17,738 a year after grants, in EDsmart Data's analysis of 2,621 College Scorecard institutions. Net price is highest in Oregon ($25,766) and lowest in Puerto Rico ($7,103).
Key Facts
- U.S. median trade school tuition: $5,460
- U.S. median net price after grants: $17,738/yr
- Most expensive state (net price): Oregon
- Least expensive state: Puerto Rico
- Median federal debt at completion: $9,500
Download the data
Downloads reflect the processed dataset used on this page.
Median trade school net price by state
Location changes the price tag
Our analysis finds the typical trade school in Oregon costs $18,663 more per year after aid than one in Puerto Rico.
Highest 12 and lowest 8 states with at least 5 certificate-predominant schools.
Trade school costs by school type
| School type | Schools | Median tuition | Median net price | Median debt at completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public | 665 | $4,420 | $8,787 | $9,750 |
| Private nonprofit | 177 | $15,350 | $20,920 | $9,666 |
| Private for-profit | 1,779 | $15,740 | $20,414 | $9,498 |
Trade school costs by state
| State | Schools | Median tuition | Median net price | Books & supplies | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 27 | $6,480 | $25,766 | $1,503 | $8,878 |
| Massachusetts | 36 | $25,058 | $25,302 | $1,500 | $8,250 |
| California | 290 | $1,388 | $25,090 | $1,089 | $9,500 |
| Maryland | 27 | $16,200 | $21,664 | $1,000 | $9,833 |
| New Jersey | 63 | $20,141 | $21,605 | $920 | $9,500 |
| Maine | 7 | $16,513 | $21,182 | $1,884 | $6,333 |
| New York | 114 | $15,588 | $20,951 | $700 | $7,958 |
| Rhode Island | 7 | — | $20,805 | — | $7,830 |
| Michigan | 77 | $17,640 | $20,598 | $416 | $8,996 |
| Nevada | 22 | $4,200 | $20,487 | $1,000 | $7,885 |
| Mississippi | 19 | $3,993 | $19,982 | $900 | $9,833 |
| Washington | 32 | $5,880 | $19,816 | $528 | $9,032 |
| Pennsylvania | 131 | $16,036 | $19,437 | $2,004 | $10,842 |
| North Dakota | 6 | $2,962 | $19,429 | $400 | $9,833 |
| Texas | 211 | $3,485 | $19,356 | $1,500 | $9,000 |
| Indiana | 48 | $10,443 | $19,247 | $1,244 | $9,500 |
| Hawaii | 5 | $14,590 | $18,777 | $1,295 | $7,000 |
| Ohio | 140 | $14,130 | $18,558 | $1,700 | $9,500 |
| Florida | 182 | $14,030 | $18,522 | $1,367 | $7,917 |
| Utah | 38 | $6,480 | $18,287 | $592 | $7,917 |
| Idaho | 20 | $4,944 | $17,808 | $592 | $6,333 |
| Connecticut | 21 | $14,042 | $17,742 | $2,168 | $8,246 |
| Arizona | 67 | $2,358 | $17,573 | $1,104 | $8,000 |
| Minnesota | 24 | $6,607 | $17,064 | $1,100 | $10,984 |
| Louisiana | 71 | $4,379 | $16,778 | $1,385 | $9,500 |
| Missouri | 51 | $17,701 | $16,606 | $800 | $9,500 |
| Colorado | 43 | $4,746 | $16,057 | $1,460 | $9,500 |
| Alaska | 5 | $7,224 | $16,053 | $800 | $14,167 |
| Montana | 5 | $4,260 | $15,888 | $1,240 | $8,631 |
| Georgia | 67 | $3,520 | $15,786 | $1,484 | $10,084 |
| Virginia | 59 | $5,487 | $15,732 | $1,520 | $9,833 |
| Delaware | 9 | — | $15,596 | — | $6,333 |
| South Carolina | 37 | $5,829 | $15,592 | $1,500 | $9,425 |
| Nebraska | 8 | $3,450 | $14,954 | $1,000 | $8,000 |
| Illinois | 113 | $4,800 | $14,826 | $1,410 | $8,984 |
| North Carolina | 59 | $2,595 | $14,760 | $1,560 | $11,340 |
| Tennessee | 68 | $16,116 | $14,545 | $1,072 | $8,995 |
| Kentucky | 45 | $4,872 | $14,039 | $1,268 | $9,840 |
| Iowa | 30 | $6,732 | $13,762 | $1,400 | $9,521 |
| Wisconsin | 38 | $5,012 | $13,244 | $1,463 | $9,250 |
| Kansas | 34 | $4,549 | $12,871 | $1,494 | $9,500 |
| Oklahoma | 53 | $3,816 | $11,088 | $1,800 | $8,191 |
| New Mexico | 22 | $2,136 | $10,920 | $1,290 | $9,500 |
| Arkansas | 48 | $4,003 | $10,792 | $1,430 | $9,792 |
| Alabama | 35 | $5,551 | $10,155 | $1,700 | $9,833 |
| New Hampshire | 7 | $7,500 | $9,750 | $1,400 | $8,081 |
| West Virginia | 31 | $7,420 | $9,712 | $2,095 | $6,500 |
| Puerto Rico | 56 | $8,700 | $7,103 | $600 | $6,002 |
What the data shows
Trade school pricing splits sharply by ownership. Public technical colleges, often part of state community college systems, keep tuition low; for-profit schools charge more and their students borrow more.
Net price is what a typical aided student pays after grants, including living costs. It is the better number to budget with than sticker tuition.
Methodology
Trade schools here are institutions whose predominant credential is a certificate (Scorecard predominant degree = 1). Tuition is in-state tuition and fees; net price is Scorecard average net price for aided students; debt is median federal debt of completers. State values are medians across schools; states with fewer than 5 schools are omitted.
Frequently asked questions
How much does trade school cost?
The median certificate-focused trade school charges $5,460 in tuition, and the median net price after grants is $17,738 per year, based on College Scorecard data for 2,621 schools.
Which state has the most expensive trade schools?
Oregon has the highest median net price at $25,766 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($25,302).
Are public trade schools cheaper?
Yes. Public certificate schools have a median net price of $8,787 versus $20,414 at for-profit schools.
How much debt do trade school students have?
The median trade school completer leaves with $9,500 in federal loans.
Data sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard institution and field-of-study files (latest release in our extract)