Alabama Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Trade schools in Alabama: 41 trade and vocational campuses (35 trade schools, 6 community colleges) median net price $8,931 (-36.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $36,971 (-7.3% vs U.S.) median completion rate 46.2% employment-outcome proxy 86.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Alabama include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 41 campuses in this profile (35 trade schools, 6 community colleges), with about 60,831 students enrolled, and median net price near $8,931. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Southeast medians.
Alabama vs regional & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | — | $8,931 | $9,833 | 46.2% | 60,831 |
| Southeast (region median) | — | $12,619 | $9,612 | 57.8% | 1,207,699 |
| United States | — | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Alabama vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | $36,971 | 86.5% | N/A | 9.6% | — | 42.7% | 0.27 |
| United States | $39,899 | 85.5% | 65.2% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.25 |
Alabama vs peer states (Southeast region)
Peer states are other campuses in the same Scorecard region, chosen by similar total enrollment.
| State | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | N/A | $8,931 | $9,833 | 46.2% | 60,831 | $36,971 | 86.5% |
| Louisiana (LA) | N/A | $16,703 | $9,500 | 57.1% | 60,586 | $33,423 | 85.3% |
| Mississippi (MS) | N/A | $9,666 | $9,500 | 57.7% | 53,340 | $36,162 | 88.0% |
| Kentucky (KY) | N/A | $14,039 | $9,840 | 58.8% | 52,818 | $35,056 | 84.0% |
| South Carolina (SC) | N/A | $14,221 | $9,500 | 57.9% | 69,713 | $36,004 | 86.3% |
| United States | N/A | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 | $39,899 | 85.5% |
Outcomes by sector in Alabama
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 13 | $34,029 | 87.3% | N/A | 9.5% | — | 30.6% |
| Public | 24 | $39,468 | 86.2% | N/A | 9.6% | — | 58.7% |
Top 10 trade schools in Alabama by completion rate (150% time, certificate programs)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate among trade schools and community colleges in this profile (enrollment ≥ 50). Source: College Scorecard.
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Rank 1, Completion Rate, 93.8%, Brown Beauty Barber School
Brown Beauty Barber School
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 71.4%, The Salon Professional Academy-Huntsville
The Salon Professional Academy-Huntsville
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 70.4%, Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology
Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 69.8%, Fortis College-Dothan
Fortis College-Dothan
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 69.7%, Reid State Technical College
Reid State Technical College
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 69.6%, Blue Cliff Career College
Blue Cliff Career College
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 59.4%, New Beginning College of Cosmetology
New Beginning College of Cosmetology
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 58.6%, Paul Mitchell the School-Birmingham
Paul Mitchell the School-Birmingham
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 58.2%, J F Ingram State Technical College
J F Ingram State Technical College
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 56.4%, Snead State Community College
Snead State Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Alabama by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 95.7%, Marion Military Institute
Marion Military Institute
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.3%, Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 89.1%, Central Alabama Community College
Central Alabama Community College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 88.8%, Fortis College
Fortis College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 88.8%, Fortis College-Montgomery
Fortis College-Montgomery
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 88.7%, Southern Union State Community College
Southern Union State Community College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 88.6%, Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville
Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 88.2%, Shelton State Community College
Shelton State Community College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 88.1%, John C Calhoun State Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 88.1%, Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Alabama by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $65,909, Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $51,320, Marion Military Institute
Marion Military Institute
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $41,015, George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,428, Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,295, John C Calhoun State Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,040, Fortis Institute-Birmingham
Fortis Institute-Birmingham
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,735, Southern Union State Community College
Southern Union State Community College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,916, Snead State Community College
Snead State Community College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,847, Enterprise State Community College
Enterprise State Community College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,638, Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Alabama by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $69,365, Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,780, Marion Military Institute
Marion Military Institute
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,404, George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,704, Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,560, Fortis Institute-Birmingham
Fortis Institute-Birmingham
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,466, John C Calhoun State Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,066, Southern Union State Community College
Southern Union State Community College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,897, Snead State Community College
Snead State Community College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,693, Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,600, Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Alabama by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $67,869, Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $66,543, Marion Military Institute
Marion Military Institute
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,674, Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,807, George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,337, John C Calhoun State Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,181, Enterprise State Community College
Enterprise State Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,045, Shelton State Community College
Shelton State Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,907, Southern Union State Community College
Southern Union State Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,554, Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,539, Coastal Alabama Community College
Coastal Alabama Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Alabama by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year ROI among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $259,734, Marion Military Institute
Marion Military Institute
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $198,814, George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $195,506, John C Calhoun State Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $193,611, Southern Union State Community College
Southern Union State Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $192,759, Snead State Community College
Snead State Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $191,561, Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $187,363, Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $183,482, Shelton State Community College
Shelton State Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $181,163, Bevill State Community College
Bevill State Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $179,632, Northwest Shoals Community College
Northwest Shoals Community College
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Alabama (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $772, George C Wallace Community College-Dothan
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan
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Rank 2, Net Price, $2,125, Gadsden State Community College
Gadsden State Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $2,991, Snead State Community College
Snead State Community College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $4,245, Northwest Shoals Community College
Northwest Shoals Community College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $5,811, Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $6,048, J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College
J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $4,857, Bevill State Community College
Bevill State Community College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $5,500, Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $6,092, Lurleen B Wallace Community College
Lurleen B Wallace Community College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $6,248, Lawson State Community College
Lawson State Community College
Student debt: Alabama vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Alabama is $9,833 (+3.5% vs U.S. median $9,500). Regional median: $9,612. Rank: #36 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #8 in Southeast of 12.
Median earnings (10 years out): Alabama vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Alabama center around $36,971 (-7.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Alabama vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 86.5% at the median Alabama campus (+1.0 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Median graduate debt is $9,833 (+3.5% above the U.S. median of $9,500, and +2.3% vs the Southeast regional median of $9,612). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #36 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #8 in Southeast of 12 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Alabama are $36,971, about -7.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($39,899).
The median campus reports 86.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 85.5% (+1.0 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 9.6% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 42.7% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Alabama ranks earnings #37 and employment proxy #22 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Marion Military Institute (95.7%), Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound (92.3%), Central Alabama Community College (89.1%), Fortis College (88.8%), Fortis College-Montgomery (88.8%), Southern Union State Community College (88.7%), Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville (88.6%), Shelton State Community College (88.2%), John C Calhoun State Community College (88.1%), Chattahoochee Valley Community College (88.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Alabama, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $34,029 (13 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $39,468 (24 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Alabama is 46.2% (national institution average about 66.8%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do trade schools cost in Alabama?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Alabama, median net price is $8,931 vs $14,111 nationally (-36.7% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Alabama trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Alabama is $9,833 vs a U.S. median of $9,500 (Alabama ranks #36 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Alabama?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Alabama trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $36,971 vs $39,899 nationally. Six-year medians are $33,278.
What share of Alabama trade school students are working after completion?
The federal employment-outcome proxy on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 86.5% in Alabama vs 85.5% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Alabama?
This profile covers 35 trade schools and 6 community colleges (41 total) in Alabama with roughly 60,831 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Alabama?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 24 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 13 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Alabama?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Brown Beauty Barber School; highest 10-year earnings: Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound; lowest net price among large campuses: George C Wallace Community College-Dothan. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Alabama?
Among 81 campuses in Alabama, 13 historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Alabama A & M University, Alabama State University, and Gadsden State Community College; 12 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Churches of Christ (3), United Methodist (1), Christian Methodist Episcopal (1).
How does Alabama compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Alabama is in the Southeast region. Regional median net price is $12,619 and median 10-year earnings are $37,057 vs $8,931 net price and $36,971 earnings in Alabama.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Alabama college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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