Colorado Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Trade schools in Colorado: 47 trade and vocational campuses (43 trade schools, 4 community colleges) median net price $15,103 (+12.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $38,868 (+10.8% vs U.S.) median completion rate 72.2% employment-outcome proxy 80.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Colorado include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 47 campuses in this profile (43 trade schools, 4 community colleges), with about 84,331 students enrolled, and median net price near $15,103. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Rocky Mountains medians.
Colorado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado (CO) | — | $15,103 | $9,500 | 72.2% | 84,331 |
| Rocky Mountains (region median) | — | $15,103 | $9,500 | 72.2% | 263,893 |
| United States | — | $13,448 | $9,792 | 61.5% | 5,468,807 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Colorado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado (CO) | $38,868 | 80.3% | 68.0% | 16.0% | — | 52.6% | 0.25 |
| United States | $35,086 | 81.0% | 65.2% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Colorado vs peer states (Rocky Mountains 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado (CO) | N/A | $15,103 | $9,500 | 72.2% | 84,331 | $38,868 | 80.3% |
| Utah (UT) | N/A | $16,936 | $8,217 | 83.8% | 98,961 | $35,032 | 77.2% |
| Idaho (ID) | N/A | $18,788 | $9,500 | 73.2% | 60,906 | $26,171 | 79.5% |
| Wyoming (WY) | N/A | $9,470 | $8,622 | 51.8% | 14,230 | $40,706 | 83.8% |
| Montana (MT) | N/A | $10,168 | $11,500 | 44.7% | 5,465 | $31,626 | 79.2% |
| United States | N/A | $13,448 | $9,792 | 61.5% | 5,468,807 | $35,086 | 81.0% |
Outcomes by sector in Colorado
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 | 20 | $32,001 | 77.7% | N/A | 8.0% | — | 47.0% |
| Public | 19 | $40,796 | 81.7% | 68.0% | 18.9% | — | 54.8% |
Top 10 trade schools in Colorado 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, 100.0%, Colorado School of Healing Arts
Colorado School of Healing Arts
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 97.0%, Emily Griffith Technical College
Emily Griffith Technical College
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 95.5%, Technical College of the Rockies
Technical College of the Rockies
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 86.3%, IBMC College
IBMC College
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 84.6%, Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs
Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 83.5%, Aveda Institute-Denver
Aveda Institute-Denver
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 81.0%, Stacey James Institute
Stacey James Institute
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 80.6%, Avalon Institute-Aurora
Avalon Institute-Aurora
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 79.5%, National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA)
National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA)
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 77.8%, Paul Mitchell the School-Denver
Paul Mitchell the School-Denver
Top 10 trade schools in Colorado 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, 88.3%, Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 88.1%, Northeastern Junior College
Northeastern Junior College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 87.2%, Colorado Northwestern Community College
Colorado Northwestern Community College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 86.4%, Concorde Career College-Aurora
Concorde Career College-Aurora
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 85.3%, Pima Medical Institute-Aurora
Pima Medical Institute-Aurora
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 84.8%, Morgan Community College
Morgan Community College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 84.5%, Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs
Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 84.5%, Pima Medical Institute-Denver
Pima Medical Institute-Denver
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 84.0%, Arapahoe Community College
Arapahoe Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 84.0%, Technical College of the Rockies
Technical College of the Rockies
Top 10 trade schools in Colorado by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,676, Arapahoe Community College
Arapahoe Community College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,500, Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $41,495, Red Rocks Community College
Red Rocks Community College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,548, Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,181, Concorde Career College-Aurora
Concorde Career College-Aurora
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,760, Colorado Northwestern Community College
Colorado Northwestern Community College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,696, Aims Community College
Aims Community College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,223, Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,842, Community College of Aurora
Community College of Aurora
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,763, Technical College of the Rockies
Technical College of the Rockies
Top 10 trade schools in Colorado by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,206, Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,133, Arapahoe Community College
Arapahoe Community College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,221, Red Rocks Community College
Red Rocks Community College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,409, Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,368, Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,299, Community College of Aurora
Community College of Aurora
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,157, Concorde Career College-Aurora
Concorde Career College-Aurora
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,838, Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,580, Colorado Northwestern Community College
Colorado Northwestern Community College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,969, Northeastern Junior College
Northeastern Junior College
Top 10 trade schools in Colorado by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $48,341, Arapahoe Community College
Arapahoe Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,396, Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,288, Red Rocks Community College
Red Rocks Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,910, Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,823, Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,516, Technical College of the Rockies
Technical College of the Rockies
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,592, Community College of Aurora
Community College of Aurora
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,127, Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,526, Colorado Northwestern Community College
Colorado Northwestern Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,456, Concorde Career College-Aurora
Concorde Career College-Aurora
Top 10 trade schools in Colorado 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, $216,720, Arapahoe Community College
Arapahoe Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $209,072, Red Rocks Community College
Red Rocks Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $201,392, Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $197,284, Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $195,333, Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
Lincoln College of Technology-Denver
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $194,514, Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $193,958, Colorado Northwestern Community College
Colorado Northwestern Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $190,376, Aims Community College
Aims Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $189,604, Concorde Career College-Aurora
Concorde Career College-Aurora
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $189,200, Technical College of the Rockies
Technical College of the Rockies
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Colorado (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $6,600, Pickens Technical College
Pickens Technical College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $3,796, Technical College of the Rockies
Technical College of the Rockies
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Rank 3, Net Price, $6,007, Pikes Peak State College
Pikes Peak State College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $7,197, Emily Griffith Technical College
Emily Griffith Technical College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $7,813, Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $9,266, Morgan Community College
Morgan Community College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $8,656, Community College of Aurora
Community College of Aurora
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Rank 8, Net Price, $9,044, Red Rocks Community College
Red Rocks Community College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $9,161, Lamar Community College
Lamar Community College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $10,772, Trinidad State College
Trinidad State College
Student debt: Colorado vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Colorado is $9,500 (-3.0% vs U.S. median $9,792). Regional median: $9,500. Rank: #14 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Rocky Mountains of 5.
Median earnings (10 years out): Colorado vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Colorado center around $38,868 (+10.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Colorado vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 80.3% at the median Colorado campus (-0.7 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 $9,500 (-3.0% below the U.S. median of $9,792, and 0.0% vs the Rocky Mountains regional median of $9,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #14 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Rocky Mountains of 5 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Colorado are $38,868, about +10.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($35,086).
The median campus reports 80.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 81.0% (-0.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 68.0% vs a U.S. median of 65.2%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 16.0% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 52.6% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Colorado ranks earnings #12 and employment proxy #28 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Colorado Mesa University (88.3%), Northeastern Junior College (88.1%), Colorado Northwestern Community College (87.2%), Concorde Career College-Aurora (86.4%), Pima Medical Institute-Aurora (85.3%), Morgan Community College (84.8%), Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs (84.5%), Pima Medical Institute-Denver (84.5%), Arapahoe Community College (84.0%), Technical College of the Rockies (84.0%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Colorado, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $32,001 (20 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $40,796 (19 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 Colorado is 72.2% (national institution average about 61.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do trade schools cost in Colorado?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Colorado, median net price is $15,103 vs $13,448 nationally (+12.3% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Colorado trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Colorado is $9,500 vs a U.S. median of $9,792 (Colorado ranks #14 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Colorado?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Colorado trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $38,868 vs $35,086 nationally. Six-year medians are $36,068.
What share of Colorado 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 80.3% in Colorado vs 81.0% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Colorado?
This profile covers 43 trade schools and 4 community colleges (47 total) in Colorado with roughly 84,331 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Colorado?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 19 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 20 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Colorado?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Colorado School of Healing Arts; highest 10-year earnings: Arapahoe Community College; lowest net price among large campuses: Pickens Technical College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Colorado?
Among 84 campuses in Colorado, 39 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Adams State University, Aims Community College, and Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology; 5 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Undenominational (1), Other Protestant (1), United Methodist (1).
How does Colorado compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Colorado is in the Rocky Mountains region. Regional median net price is $15,103 and median 10-year earnings are $36,712 vs $15,103 net price and $38,868 earnings in Colorado.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Colorado 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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