Delaware Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Trade schools in Delaware: 10 trade and vocational campuses (9 trade schools, 1 community colleges) median net price $14,183 (+0.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $35,102 (-12.0% vs U.S.) median completion rate 78.6% employment-outcome proxy 84.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Delaware include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 10 campuses in this profile (9 trade schools, 1 community colleges), with about 12,379 students enrolled, and median net price near $14,183. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Mid East medians.
Delaware 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware (DE) | — | $14,183 | $7,623 | 78.6% | 12,379 |
| Mid East (region median) | — | $16,130 | $9,512 | 74.6% | 530,690 |
| United States | — | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Delaware 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware (DE) | $35,102 | 84.9% | N/A | 10.7% | — | 52.3% | 0.22 |
| United States | $39,899 | 85.5% | 65.2% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.25 |
Delaware vs peer states (Mid East 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware (DE) | N/A | $14,183 | $7,623 | 78.6% | 12,379 | $35,102 | 84.9% |
| District of Columbia (DC) | N/A | $11,778 | $9,500 | 75.5% | 3,796 | $30,458 | 85.4% |
| Maryland (MD) | N/A | $15,741 | $10,500 | 47.6% | 86,668 | $41,074 | 87.0% |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | N/A | $18,110 | $11,542 | 72.0% | 109,953 | $44,291 | 87.5% |
| New Jersey (NJ) | N/A | $17,172 | $9,525 | 73.6% | 119,348 | $43,903 | 87.9% |
| United States | N/A | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 | $39,899 | 85.5% |
Outcomes by sector in Delaware
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 | 5 | $34,798 | 83.3% | N/A | 10.7% | — | 42.6% |
Top 5 trade schools in Delaware 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, 93.3%, Polytech Adult Education
Polytech Adult Education
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 79.6%, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 78.0%, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 75.8%, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 66.7%, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Top 6 trade schools in Delaware 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, 89.3%, Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 87.9%, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 86.5%, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 83.3%, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 83.2%, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 80.5%, Academy of Massage and Bodywork
Academy of Massage and Bodywork
Top 7 trade schools in Delaware by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $77,683, Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center
Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,184, Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,877, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,656, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,476, Academy of Massage and Bodywork
Academy of Massage and Bodywork
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,169, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $28,161, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Top 6 trade schools in Delaware by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,233, Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,189, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $34,155, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $33,665, Academy of Massage and Bodywork
Academy of Massage and Bodywork
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $32,937, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $32,461, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Top 7 trade schools in Delaware by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $97,011, Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center
Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,539, Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $36,806, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $35,102, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,798, Academy of Massage and Bodywork
Academy of Massage and Bodywork
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,275, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $30,796, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Top 5 trade schools in Delaware 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, $189,848, Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $155,884, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $155,162, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $148,310, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $134,328, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Top 5 most affordable trade schools in Delaware (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $8,401, Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
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Rank 2, Net Price, $14,183, Dawn Career Institute LLC
Dawn Career Institute LLC
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Rank 3, Net Price, $17,009, Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design
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Rank 4, Net Price, $17,122, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 5, Net Price, $19,748, Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware
Student debt: Delaware vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Delaware is $7,623 (-19.8% vs U.S. median $9,500). Regional median: $9,512. Rank: #4 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #1 in Mid East of 6.
Median earnings (10 years out): Delaware vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Delaware center around $35,102 (-12.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Delaware vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 84.9% at the median Delaware campus (-0.6 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 $7,623 (-19.8% below the U.S. median of $9,500, and -19.9% vs the Mid East regional median of $9,512). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #4 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #1 in Mid East of 6 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Delaware are $35,102, about -12.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($39,899).
The median campus reports 84.9% 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% (-0.6 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 10.7% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 52.3% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Delaware ranks earnings #45 and employment proxy #31 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Delaware Technical Community College-Terry (89.3%), Dawn Career Institute LLC (87.9%), Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design (86.5%), The Salon Professional Academy (83.3%), Paul Mitchell the School-Delaware (83.2%), Academy of Massage and Bodywork (80.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Delaware, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $34,798 (5 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 Delaware is 78.6% (national institution average about 66.8%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do trade schools cost in Delaware?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Delaware, median net price is $14,183 vs $14,111 nationally (+0.5% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Delaware trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Delaware is $7,623 vs a U.S. median of $9,500 (Delaware ranks #4 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Delaware?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Delaware trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $35,102 vs $39,899 nationally. Six-year medians are $32,656.
What share of Delaware 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 84.9% in Delaware vs 85.5% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Delaware?
This profile covers 9 trade schools and 1 community colleges (10 total) in Delaware with roughly 12,379 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Delaware?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 0 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 5 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Delaware?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Polytech Adult Education; highest 10-year earnings: Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical Center; lowest net price among large campuses: Delaware Technical Community College-Terry. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Delaware?
Among 18 campuses in Delaware, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Delaware State University.
How does Delaware compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Delaware is in the Mid East region. Regional median net price is $16,130 and median 10-year earnings are $44,346 vs $14,183 net price and $35,102 earnings in Delaware.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Delaware 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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