Georgia Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Georgia: 73 trade and vocational campuses (66 trade schools, 7 community colleges) median net price $14,247 (+0.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $31,164 (-10.9% vs U.S.) median completion rate 47.8% employment-outcome proxy 80.4% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 73 campuses (66 trade schools, 7 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 121,586 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $31,164 (-10.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 80.4% (-0.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $14,247 (+0.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,610 (+9.4% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $9,724. Debt rank: #44 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #11 in Southeast of 12
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 47.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 51.2%
- Earnings rank: #44 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #28 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #44 nationally of 52; #11 in Southeast of 12 (lower debt = better rank)
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Georgia include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 73 campuses in this profile (66 trade schools, 7 community colleges), with about 121,586 students enrolled, and median net price near $14,247. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Southeast medians.
Georgia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia (GA) | — | $14,247 | $10,610 | 47.8% | 121,586 |
| Southeast (region median) | — | $12,646 | $9,724 | 53.3% | 1,214,956 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Georgia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia (GA) | $31,164 | 80.4% | 51.2% | 7.9% | — | 39.1% | 0.36 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Georgia 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia (GA) | N/A | $14,247 | $10,610 | 47.8% | 121,586 | $31,164 | 80.4% |
| Virginia (VA) | N/A | $11,928 | $10,409 | 50.0% | 103,379 | $33,772 | 79.7% |
| North Carolina (NC) | N/A | $7,890 | $11,084 | 46.9% | 166,932 | $33,330 | 79.0% |
| Tennessee (TN) | N/A | $12,684 | $8,725 | 71.6% | 74,238 | $34,811 | 80.8% |
| South Carolina (SC) | N/A | $14,029 | $9,616 | 50.7% | 69,789 | $31,360 | 80.4% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Georgia
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 | 34 | $27,065 | 76.6% | N/A | 10.9% | — | 35.3% |
| Public | 30 | $34,428 | 81.5% | 50.6% | 0.00% | — | 42.1% |
Top 10 trade schools in Georgia 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%, International School of Skin Nailcare & Massage Therapy
International School of Skin Nailcare & Massage Therapy
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 84.8%, Keune Academy by 124
Keune Academy by 124
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 82.6%, Hogan Institute of Cosmetology and Esthetics
Hogan Institute of Cosmetology and Esthetics
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 82.5%, Woodruff Medical and Wellness Training
Woodruff Medical and Wellness Training
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 76.5%, Paul Mitchell the School-Esani
Paul Mitchell the School-Esani
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 75.0%, Empire Beauty School-Kennesaw
Empire Beauty School-Kennesaw
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 69.0%, Georgia Career Institute
Georgia Career Institute
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 66.7%, Gwinnett College-Sandy Springs
Gwinnett College-Sandy Springs
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 66.6%, Elaine Sterling Institute
Elaine Sterling Institute
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 65.1%, Oconee Fall Line Technical College
Oconee Fall Line Technical College
Top 10 trade schools in Georgia 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, 90.9%, Woodruff Medical and Wellness Training
Woodruff Medical and Wellness Training
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 90.2%, Grady Health System Professional Schools
Grady Health System Professional Schools
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 87.4%, South Georgia State College
South Georgia State College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 87.3%, Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 86.8%, East Georgia State College
East Georgia State College
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 86.3%, Gordon State College
Gordon State College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 84.9%, Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 84.2%, Southeastern Technical College
Southeastern Technical College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 84.2%, Fortis College-Smyrna
Fortis College-Smyrna
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 83.7%, Spelman College
Spelman College
Top 10 trade schools in Georgia by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $74,706, Miami Ad School-Atlanta
Miami Ad School-Atlanta
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $64,449, Grady Health System Professional Schools
Grady Health System Professional Schools
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,459, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,676, Spelman College
Spelman College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,844, Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,516, Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $35,660, Gwinnett Technical College
Gwinnett Technical College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $34,471, Lanier Technical College
Lanier Technical College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,273, Gwinnett College-Lilburn
Gwinnett College-Lilburn
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,189, Fortis College-Smyrna
Fortis College-Smyrna
Top 10 trade schools in Georgia by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $87,412, Miami Ad School-Atlanta
Miami Ad School-Atlanta
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $59,928, Grady Health System Professional Schools
Grady Health System Professional Schools
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $54,188, Spelman College
Spelman College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,772, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,670, Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,133, Gwinnett Technical College
Gwinnett Technical College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,965, Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,234, Lanier Technical College
Lanier Technical College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $36,740, Gordon State College
Gordon State College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $34,896, Fortis College-Smyrna
Fortis College-Smyrna
Top 10 trade schools in Georgia by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $106,192, Miami Ad School-Atlanta
Miami Ad School-Atlanta
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $60,726, Grady Health System Professional Schools
Grady Health System Professional Schools
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,993, Spelman College
Spelman College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $48,191, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $47,384, Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,025, Gwinnett Technical College
Gwinnett Technical College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,184, Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $39,257, Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $37,871, Gordon State College
Gordon State College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $37,623, Lanier Technical College
Lanier Technical College
Top 10 trade schools in Georgia 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, $418,139, Miami Ad School-Atlanta
Miami Ad School-Atlanta
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $208,927, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $188,694, Gwinnett Technical College
Gwinnett Technical College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $182,876, Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $179,216, Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $176,996, Lanier Technical College
Lanier Technical College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $169,686, Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Georgia Northwestern Technical College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $168,474, Chattahoochee Technical College
Chattahoochee Technical College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $167,777, West Georgia Technical College
West Georgia Technical College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $163,860, Southern Crescent Technical College
Southern Crescent Technical College
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Georgia (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $-914, Atlanta Technical College
Atlanta Technical College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $-126, Coastal Pines Technical College
Coastal Pines Technical College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $614, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $813, Southern Regional Technical College
Southern Regional Technical College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $2,457, West Georgia Technical College
West Georgia Technical College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $1,164, South Georgia Technical College
South Georgia Technical College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $3,407, Chattahoochee Technical College
Chattahoochee Technical College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $4,005, North Georgia Technical College
North Georgia Technical College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $4,001, Columbus Technical College
Columbus Technical College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $4,524, Albany Technical College
Albany Technical College
Student debt: Georgia vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Georgia is $10,610 (+9.4% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $9,724. Rank: #44 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #11 in Southeast of 12.
Median earnings (10 years out): Georgia vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Georgia center around $31,164 (-10.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Georgia vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 80.4% at the median Georgia 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 $10,610 (+9.4% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and +9.1% vs the Southeast regional median of $9,724). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #44 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #11 in Southeast of 12 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Georgia are $31,164, about -10.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 80.4% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 80.9% (-0.6 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 51.2% vs a U.S. median of 64.9%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 7.9% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 39.1% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Georgia ranks earnings #44 and employment proxy #28 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Woodruff Medical and Wellness Training (90.9%), Grady Health System Professional Schools (90.2%), South Georgia State College (87.4%), Georgia Highlands College (87.3%), East Georgia State College (86.8%), Gordon State College (86.3%), Georgia Military College (84.9%), Southeastern Technical College (84.2%), Fortis College-Smyrna (84.2%), Spelman College (83.7%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Georgia, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $27,065 (34 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $34,428 (30 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 Georgia is 47.8% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Georgia?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Georgia, median net price is $14,247 vs $14,215 nationally (+0.2% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Georgia trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Georgia is $10,610 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Georgia ranks #44 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Georgia?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Georgia trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $31,164 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $28,884.
What share of Georgia 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 80.4% in Georgia vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Georgia?
This profile covers 66 trade schools and 7 community colleges (73 total) in Georgia with roughly 121,586 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Georgia?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 30 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 34 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Georgia?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: International School of Skin Nailcare & Massage Therapy; highest 10-year earnings: Miami Ad School-Atlanta; lowest net price among large campuses: Atlanta Technical College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Georgia?
Among 161 campuses in Georgia, 10 historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University, and Fort Valley State University; 11 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Dalton State College, and Gwinnett Technical College; 25 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: United Methodist (9), Baptist (3), Interdenominational (3).
How does Georgia compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Georgia is in the Southeast region. Regional median net price is $12,646 and median 10-year earnings are $32,612 vs $14,247 net price and $31,164 earnings in Georgia.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Georgia college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON