Indiana Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Trade schools in Indiana: 48 trade and vocational campuses (48 trade schools, 0 community colleges) median net price $19,247 (+36.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $34,907 (-12.5% vs U.S.) median completion rate 68.3% employment-outcome proxy 85.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Indiana include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 48 campuses in this profile (48 trade schools, 0 community colleges), with about 105,562 students enrolled, and median net price near $19,247. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Great Lakes medians.
Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana (IN) | — | $19,247 | $9,500 | 68.3% | 105,562 |
| Great Lakes (region median) | — | $15,307 | $9,500 | 61.8% | 661,675 |
| United States | — | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana (IN) | $34,907 | 85.6% | 66.1% | 9.8% | — | 35.3% | 0.26 |
| United States | $39,899 | 85.5% | 65.2% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.25 |
Indiana vs peer states (Great Lakes 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana (IN) | N/A | $19,247 | $9,500 | 68.3% | 105,562 | $34,907 | 85.6% |
| Michigan (MI) | N/A | $16,282 | $9,714 | 60.0% | 134,173 | $34,982 | 86.7% |
| Wisconsin (WI) | N/A | $13,091 | $9,250 | 61.8% | 71,994 | $40,447 | 89.8% |
| Ohio (OH) | N/A | $15,307 | $9,833 | 74.0% | 140,423 | $41,579 | 87.9% |
| Illinois (IL) | N/A | $14,284 | $8,713 | 61.6% | 209,523 | $39,732 | 87.0% |
| United States | N/A | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 | $39,899 | 85.5% |
Outcomes by sector in Indiana
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 | 33 | $34,508 | 85.4% | N/A | 9.5% | — | 35.1% |
| Public | 4 | $43,660 | 88.2% | 57.1% | 14.6% | — | 58.0% |
Top 10 trade schools in Indiana 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%, Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville
Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 92.9%, Art22 Academy
Art22 Academy
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 87.8%, J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy
J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 87.6%, Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 85.7%, The Salon Professional Academy-Evansville
The Salon Professional Academy-Evansville
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 85.1%, Rudae's School of Beauty Culture-Ft Wayne
Rudae's School of Beauty Culture-Ft Wayne
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 80.0%, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture LLC-Bloomington
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture LLC-Bloomington
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 77.3%, Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis
Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 76.7%, Denmark College
Denmark College
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 76.4%, Summit Salon Academy
Summit Salon Academy
Top 10 trade schools in Indiana 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, 93.4%, University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 93.0%, Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 90.8%, Vincennes University
Vincennes University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 90.4%, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 89.7%, MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 89.4%, Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 87.3%, Ross Medical Education Center-Evansville
Ross Medical Education Center-Evansville
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 87.3%, Ross Medical Education Center-Lafayette
Ross Medical Education Center-Lafayette
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 87.3%, Ross Medical Education Center-Kokomo
Ross Medical Education Center-Kokomo
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 87.2%, Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis
Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis
Top 10 trade schools in Indiana by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $68,311, Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $54,452, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $51,830, MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $48,703, Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,687, University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,086, Vincennes University
Vincennes University
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,654, Fortis College-Indianapolis
Fortis College-Indianapolis
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,898, Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,056, Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,855, Indiana Wellness College
Indiana Wellness College
Top 10 trade schools in Indiana by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $61,820, Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,199, MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $52,112, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $51,513, Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,663, University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,148, Vincennes University
Vincennes University
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,877, Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,831, Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,318, Fortis College-Indianapolis
Fortis College-Indianapolis
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $35,092, Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Top 10 trade schools in Indiana by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $66,160, Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $56,095, Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $55,486, MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $52,206, University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,707, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,999, Vincennes University
Vincennes University
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,322, Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,802, Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,295, Fortis College-Indianapolis
Fortis College-Indianapolis
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $38,313, Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Top 10 trade schools in Indiana 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, $305,798, Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $244,960, MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $234,292, University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $231,674, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $230,185, Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $206,830, Vincennes University
Vincennes University
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $197,128, Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $193,776, Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $173,300, Fortis College-Indianapolis
Fortis College-Indianapolis
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $162,506, Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Indiana (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $2,534, Union Bible College
Union Bible College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $5,673, Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $5,956, Purdue University Global
Purdue University Global
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Rank 4, Net Price, $10,093, Vincennes University
Vincennes University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $13,373, University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
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Rank 6, Net Price, $13,936, Denmark College
Denmark College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $14,963, Kenny's Academy of Barbering
Kenny's Academy of Barbering
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Rank 8, Net Price, $15,051, Ravenscroft Beauty College
Ravenscroft Beauty College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $15,086, The Salon Professional Academy-Evansville
The Salon Professional Academy-Evansville
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Rank 10, Net Price, $15,115, J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy
J Michael Harrold Beauty Academy
Student debt: Indiana vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Indiana is $9,500 (-0.0% vs U.S. median $9,500). Regional median: $9,500. Rank: #17 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Great Lakes of 5.
Median earnings (10 years out): Indiana vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Indiana center around $34,907 (-12.5% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Indiana vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 85.6% at the median Indiana campus (+0.0 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 $9,500 (-0.0% below the U.S. median of $9,500, and 0.0% vs the Great Lakes 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: #17 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Great Lakes of 5 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Indiana are $34,907, about -12.5% vs the U.S. campus median ($39,899).
The median campus reports 85.6% 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% (+0.0 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 66.1% 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 9.8% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 35.3% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Indiana ranks earnings #48 and employment proxy #25 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Southern Indiana (93.4%), Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing (93.0%), Vincennes University (90.8%), Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Indianapolis (90.4%), MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis (89.7%), Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis (89.4%), Ross Medical Education Center-Evansville (87.3%), Ross Medical Education Center-Lafayette (87.3%), Ross Medical Education Center-Kokomo (87.3%), Paul Mitchell the School-Indianapolis (87.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Indiana, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $34,508 (33 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $43,660 (4 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 Indiana is 68.3% (national institution average about 66.8%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do trade schools cost in Indiana?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Indiana, median net price is $19,247 vs $14,111 nationally (+36.4% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Indiana trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Indiana is $9,500 vs a U.S. median of $9,500 (Indiana ranks #17 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Indiana?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Indiana trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $34,907 vs $39,899 nationally. Six-year medians are $30,988.
What share of Indiana 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 85.6% in Indiana vs 85.5% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Indiana?
This profile covers 48 trade schools and 0 community colleges (48 total) in Indiana with roughly 105,562 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Indiana?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 4 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 33 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Indiana?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville; highest 10-year earnings: Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing; lowest net price among large campuses: Union Bible College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Indiana?
Among 147 campuses in Indiana, 10 campuses report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include Calumet College of Saint Joseph, Goshen College, and Holy Cross College; 33 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (10), United Methodist (2), Church of Brethren (2).
How does Indiana compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Indiana is in the Great Lakes region. Regional median net price is $15,307 and median 10-year earnings are $38,917 vs $19,247 net price and $34,907 earnings in Indiana.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Indiana 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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