Maryland Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Maryland: 43 trade and vocational campuses (27 trade schools, 16 community colleges) median net price $16,286 (+14.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $36,748 (+5.0% vs U.S.) median completion rate 40.0% employment-outcome proxy 81.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 43 campuses (27 trade schools, 16 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 86,706 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $36,748 (+5.0% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 81.6% (+0.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $16,286 (+14.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,833 (+1.4% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $9,833. Debt rank: #32 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Mid East of 6
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 40.0%
- Earnings rank: #23 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #22 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #32 nationally of 52; #4 in Mid East of 6 (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 Maryland include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 43 campuses in this profile (27 trade schools, 16 community colleges), with about 86,706 students enrolled, and median net price near $16,286. 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.
Maryland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (MD) | — | $16,286 | $9,833 | 40.0% | 86,706 |
| Mid East (region median) | — | $16,938 | $9,833 | 62.2% | 538,130 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Maryland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (MD) | $36,748 | 81.6% | N/A | 9.6% | — | 54.8% | 0.26 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Maryland 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (MD) | N/A | $16,286 | $9,833 | 40.0% | 86,706 | $36,748 | 81.6% |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | N/A | $17,864 | $12,000 | 69.6% | 110,631 | $38,744 | 82.6% |
| New Jersey (NJ) | N/A | $18,708 | $10,500 | 63.9% | 119,348 | $38,020 | 79.7% |
| Delaware (DE) | N/A | $14,839 | $9,833 | 60.5% | 12,379 | $31,204 | 83.7% |
| District of Columbia (DC) | N/A | $17,528 | $7,917 | 51.0% | 4,028 | $26,398 | 78.0% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Maryland
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 | 22 | $27,891 | 78.2% | N/A | 10.0% | — | 35.6% |
| Public | 16 | $44,150 | 82.9% | N/A | 9.2% | — | 58.5% |
Top 10 trade schools in Maryland 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, 98.0%, Institute of Health Sciences
Institute of Health Sciences
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 96.5%, Aveda Institute-Maryland
Aveda Institute-Maryland
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 88.9%, The Temple-A Paul Mitchell Partner School
The Temple-A Paul Mitchell Partner School
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 85.2%, The Temple Annapolis-A Paul Mitchell Partner School
The Temple Annapolis-A Paul Mitchell Partner School
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 70.0%, Cortiva Institute
Cortiva Institute
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 69.2%, North American Trade Schools
North American Trade Schools
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 68.4%, Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia
Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 64.7%, Award Beauty School
Award Beauty School
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 60.6%, Hair Academy
Hair Academy
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 60.4%, All-State Career-Baltimore
All-State Career-Baltimore
Top 10 trade schools in Maryland 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, 90.0%, Institute of Health Sciences
Institute of Health Sciences
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 87.4%, Hair Academy II
Hair Academy II
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 86.4%, Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences
Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 84.7%, Garrett College
Garrett College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 84.2%, Fortis Institute-Towson
Fortis Institute-Towson
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 83.9%, Chesapeake College
Chesapeake College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 83.8%, Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 83.8%, Allegany College of Maryland
Allegany College of Maryland
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 83.7%, Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 83.4%, Montgomery College
Montgomery College
Top 10 trade schools in Maryland by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $55,111, Institute of Health Sciences
Institute of Health Sciences
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,206, North American Trade Schools
North American Trade Schools
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,447, Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,837, Cecil College
Cecil College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,195, Howard Community College
Howard Community College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,890, Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,251, Montgomery College
Montgomery College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,093, Frederick Community College
Frederick Community College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,482, Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,269, College of Southern Maryland
College of Southern Maryland
Top 10 trade schools in Maryland by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $74,088, Institute of Health Sciences
Institute of Health Sciences
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $44,765, Montgomery College
Montgomery College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,783, Howard Community College
Howard Community College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,840, Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,455, Cecil College
Cecil College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,373, Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,096, Harford Community College
Harford Community College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,976, Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,530, North American Trade Schools
North American Trade Schools
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,355, Frederick Community College
Frederick Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Maryland by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,159, Montgomery College
Montgomery College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $49,020, Howard Community College
Howard Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $47,548, Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,719, Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences
Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,449, Frederick Community College
Frederick Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,219, Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,608, Harford Community College
Harford Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,435, College of Southern Maryland
College of Southern Maryland
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,349, Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,952, Cecil College
Cecil College
Top 10 trade schools in Maryland 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, $319,946, Institute of Health Sciences
Institute of Health Sciences
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $201,120, Frederick Community College
Frederick Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $200,425, Montgomery College
Montgomery College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $199,395, Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $195,691, North American Trade Schools
North American Trade Schools
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $189,214, Howard Community College
Howard Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $180,302, Cecil College
Cecil College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $179,720, Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $178,841, Community College of Baltimore County
Community College of Baltimore County
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $176,356, Harford Community College
Harford Community College
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Maryland (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $2,725, Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $5,106, Chesapeake College
Chesapeake College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $6,835, Hagerstown Community College
Hagerstown Community College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $9,204, College of Southern Maryland
College of Southern Maryland
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Rank 5, Net Price, $8,027, Montgomery College
Montgomery College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $8,597, North American Trade Schools
North American Trade Schools
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Rank 7, Net Price, $9,658, Cecil College
Cecil College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $8,672, Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $9,465, Frederick Community College
Frederick Community College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $9,234, Harford Community College
Harford Community College
Student debt: Maryland vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Maryland is $9,833 (+1.4% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $9,833. Rank: #32 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Mid East of 6.
Median earnings (10 years out): Maryland vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Maryland center around $36,748 (+5.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Maryland vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 81.6% at the median Maryland 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 $9,833 (+1.4% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and 0.0% vs the Mid East regional median of $9,833). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #32 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 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 Maryland are $36,748, about +5.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 81.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 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.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 9.6% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 54.8% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Maryland ranks earnings #23 and employment proxy #22 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Institute of Health Sciences (90.0%), Hair Academy II (87.4%), Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences (86.4%), Garrett College (84.7%), Fortis Institute-Towson (84.2%), Chesapeake College (83.9%), Carroll Community College (83.8%), Allegany College of Maryland (83.8%), Prince George's Community College (83.7%), Montgomery College (83.4%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Maryland, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $27,891 (22 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $44,150 (16 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 Maryland is 40.0% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Maryland?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Maryland, median net price is $16,286 vs $14,215 nationally (+14.6% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Maryland trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Maryland is $9,833 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Maryland ranks #32 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Maryland?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Maryland trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $36,748 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $32,765.
What share of Maryland 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 81.6% in Maryland vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Maryland?
This profile covers 27 trade schools and 16 community colleges (43 total) in Maryland with roughly 86,706 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Maryland?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 16 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 22 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Maryland?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Institute of Health Sciences; highest 10-year earnings: Montgomery College; lowest net price among large campuses: Carroll Community College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Maryland?
Among 78 campuses in Maryland, 4 historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Bowie State University, Coppin State University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore; 5 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia, Montgomery Beauty School, and Montgomery College; 6 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (3), Jewish (2), Seventh Day Adventist (1).
How does Maryland compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Maryland is in the Mid East region. Regional median net price is $16,938 and median 10-year earnings are $38,899 vs $16,286 net price and $36,748 earnings in Maryland.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Maryland 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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