Rhode Island Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Rhode Island: 8 trade and vocational campuses (7 trade schools, 1 community colleges) median net price $21,660 (+52.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $37,286 (+6.6% vs U.S.) median completion rate 79.8% employment-outcome proxy 39.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 8 campuses (7 trade schools, 1 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 13,058 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $37,286 (+6.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 39.3% (-41.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,660 (+52.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,376 (+7.0% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $10,104. Debt rank: #37 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in New England of 6
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 79.8%
- Earnings rank: #20 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #47 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #37 nationally of 52; #4 in New England 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 Rhode Island include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 8 campuses in this profile (7 trade schools, 1 community colleges), with about 13,058 students enrolled, and median net price near $21,660. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and New England medians.
Rhode Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island (RI) | — | $21,660 | $10,376 | 79.8% | 13,058 |
| New England (region median) | — | $17,260 | $10,104 | 69.3% | 148,935 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Rhode Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island (RI) | $37,286 | 39.3% | N/A | 9.2% | — | 46.0% | 0.29 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Rhode Island vs peer states (New England 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island (RI) | N/A | $21,660 | $10,376 | 79.8% | 13,058 | $37,286 | 39.3% |
| Maine (ME) | N/A | $10,007 | $10,578 | 48.7% | 14,920 | $41,661 | 10.4% |
| New Hampshire (NH) | N/A | $14,804 | $11,000 | 61.5% | 8,533 | $44,700 | 10.9% |
| Vermont (VT) | N/A | $24,129 | $8,412 | 66.7% | 3,025 | $36,234 | 13.0% |
| Connecticut (CT) | N/A | $17,469 | $9,833 | 72.0% | 40,930 | $40,014 | 21.2% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Rhode Island
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 | 6 | $31,914 | 60.8% | N/A | 9.6% | — | 44.4% |
Top 8 trade schools in Rhode Island 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, 94.6%, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 92.3%, IYRS School of Technology & Trades
IYRS School of Technology & Trades
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 87.8%, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 81.1%, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 78.6%, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 78.0%, COLLECTIV Academy-Cranston
COLLECTIV Academy-Cranston
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 63.2%, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 26.2%, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
Top 6 trade schools in Rhode Island 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, 75.7%, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 67.5%, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 60.8%, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 17.8%, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 12.3%, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 10.8%, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
Top 7 trade schools in Rhode Island by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $51,037, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,009, IYRS School of Technology & Trades
IYRS School of Technology & Trades
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,100, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,476, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $32,694, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $23,724, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $21,743, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Top 6 trade schools in Rhode Island by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $52,426, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $44,800, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,768, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $33,078, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $25,598, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $22,517, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Top 6 trade schools in Rhode Island by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,085, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $48,281, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,659, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,914, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $26,897, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $23,589, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Top 7 trade schools in Rhode Island 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, $245,624, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $216,609, IYRS School of Technology & Trades
IYRS School of Technology & Trades
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $205,768, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $176,018, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $132,208, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $94,502, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $93,399, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Top 8 most affordable trade schools in Rhode Island (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $6,513, Community College of Rhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
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Rank 2, Net Price, $15,866, New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island
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Rank 3, Net Price, $20,151, COLLECTIV Academy-Cranston
COLLECTIV Academy-Cranston
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Rank 4, Net Price, $20,525, IYRS School of Technology & Trades
IYRS School of Technology & Trades
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Rank 5, Net Price, $22,794, Empire Beauty School-Warwick
Empire Beauty School-Warwick
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Rank 6, Net Price, $25,666, Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island
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Rank 7, Net Price, $27,578, Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln
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Rank 8, Net Price, $30,141, MotoRing Technical Training Institute
MotoRing Technical Training Institute
Student debt: Rhode Island vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Rhode Island is $10,376 (+7.0% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $10,104. Rank: #37 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in New England of 6.
Median earnings (10 years out): Rhode Island vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Rhode Island center around $37,286 (+6.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Rhode Island vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 39.3% at the median Rhode Island campus (-41.6 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 $10,376 (+7.0% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and +2.7% vs the New England regional median of $10,104). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #37 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in New England of 6 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Rhode Island are $37,286, about +6.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 39.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 80.9% (-41.6 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 9.2% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 46.0% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Rhode Island ranks earnings #20 and employment proxy #47 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Empire Beauty School-Warwick (75.7%), Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island (67.5%), Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln (60.8%), New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island (17.8%), Community College of Rhode Island (12.3%), MotoRing Technical Training Institute (10.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Rhode Island, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $31,914 (6 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 Rhode Island is 79.8% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Rhode Island?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Rhode Island, median net price is $21,660 vs $14,215 nationally (+52.4% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Rhode Island trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Rhode Island is $10,376 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Rhode Island ranks #37 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Rhode Island?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Rhode Island trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $37,286 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $33,476.
What share of Rhode Island 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 39.3% in Rhode Island vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Rhode Island?
This profile covers 7 trade schools and 1 community colleges (8 total) in Rhode Island with roughly 13,058 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Rhode Island?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 0 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 6 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Rhode Island?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: MotoRing Technical Training Institute; highest 10-year earnings: New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island; lowest net price among large campuses: Community College of Rhode Island. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Rhode Island?
Among 23 campuses in Rhode Island, 5 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and Empire Beauty School-Warwick; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (2).
How does Rhode Island compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Rhode Island is in the New England region. Regional median net price is $17,260 and median 10-year earnings are $41,661 vs $21,660 net price and $37,286 earnings in Rhode Island.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Rhode Island college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON