Washington Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Washington: 59 trade and vocational campuses (33 trade schools, 26 community colleges) median net price $11,010 (-22.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $43,499 (+24.3% vs U.S.) median completion rate 73.7% employment-outcome proxy 79.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 59 campuses (33 trade schools, 26 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 107,702 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $43,499 (+24.3% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 79.3% (-1.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $11,010 (-22.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,556 (+8.8% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $10,028. Debt rank: #42 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Far West of 6
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 73.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 55.0%
- Earnings rank: #4 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #34 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #42 nationally of 52; #4 in Far West 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 Washington include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 59 campuses in this profile (33 trade schools, 26 community colleges), with about 107,702 students enrolled, and median net price near $11,010. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Far West medians.
Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (WA) | — | $11,010 | $10,556 | 73.7% | 107,702 |
| Far West (region median) | — | $14,386 | $10,028 | 70.7% | 1,508,306 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (WA) | $43,499 | 79.3% | 55.0% | 10.1% | — | 56.6% | 0.27 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Washington vs peer states (Far West 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (WA) | N/A | $11,010 | $10,556 | 73.7% | 107,702 | $43,499 | 79.3% |
| Oregon (OR) | N/A | $12,380 | $10,750 | 63.9% | 65,703 | $36,845 | 78.8% |
| Nevada (NV) | N/A | $21,847 | $8,812 | 73.2% | 47,603 | $32,493 | 80.6% |
| Hawaii (HI) | N/A | $9,652 | $9,500 | 47.5% | 14,754 | $38,439 | 78.3% |
| Alaska (AK) | N/A | $16,392 | $16,644 | 84.4% | 4,004 | $44,008 | 81.9% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Washington
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 | 18 | $31,386 | 76.3% | N/A | 6.9% | — | 53.5% |
| Private nonprofit | 3 | $57,764 | 92.0% | N/A | 8.2% | — | 57.9% |
| Public | 34 | $44,289 | 79.5% | 55.0% | 10.3% | 0.00% | 56.7% |
Top 10 trade schools in Washington 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, 90.9%, Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 90.8%, Divers Institute of Technology
Divers Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 89.5%, Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus
Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 83.0%, Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett
Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 81.8%, Centralia Beauty College
Centralia Beauty College
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 81.8%, Studio Beauty School
Studio Beauty School
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 80.8%, International Beauty Education Center
International Beauty Education Center
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 79.0%, Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 73.7%, Paul Mitchell the School-Richland
Paul Mitchell the School-Richland
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 73.7%, Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline
Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline
Top 10 trade schools in Washington 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, 92.8%, Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.0%, Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 85.7%, Columbia Basin College
Columbia Basin College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 85.6%, Yakima Valley College
Yakima Valley College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 85.2%, Divers Institute of Technology
Divers Institute of Technology
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 84.5%, Pima Medical Institute-Renton
Pima Medical Institute-Renton
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 84.5%, Pima Medical Institute-Seattle
Pima Medical Institute-Seattle
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 84.0%, Bellevue College
Bellevue College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 83.7%, Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 83.2%, UEI College-Tacoma
UEI College-Tacoma
Top 10 trade schools in Washington by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $57,387, Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $56,726, Divers Institute of Technology
Divers Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,986, Antioch University-Seattle
Antioch University-Seattle
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,460, Bellevue College
Bellevue College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,383, North Seattle College
North Seattle College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,679, Renton Technical College
Renton Technical College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,569, Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $44,895, Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $44,620, Cascadia College
Cascadia College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,961, Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Top 10 trade schools in Washington by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $58,584, Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $58,013, Divers Institute of Technology
Divers Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $53,687, Bellevue College
Bellevue College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $53,593, Cascadia College
Cascadia College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $50,315, Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,469, Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,928, Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,576, South Seattle College
South Seattle College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,221, Renton Technical College
Renton Technical College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,844, Antioch University-Seattle
Antioch University-Seattle
Top 10 trade schools in Washington by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $62,489, Divers Institute of Technology
Divers Institute of Technology
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $60,551, Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $57,764, Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $56,310, Bellevue College
Bellevue College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $54,133, Cascadia College
Cascadia College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $52,009, Shoreline Community College
Shoreline Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $51,541, Antioch University-Seattle
Antioch University-Seattle
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,712, Green River College
Green River College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,669, Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,051, Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College
Top 10 trade schools in Washington 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, $266,602, Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $254,352, Divers Institute of Technology
Divers Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $239,884, Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $236,398, Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $235,887, Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $232,582, Renton Technical College
Renton Technical College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $229,162, Bellevue College
Bellevue College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $225,546, North Seattle College
North Seattle College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $217,480, Cascadia College
Cascadia College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $216,730, Bellingham Technical College
Bellingham Technical College
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Washington (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $3,136, Northwest Indian College
Northwest Indian College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $5,473, Spokane Community College
Spokane Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $5,997, Bellingham Technical College
Bellingham Technical College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $6,773, Stylemaster College of Hair Design
Stylemaster College of Hair Design
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Rank 5, Net Price, $4,783, Grays Harbor College
Grays Harbor College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $6,064, Skagit Valley College
Skagit Valley College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $6,004, South Seattle College
South Seattle College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $6,292, Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $8,376, Tacoma Community College
Tacoma Community College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $7,409, Spokane Falls Community College
Spokane Falls Community College
Student debt: Washington vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Washington is $10,556 (+8.8% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $10,028. Rank: #42 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Far West of 6.
Median earnings (10 years out): Washington vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Washington center around $43,499 (+24.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Washington vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 79.3% at the median Washington campus (-1.6 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 $10,556 (+8.8% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and +5.3% vs the Far West regional median of $10,028). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #42 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #4 in Far West of 6 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Washington are $43,499, about +24.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 79.3% 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% (-1.6 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 55.0% 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 10.1% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 56.6% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Washington ranks earnings #4 and employment proxy #34 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Northwest HVAC/R Training Center (92.8%), Perry Technical Institute (92.0%), Columbia Basin College (85.7%), Yakima Valley College (85.6%), Divers Institute of Technology (85.2%), Pima Medical Institute-Renton (84.5%), Pima Medical Institute-Seattle (84.5%), Bellevue College (84.0%), Walla Walla Community College (83.7%), UEI College-Tacoma (83.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Washington, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $31,386 (18 campuses); Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $57,764 (3 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $44,289 (34 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 Washington is 73.7% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Washington?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Washington, median net price is $11,010 vs $14,215 nationally (-22.6% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Washington trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Washington is $10,556 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Washington ranks #42 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Washington?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Washington trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $43,499 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $37,286.
What share of Washington 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 79.3% in Washington vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Washington?
This profile covers 33 trade schools and 26 community colleges (59 total) in Washington with roughly 107,702 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Washington?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 34 public, 3 private nonprofit, and 18 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Washington?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Northwest HVAC/R Training Center; highest 10-year earnings: Divers Institute of Technology; lowest net price among large campuses: Northwest Indian College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Washington?
Among 102 campuses in Washington, 1 tribal college (IPEDS TRIBAL flag), including Northwest Indian College; 12 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Big Bend Community College, City University of Seattle, and Paul Mitchell the School-Richland; 11 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (3), Assemblies of God Church (2), Presbyterian (2).
How does Washington compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Washington is in the Far West region. Regional median net price is $14,386 and median 10-year earnings are $38,498 vs $11,010 net price and $43,499 earnings in Washington.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Washington college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON