Best 500 Trade Schools: Top 10 Trade Schools by State for 2024

Trade schools are making a comeback.

For decades, a four-year college degree was synonymous with success.

In today’s ever-changing world, that is no longer the case.

Many high-paying careers are based on training from trade schools.

With this in mind…

Here are the top 500 trade schools in the U.S.

(Top 10 from each state).

Methodology Get Ranking Seal

Alabama

	Rank	School
	#1	Reid State Technical College
	#2	Wallace Community College
	#3	University Academy-Hair Design
	#4	Northeast Alabama Community College
	#5	New Beginning College of Cosmetology
	#6	Ross Medical Education Center
	#7	Enterprise State Community College
	#8	Montgomery Dental Assistant School
	#9	Birmingham Dental Assistant School
	#10	Huntsville Dental Assistant School

Alaska

	Rank	School
	#1	Mat-Su Career & Tech High School
	#2	Hair Science Barber Shop and Barber School
	#3	UAA School of Nursing
	#4	Galena Interior Learning Academy
	#5	Highland Academy Charter School
	#6	King Tech High School
	#7	Rilke Schule German School of Arts and Sciences
	#8	Alaska Laborers Training School
	#9	East Anchorage High School
	#10	AVTEC, Alaska's Institute of Technology

Arizona

	Rank	School
	#1	CRAS - Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences
	#2	CollegeAmerica
	#3	Pima Medical Institute - East Valley
	#4	The Refrigeration School, Inc.
	#5	Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery
	#6	Chamberlain University College of Nursing
	#7	Arizona Automotive Institute
	#8	Allen School of Health Sciences
	#9	Star Canyon School of Nursing
	#10	GateWay Community College-Washington Campus

Arkansas

	Rank	School
	#1	Ultimate Technical Academy
	#2	National Park College
	#3	Northwest Technical Institute
	#4	ARKANSAS ELITE WELDING ACADEMY, LLC
	#5	Career Academy of Hair Design
	#6	LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL OF DENTAL ASSISTING
	#7	Arkansas Construction Education Foundation
	#8	Baptist Health College Little Rock
	#9	Arkansas Northeastern College
	#10	Black River Technical College

California

	Rank	School
	#1	Southern California Health Institute
	#2	CBD College
	#3	Cal-Trade Welding Schools
	#4	Blake Austin College
	#5	West Coast Ultrasound Institute
	#6	California Career School
	#7	Annenberg School of Nursing
	#8	Integrity College of Health
	#9	American Career College
	#10	AMSC Medical College

Colorado

	Rank	School
	#1	Colorado School of Trades
	#2	National American University Colorado Springs
	#3	Emily Griffith High School
	#4	Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology
	#5	CollegeAmerica
	#6	Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts
	#7	Concorde Career College - Aurora
	#8	Power Technical (PTEC)
	#9	IBMC College Fort Collins
	#10	Pima Medical Institute - Aurora

Connecticut

	Rank	School
	#1	Porter & Chester Institute– Stratford, CT
	#2	Branford Hall Career Institute (Branford, CT)
	#3	A.I. Prince Technical High School
	#4	Eli Whitney Technical High School
	#5	Bristol Technical Educ Center
	#6	Bullard-Havens Technical High School
	#7	Oliver Wolcott Technical High School
	#8	Platt Technical High School
	#9	Windham Technical School
	#10	Lincoln Technical Institute

Delaware

	Rank	School
	#1	Delaware Skills Center
	#2	Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School
	#3	Delcastle Technical High School
	#4	Howard High School of Technology
	#5	St Georges Technical High School
	#6	Sussex Tech High School
	#7	Southern Delaware School of the Arts
	#8	Polytech High School
	#9	Delaware County Technical High School - Aston
	#10	Cecil County School of Technology

Florida

	Rank	School
	#1	Southern Technical College Orlando
	#2	Tulsa Welding School - Jacksonville
	#3	DAVE School
	#4	HiTEC Campus-Aparicio-Levy Technical Center
	#5	McFatter Technical College and High School
	#6	Fortis Institute
	#7	Florida Vocational Institute
	#8	Erwin Technical College
	#9	South Florida Institute of Technology
	#10	City College Hollywood

Georgia

	Rank	School
	#1	Georgia Trade School
	#2	Columbus Technical College
	#3	Atlanta Technical College
	#4	Georgia Piedmont Technical College
	#5	Lincoln College of Technology
	#6	Fortis College
	#7	South Georgia Technical College
	#8	Augusta Technical College
	#9	North Georgia Technical College
	#10	Heavy Equipment Colleges of America

Hawaii

	Rank	School
	#1	Travel Institute-The Pacific
	#2	Hawaii Laborers' Apprenticeship & Training
	#3	Hawaii Job Corps Center
	#4	HDAA Hawaii Dental Assisting Academy
	#5	Hawaii Medical Training
	#6	Mauna Loa Helicopters
	#7	PCATT - Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training
	#8	Vitousek Real Estate Schools
	#9	Aviation Academy Hawaii
	#10	Hawaiʻi Community College

Idaho

	Rank	School
	#1	College of Western Idaho: Nampa Campus Multipurpose Building
	#2	BoiseCodeWorks
	#3	North Idaho College Parker Technical Education Center
	#4	Lewis-Clark State College
	#5	American Institute of Clinical Massage
	#6	Vogue Beauty College & Salon
	#7	College of Southern Idaho
	#8	Idaho School of Massage Therapy
	#9	Real Estate Academy of Idaho
	#10	SAGE Tech Truck Driving School and CDL Training

Illinois

	Rank	School
	#1	Coyne College
	#2	HVAC Technical Institute
	#3	West Chicago Professional Center
	#4	CALC, Institute of Technology
	#5	Illinois Dental Careers
	#6	Bell Mar Beauty College
	#7	Dental Assistant Academy of Chicago
	#8	Symbol Training Institute
	#9	Indian Valley Vocational Center
	#10	Midwest Technical Institute

Indiana

	Rank	School
	#1	J Everett Light Career Center
	#2	Indianapolis Dental Assistant School
	#3	Indianapolis Electrical JATC
	#4	Ross Medical Education Center
	#5	Central Nine Career Center
	#6	Aveda Fredric's Institute
	#7	South Bend Dental Assistant School
	#8	Knox Beauty College
	#9	MyComputerCareer
	#10	Southern Indiana Career & Technical Center

Iowa

	Rank	School
	#1	Southwestern Community College
	#2	St. Luke's College - UnityPoint Health
	#3	Hawkeye Community College Main Campus
	#4	Northwest Iowa Community College
	#5	Marshalltown Community College
	#6	Iowa Lakes Community college
	#7	Aveda Institute Des Moines
	#8	Siouxland Pipe Welding School
	#9	Iowa School of Beauty
	#10	Allen College

Kansas

	Rank	School
	#1	Flint Hills Technical College
	#2	Wichita Technical Institute
	#3	Washburn Institute of Technology
	#4	Johnson County Community College
	#5	The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center
	#6	Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship Training of Kansas
	#7	Wichita Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee
	#8	WSU Tech
	#9	NCK Technical College
	#10	Seward County Community College

Kentucky

	Rank	School
	#1	Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
	#2	College for Technical Education Cosmetology
	#3	ATA College
	#4	Knight School Of Welding
	#5	Bluegrass Community & Technical College - Newtown Campus
	#6	Medical Career & Technical College
	#7	Kentucky School of Phlebotomy
	#8	Lexington Healing Arts Academy
	#9	Southeastern School of Electrology
	#10	MBA USA, Inc.

Louisiana

	Rank	School
	#1	Remington College - Lafayette Campus
	#2	Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College
	#3	Baton Rouge Dental Assistant Academy
	#4	Blue Cliff College - Houma
	#5	New Orleans Dental Assistant School
	#6	River Parishes Community College Reserve Campus
	#7	Stevenson's Academy-Hair Design
	#8	Denham Springs Beauty College
	#9	SOWELA Technical Community College
	#10	Compass Career College

Maine

	Rank	School
	#1	Northeast Technical Institute
	#2	The Landing School of Boat Building and Design
	#3	Spa Tech Institute
	#4	Region 10 Technical High School
	#5	Sanford Regional Technical Center
	#6	Kennebec Valley Community College
	#7	Waldo County Technical Center
	#8	Tri-County Technical Center
	#9	Hancock County Technical Center
	#10	Heavy Construction Academy

Maryland

	Rank	School
	#1	North American Trade Schools
	#2	Worcester Technical High School
	#3	Frederick School of Cosmetology
	#4	Fomen Nursing Assistant Training Academy
	#5	Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) Hagerstown Campus - School for Aviation Maintenance
	#6	Lincoln Culinary Institute
	#7	Purdue University Global - Hagerstown, Maryland
	#8	Stratford University
	#9	The Temple - A Paul Mitchell Partner School
	#10	Aveda Institute Maryland

Massachusetts

	Rank	School
	#1	MTTI
	#2	Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School
	#3	Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School
	#4	Shawsheen Valley Technical High School
	#5	Millennium Training Institute
	#6	Franklin County Technical School
	#7	DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology
	#8	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School
	#9	Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
	#10	North Bennet Street School

Michigan

	Rank	School
	#1	Northwestern Technological Institute
	#2	Greater Michigan Construction Academy
	#3	Michigan Laborers Training and Apprenticeship Institute
	#4	Southeast Michigan Construction Academy
	#5	Electrical Industry Training
	#6	Ann Arbor Electrical Training
	#7	Kent Career Technical Center
	#8	Health Care Solutions and Career Group
	#9	RMTC
	#10	MAMC (Michigan Advanced Manufacturing Collaboration)

Minnesota

	Rank	School
	#1	Anoka Technical College
	#2	Pine Technical & Community College
	#3	Ridgewater College
	#4	Hibbing Community College
	#5	Lake Superior College
	#6	Dakota County Technical College
	#7	Minnesota State College Southeast, Red Wing Campus
	#8	Alexandria Technical & Community College
	#9	Summit Academy OIC
	#10	Hennepin Technical College

Mississippi

	Rank	School
	#1	Antonelli College
	#2	Foster's Cosmetology College
	#3	Traxler's School of Hair
	#4	Mississippi College of Beauty
	#5	Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy
	#6	Leake County Career & Technical Center
	#7	Career Development Center
	#8	Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
	#9	East Mississippi Community College
	#10	Concorde Career College - Southaven

Missouri

	Rank	School
	#1	State Technical College of Missouri
	#2	Texas County Technical College
	#3	Hillyard Technical Center
	#4	Cass Career Center
	#5	Pike-Lincoln Technical Center
	#6	Grand River Technical School
	#7	South County Technical School
	#8	WellSpring School of Allied Health
	#9	Crider's Institute of Welding Technology
	#10	American College of Hair Design

Montana

	Rank	School
	#1	Montana Tech
	#2	Montana Horseman Saddle Building School
	#3	Advanced Taxidermy Training Center of NW Montana
	#4	Montana Beauty Institute
	#5	Sage Truck Driving School
	#6	(MOLLI) Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Montana
	#7	Mossmain College of Massage
	#8	Montana Academy of Salons
	#9	Pima Medical Institute - Dillon
	#10	Flathead Valley Community College

Nebraska

	Rank	School
	#1	Providence Health Career Institute
	#2	Universal College of Healing Arts
	#3	Heartland Dental Assisting
	#4	Capitol School of Hairstyling & Esthetics
	#5	Omaha School of Massage Therapy
	#6	Joseph's College Cosmetology - Grand Island Campus
	#7	Aviation Institute UNO
	#8	UNMC College of Nursing
	#9	JTL Truck Driver Training
	#10	Xenon Academy

Nevada

	Rank	School
	#1	Northwest Career College
	#2	National Technical Institute HVAC Training
	#3	Electrical JATC
	#4	Career College of Northern Nevada
	#5	American Contractors Institute Inc
	#6	East Career Technical Academy
	#7	Film Connection Film Institute
	#8	European Massage Therapy School
	#9	West Career & Technical Academy
	#10	Northwest Career & Technical Academy

New Hampshire

	Rank	School
	#1	The New Hampshire School of Mechanical Trades
	#2	Empire Beauty Schools
	#3	Seacoast School of Technology
	#4	Keene Beauty Academy
	#5	Continental Academie of Hair Design
	#6	Heavy Construction Academy
	#7	NHTI-Concord's Community College
	#8	University of New Hampshire
	#9	Master Bartenders School
	#10	North Eastern Institute of Whole Health, Inc.

New Jersey

	Rank	School
	#1	American Institute - Clifton
	#2	Lincoln Technical Institute
	#3	Bergen County Technical School - Teterboro
	#4	Central Career School
	#5	Eastwick College - Ramsey
	#6	Ocean County Vocational-Technical Schools
	#7	Divers Academy International
	#8	Essex County Vocational School
	#9	Jolie Health and Beauty Academy
	#10	Connecticut School of Broadcasting - Hasbrouck Heights NJ

New Mexico

	Rank	School
	#1	San Juan College
	#2	Massage Therapy Training Institute
	#3	Navajo Technical University
	#4	New Mexico State University Carlsbad
	#5	Digital Arts & Technology Academy
	#6	Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso
	#7	Vertical Limit Aviation
	#8	Western New Mexico University
	#9	Del Sol Aviation
	#10	UNM College of Nursing

New York

	Rank	School
	#1	Dwight School
	#2	Apex Technical School
	#3	Lincoln Technical Institute
	#4	Ace Institute of Technology
	#5	School of Cooperative Technical Education
	#6	Hunter Business School - Levittown Campus
	#7	Nassau BOCES Adult Career & Technical Education
	#8	Career School of NY - Cosmetology, Esthetics, Medical Assistant with Internship, and Pharmacy Tech
	#9	The Electrical Training Center Inc
	#10	Film Connection Film Institute

North Carolina

	Rank	School
	#1	Carolinas Electrical Training Institute (CETI)
	#2	Alamance Community College
	#3	Wake Technical Community Clg
	#4	Charlotte Diesel School
	#5	Guilford Technical Community College
	#6	Beyond Measure Barbering Institute
	#7	Carolina School of Broadcasting
	#8	Charlotte Dental Assistant School
	#9	Lenoir Community College
	#10	Carolinas College of Health Sciences

North Dakota

	Rank	School
	#1	Lynnes Welding Training, Inc. - Bismarck, ND
	#2	NDSCS-Fargo
	#3	Moler Barber College of Hair
	#4	Lake Region State College
	#5	Dakota College at Bottineau
	#6	University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences
	#7	Williston State College
	#8	The Salon Professional Academy Fargo
	#9	BSC National Energy Center of Excellence
	#10	Valley City State University

Ohio

	Rank	School
	#1	Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools
	#2	Cuyahoga Valley Career Center
	#3	Collins Career Technical Center
	#4	Delaware Area Career Center South Campus
	#5	Choffin Career & Technical Center
	#6	Central Ohio Technical College Knox Campus
	#7	Penta Career Center
	#8	Portage Lakes Career Center
	#9	Tolles Career & Technical Center
	#10	Columbiana County Career and Technical Center

Oklahoma

	Rank	School
	#1	Francis Tuttle Technology Center
	#2	Western Oklahoma Electrical JATC
	#3	Oklahoma School Of Welding
	#4	Moore Norman Tech Center - Norman Campus
	#5	Canadian Valley Technology Center - Cowan Campus
	#6	MedNoc Training College: CNA, CMA, HHA MAT, BLS Phlebotomy Tech, Pharmacy Tech, Medical Assistant
	#7	Heavy Equipment Colleges of America
	#8	Mid-Del Technology Center
	#9	Oklahoma City Dental Assistant School - Midwest City
	#10	Green Country Technology Center

Oregon

	Rank	School
	#1	Southwestern Oregon Community College
	#2	Film Connection Film Institute
	#3	Oregon Institute of Technology
	#4	United Bicycle Institute
	#5	Norman F. Webb Real Estate Courses
	#6	Pioneer Pacific College - Springfield
	#7	NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center
	#8	Central Oregon Community College - Redmond Campus
	#9	Oregon Tradeswomen Inc
	#10	National Personal Training Institute

Pennsylvania

	Rank	School
	#1	Williamson College of the Trades
	#2	Technical College High School Brandywine Campus (TCHS B)
	#3	Pennsylvania College of Technology
	#4	Penn Commercial Business/Technical School
	#5	Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA)
	#6	Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
	#7	New Castle School of Trades Satellite Location
	#8	Rosedale Technical College
	#9	Welder Training & Testing Institute
	#10	Mid-Atlantic Carpenters' Training Center

Rhode Island

	Rank	School
	#1	IYRS School of Technology and Trades
	#2	E. Providence Area Career and Technical Center
	#3	Warwick Area Career and Technical Center
	#4	Illustration Studies Building
	#5	Rob Roy Academy
	#6	Massage Therapy at CCRI
	#7	School One
	#8	Alex and Ani Hall
	#9	Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
	#10	The Met East Bay School

South Carolina

	Rank	School
	#1	York Technical College-Truck Driver Training
	#2	Arclabs Welding School
	#3	Piedmont Technical College
	#4	Academy of Hair Technology
	#5	Williamsburg Technical College
	#6	Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology
	#7	Cosmetic Arts Institute
	#8	Industrial Technology Center
	#9	Florence-Darlington Technical College
	#10	Greenville Technical College Buck Mickel Center

South Dakota

	Rank	School
	#1	Western Dakota Tech
	#2	Mitchell Technical Institute
	#3	Mount Marty College
	#4	University of Sioux Falls
	#5	Springs Bath House School of Massage Therapy
	#6	Dakota State University
	#7	University of South Dakota
	#8	South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
	#9	Hot Rod Institute
	#10	Lake Area Technical Institute

Tennessee

	Rank	School
	#1	Nashville Technical School
	#2	SAE Institute of Technology Nashville
	#3	Total Tech LLC
	#4	Moore Tech School of Welding
	#5	North Central Institute
	#6	Fortis Institute
	#7	Ross Medical Education Center
	#8	Genesis Career College
	#9	Film Connection Film Institute
	#10	Franklin Academy

Texas

	Rank	School
	#1	Southern Careers Institute Corpus Christi
	#2	Tulsa Welding School
	#3	South Texas Vocational Technical Institute
	#4	The College of Health Care Professions
	#5	School of Automotive Machinists & Technology
	#6	CCI Training Center
	#7	Dallas Dental Assistant School - Uptown
	#8	Texas State Technical College
	#9	Arclabs Welding School
	#10	Ogle School of Hair, Skin, & Nails - Arlington

Utah

	Rank	School
	#1	Ogden-Weber Technical College
	#2	Fortis College
	#3	Dixie Technical College
	#4	Bridgerland Technical College
	#5	Granite Technical Institute (GTI)
	#6	Violin Making School of America LLC
	#7	Avalon School of Cosmetology: Layton
	#8	Acaydia Spa and School of Aesthetics
	#9	Uintah Basin Applied Technology College
	#10	American Beauty Academy

Vermont

	Rank	School
	#1	Green Mountain Technology and Career Center
	#2	Advanced Welding Institute
	#3	Center for Technology, Essex
	#4	Central Vermont Career Center
	#5	Vermont Technical College
	#6	Southwest Vermont Career Development Center
	#7	Vermont Flight Academy
	#8	O'Briens Aveda Institute
	#9	Stafford Technical Center
	#10	River Bend Career and Technical Center

Virginia

	Rank	School
	#1	Apprentice School
	#2	The Chrysm Institute of Esthetics
	#3	Fortis College
	#4	Job Corps Outreach & Admissions Office
	#5	Byers Technical Institute
	#6	Virginia Keys School
	#7	Jatcneca: IBEW Local
	#8	Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage
	#9	Institute of Advanced Medical Esthetics
	#10	Southside Va Truck Driving

Washington

	Rank	School
	#1	Seattle Vocational Institute
	#2	Renton Technical College
	#3	Perry Technical Institute
	#4	Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding
	#5	Cascadia Technical Academy
	#6	Northwest HVAC/R Association Training Center
	#7	Divers Institute of Technology
	#8	Lake Washington Technical College: Continuing Education
	#9	Everett Community College Aviation Maintenance Technology
	#10	J Kinlow School of Barbering & Cosmetology

West Virginia

	Rank	School
	#1	Pierpont Community & Technical College
	#2	Carver Career and Technical Education Center
	#3	Ben Franklin Career Center
	#4	Monongalia County Technical Education Center
	#5	Fred W Eberle Technical Center
	#6	James Rumsey Technical Institute
	#7	Putnam Career & Technical Center
	#8	Ross Medical Education Center
	#9	Garnet Career Center
	#10	Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College

Wisconsin

	Rank	School
	#1	Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
	#2	Fox Valley Technical College
	#3	WI NECA-IBEW Electrical Apprenticeship & Training
	#4	Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
	#5	Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College - Rice Lake
	#6	Gateway Technical College
	#7	Northcentral Technical College - Medford Campus
	#8	Black Hawk Technical College
	#9	Chippewa Valley Technical College - Manufacturing Education Center
	#10	Western Technical College

Wyoming

	Rank	School
	#1	Gillette College Technical Education Center
	#2	Western Wyoming Community College
	#3	Cheeks Beauty Academy
	#4	WCA Regional Training Center
	#5	Array
	#6	CWC Professional and Technical Center
	#7	Eastern Wyoming College
	#8	Casper College
	#9	Laramie County Community College
	#10	University of Wyoming