Articles

Trades Schools: 5 Of The Top in the United States

date posted

09/17/23

read time

6 Mins

group of students attending one of the top trade schools

Trades schools are among the best investments you can make in your life. Aside from earning a new skill, the trades are among the most employable fields in the USA. Whether you’re a trained, hvac technician, plumber, electrician, or technician, there will always be demand for your line of work somewhere in the USA.

In fact, HVAC technicians make better money than school teachers, right out of trade school with less training.

The best way to get into the trades is to attend one of the top trade schools. Here, you can learn all the information and skills you need to perform your job to the best of your abilities. Let’s go through the 5 top trades schools in the USA.

Lancaster County Career and Technology Center

The Lancaster County Career and Technology Center (LCCTC) is a trades school and technical college. They focus on giving their students the best opportunity to find work in their chosen field. LCCTC has many programs for trades students, including HVAC technician certification.

LCCTC offers a wide selection of programs, from heavy equipment operating licenses to welding and manufacturing certifications. Although these are not the most popular trade programs, they are among the most in-demand in the job market.

Key Factors

  • Location: Lancaster County, PA
  • Average Tuition: $10,699 per year
  • Median Graduate Salary: $37,000
  • Graduation Rate: 84%
  • Public School
student working at one of the top trade schools

North Central Kansas Technical College

North Central Kansas Technical College (NCK Tech) offers its students a healthy mix of programs. Whether you’re looking to get into the classic trades fields, like plumbing or carpentry, or you’re interested in the medical field, NCK Tech has all the courses you need to graduate with employable skills.

NCK Tech is among the best-regarded trades schools in the central region of the country. From in-demand trades, like elevator or equipment repairs, to niche fields, like agricultural equipment technician, NCK Tech offers their students the ability to get certified with a respected institution. 

Key Factors

  • Location: Beloit and Hays, KS
  • Average Tuition: $12,285 per year
  • Median Graduate Salary: $34,200
  • Graduation Rate: 63%
  • Public College

Lake Area Technical Institute

Lake Area Technical Institute is a specialized trades school in South Dakota. They offer 30 programs to their students. Some of their most popular programs include aviation maintenance, diesel engine mechanics, and precision machining programs. 

Lake Area Technical Institute prides itself on being a major part of the community in Watertown, South Dakota. Including those who went back to school, 99% of Lake Area Tech graduates are working or in school within a year whether they name and start their own company, or work for someone else. Most of the graduates stay to work in South Dakota, meaning Lake Area Tech is a community-orientated institution. 

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Key Factors

  • Location: Watertown, SD
  • Average Price: $13,437 per year
  • Median Graduate Salary: $42,210
  • Graduation Rate: 68%
  • Public Institute

Lakeshore Technical College

Lakeshore Technical College (LTC) is a leader in the new trades fields, such as robotics technicians and wind energy technicians. These programs have identifiable job prospects when completed, such as wind turbine repair operators. 

LTC not only offers trades programs, but it also offers apprenticeships. Apprenticeships can be an excellent way to improve the skills you learned at a post-secondary institution. With a worthwhile apprenticeship, you’ll be out on a job site with all the needed skills in no time!

Key Factors

  • Location: Cleveland, WI
  • Average Tuition: $11,286 per year
  • Median Graduate Salary: $37,371
  • Graduation Rate: 48%
  • Public College
training at top ttrade schools

Bates Technical College

Although they may not have the greatest graduation rate, Bates Technical College (BTC) makes up for that with its affordable prices. With an average yearly tuition of less than $5,000, BTC is among the most affordable trades schools you could attend in the entire country. 

Aside from getting an inexpensive education, BTC offers top-of-the-line programs like heavy equipment technology, HVAC and refrigeration technician, and electrical construction. Not only are these enjoyable fields, but they’re also highly sought after in the working world.

Key Factors

  • Location: Tacoma, WA
  • Average Tuition: $4,906 per year
  • Median Graduate Salary: $41,212
  • Graduation Rate: 34%
  • Public College
HVAC technicians training at trade school, ac unit

Top Trade Schools Summary

You can find trades schools all around the country, but not every school is the same. Some schools specialize in trades like carpentry or plumbing, while others focus on newer skill sets, like aviation repair or robotics technology. 

No matter what field you’re looking to enter, there are trades schools out there for you. Now that you know the top schools around the country, you can start looking into the application process for each!

Trade schools are no longer the wallflowers of the education prom – they’re the life of the party! While everyone’s chasing traditional college dreams, savvy folks are sliding into trade schools, winking at success.

  • Instantly Employable Skills? Check!: Ever heard someone say, “I studied quantum physics, now I sell novelty socks”? With trade schools, the skills you acquire are not only bankable but urgently needed!
  • Save Those Bucks, Honey: Remember your cousin drowning in college debt while trying to buy a latte? Trade schools won’t break the bank. You get quality education at a fraction of the cost and can splurge on those extra coffee shots. ☕

Apprenticeships: The Secret Sauce of Super Tradespeople

Ever dreamt of being the superhero in a cape, saving the world one plumbing disaster at a time? Well, snap out of it, because capes are so last season. Instead, get yourself an apprenticeship!

  • Real-World Pow-Wow: Theory’s cool, but hands-on experience? That’s the real deal! With apprenticeships, you’re diving headfirst into the action.
  • Networking, Baby!: Rub elbows (and maybe swap some cool tool tips) with industry professionals. Who knows, you might just find your future employer over a casual drill chat! ️

Future-Proof Your Career with Tomorrow’s Trades

Remember the time when people thought the earth was flat? (Well, some still do, but we won’t talk about them). Point is, times change, and with it, trades. Get ahead of the curve!

  • Eco-Warriors Needed: As the world turns green, so should your skills. Dive into renewable energy and leave coal in the dust.
  • Drone Whisperers: The sky’s not the limit, it’s the job market! Master drone maintenance and have your career soaring high.
  • Tech and Trade: The New PB&J: They’re better together. Merging tech skills with traditional trades? Now, that’s a sandwich of success. (For instance people work at Hook Agency serving the trades working with A.I. and SEO.)
Trade schools top best for 2024

Trade School Myth-Busting Time!

Think trade schools are all about dirt and grime? Think again, Sherlock! Trade schools are evolving faster than your aunt’s weird casserole recipes.

  • Robotics Renaissance: Dive into a world where robots are your BFFs, and the language of the future is binary.
  • Not Just Tools and Trucks: From virtual reality to laser tech, trade schools are riding the cutting-edge wave.

Why follow the herd when you can lead the parade?

Trade schools are the hidden gems of the education world. Get the skills, dodge the debt, and strut into a job market hungry for your expertise. All aboard!

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