Trade school cost by state
The median average net price of trade and allied-health programs ranges from $6,453 a year in New Mexico to $28,000 in District of Columbia. The national median is $16,572. Sort the table, then open a state for the lowest-cost schools.
| # | State | Median avg net price / yr | Median program-year tuition | Median 1-yr earnings | Schools reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $6,453 | $17,828 | $34,856 | 34 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $8,392 | $13,978 | $40,806 | 12 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $8,652 | $19,260 | $38,506 | 87 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $8,746 | $6,812 | $37,998 | 44 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $9,611 | $17,800 | $49,700 | 10 |
| 6 | Mississippi | $9,666 | $16,779 | $34,388 | 32 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $10,320 | $21,960 | $44,367 | 17 |
| 8 | Arkansas | $10,548 | $17,348 | $40,063 | 50 |
| 9 | Montana | $11,016 | $16,808 | $45,274 | 21 |
| 10 | Alabama | $11,098 | $16,650 | $36,696 | 43 |
| 11 | Maine | $11,222 | $17,625 | $43,211 | 18 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $11,421 | $6,120 | $40,596 | 61 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $12,496 | $13,075 | $39,488 | 87 |
| 14 | Kansas | $13,308 | $16,594 | $44,394 | 48 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $13,501 | $19,420 | $50,995 | 19 |
| 16 | Illinois | $14,347 | $18,750 | $39,528 | 123 |
| 17 | Iowa | $14,400 | $16,900 | $43,950 | 41 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $14,674 | $18,182 | $41,524 | 46 |
| 19 | Oregon | $14,802 | $20,142 | $39,650 | 38 |
| 20 | Colorado | $14,808 | $18,950 | $40,820 | 49 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $14,909 | $16,886 | $38,986 | 57 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $14,954 | $19,850 | $46,046 | 22 |
| 23 | Virginia | $15,046 | $13,600 | $37,388 | 67 |
| 24 | Alaska | $15,096 | $11,082 | $39,970 | 8 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $15,447 | $16,450 | $45,748 | 14 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $15,512 | $16,500 | $28,886 | 76 |
| 27 | Delaware | $15,596 | $15,950 | $38,007 | 8 |
| 28 | Georgia | $15,704 | $19,260 | $38,282 | 78 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $15,822 | $17,600 | $38,132 | 42 |
| 30 | Michigan | $15,932 | $16,436 | $36,069 | 104 |
| 31 | Maryland | $16,170 | $19,650 | $39,069 | 42 |
| 32 | Missouri | $16,356 | $15,750 | $41,637 | 78 |
| 33 | New York | $16,522 | $15,500 | $40,561 | 161 |
| 34 | Idaho | $16,934 | $18,920 | $43,214 | 27 |
| 35 | Ohio | $17,041 | $16,297 | $41,757 | 153 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $17,190 | $19,200 | $38,426 | 85 |
| 37 | Arizona | $17,509 | $18,000 | $36,008 | 67 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $17,842 | $21,180 | $48,950 | 53 |
| 39 | Texas | $17,884 | $15,100 | $34,965 | 247 |
| 40 | Massachusetts | $18,056 | $14,670 | $44,471 | 54 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $18,172 | $18,490 | $41,132 | 180 |
| 42 | Utah | $18,287 | $15,000 | $32,878 | 41 |
| 43 | Indiana | $18,598 | $17,700 | $37,486 | 66 |
| 44 | Washington | $18,600 | $18,884 | $40,617 | 58 |
| 45 | Florida | $19,738 | $11,905 | $36,027 | 210 |
| 46 | Nevada | $19,758 | $19,500 | $33,634 | 25 |
| 47 | California | $22,915 | $17,895 | $36,515 | 370 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | $23,080 | $16,148 | $41,248 | 12 |
| 49 | Connecticut | $23,538 | $21,633 | $40,902 | 25 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $28,000 | $20,525 | $35,266 | 6 |
States with fewer than 5 schools reporting net price are left out of the ranking but appear in the CSV. Average net price is the College Scorecard figure for students who receive federal aid: sticker price minus grants. It is not a quote.
What these numbers mean
Net price is the best single cost number in federal data because it subtracts grants. Program-year tuition is published only by schools that charge one price per program (many private career schools). Neither includes tools, uniforms, exam fees or lost wages. Read what trade school really costs and compare cost with earnings and debt.
Use this data
Download the state cost table (CSV). You may reuse it with a link back to this page (CC BY 4.0). Suggested credit: Trade School Scoreboard, tradeschoolscoreboard.com/trade-school-cost-by-state/ (from U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard).
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.