Trade Schools in Chicago, IL
28 schools · 68 programs · Avg earnings $32,441/yr
Chicago's diverse economy, with strong sectors in healthcare, transportation, and logistics, shapes its vocational education landscape. The city's extensive hospital systems and medical facilities, including major employers like Advocate Health Care and Northwestern Medicine, create consistent demand for skilled healthcare professionals. Programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants directly address this need, preparing graduates for immediate entry into a robust job market.
Beyond healthcare, Chicago's role as a major transportation hub and a center for corporate operations supports a range of vocational pathways. The demand for efficient business practices and administrative support remains high across industries. Business Administration, Management and Operations programs align with these ongoing needs, offering essential skills for entry-level and supervisory roles within the city’s numerous businesses and organizations.
Schools
28
Programs
68
Avg Grad Earnings
$32,441/yr
Avg Score
52/100
Chicago Trade Schools Map
28 trade schools in Chicago, IL.
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
Midwestern Career College
Illinois Media School
Generations College
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College
HVAC Technical Institute
Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus
MDT College of Health Sciences
St. Augustine College
DePaul University
Larry's Barber College
Larry's Barber College
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE
Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago
Aveda Institute-Chicago
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology
Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy
Pacific College of Health and Science
Roosevelt University
National Louis University
Loyola University Chicago
Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago
All Trade Schools in Chicago
28 trade schools ranked by number of programs offered.
Top Programs in Chicago
Highest-earning trade programs by first-year graduate earnings in Chicago.
| Program | School | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Installation | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | $142,516/yr | 87 |
| Plumbing | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | $82,055/yr | 82 |
| Nursing | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | $70,086/yr | 84 |
| Allied Health Professions | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | $63,963/yr | 71 |
| Practical Nursing | MDT College of Health Sciences | $54,894/yr | 68 |
| Legal Support Services | Loyola University Chicago | $48,819/yr | 45 |
| Geography & Cartography | DePaul University | $47,464/yr | 50 |
| Finance | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | $45,261/yr | 81 |
| Allied Health Professions | Midwestern Career College | $44,964/yr | 57 |
| Business Administration | Roosevelt University | $44,510/yr | 67 |
Apprenticeships in Chicago
Programs by Category
Skilled Trades (6)
Healthcare (16)
Engineering & Technology (2)
Criminal Justice & Public Safety (1)
Personal Services (10)
Business & Office (3)
Arts & Design (1)
Family & Consumer Sciences (3)
Other Programs (26)
Skilled Trades (6 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Installation | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 87 | $142,516/yr |
| Plumbing | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 82 | $82,055/yr |
| Truck Driving & CDL | City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | 70 | $24,356/yr |
| Electrical Installation | HVAC Technical Institute | 56 | $32,208/yr |
| HVAC Technology | HVAC Technical Institute | 52 | $41,644/yr |
| Carpentry | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 47 | $17,697/yr |
Healthcare (16 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 84 | $70,086/yr |
| Practical Nursing | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 73 | $36,493/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 71 | $63,963/yr |
| Medical Assisting | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 69 | $35,140/yr |
| Practical Nursing | MDT College of Health Sciences | 68 | $54,894/yr |
| Medical Assisting | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | 66 | $40,148/yr |
| Medical Assisting | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 64 | $37,908/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | Midwestern Career College | 57 | $44,964/yr |
| Medical Assisting | Midwestern Career College | 57 | $31,998/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | Midwestern Career College | 56 | $42,091/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 56 | $28,481/yr |
| Clinical Laboratory Science | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 52 | $26,947/yr |
| Clinical Laboratory Science | Midwestern Career College | 49 | $33,466/yr |
| Massage Therapy | Pacific College of Health and Science | 41 | $21,955/yr |
| Massage Therapy | Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy | 40 | $23,044/yr |
| Massage Therapy | Pacific College of Health and Science | 32 | $17,304/yr |
Engineering & Technology (2 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Networking | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | 61 | $34,691/yr |
| Information Sciences | St. Augustine College | 54 | $30,889/yr |
Criminal Justice & Public Safety (1 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice | Generations College | 53 | $28,031/yr |
Personal Services (10 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary Arts | National Louis University | 57 | $24,786/yr |
| Culinary Arts | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 55 | $19,447/yr |
| Cosmetology | University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology | 46 | $24,468/yr |
| Cosmetology | Aveda Institute-Chicago | 45 | $22,351/yr |
| Cosmetology | Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago | 43 | $18,073/yr |
| Cosmetology | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW | 42 | $14,848/yr |
| Cosmetology | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE | 41 | $13,970/yr |
| Cosmetology | Larry's Barber College | 41 | $12,461/yr |
| Cosmetology | Larry's Barber College | 41 | $12,461/yr |
| Cosmetology | Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago | 41 | $10,607/yr |
Business & Office (3 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | 81 | $45,261/yr |
| Business Administration | Roosevelt University | 67 | $44,510/yr |
| Business Administration | Generations College | 49 | $17,776/yr |
Arts & Design (1 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film & Photography | Illinois Media School | 33 | $12,032/yr |
Family & Consumer Sciences (3 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Development & Family Studies | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | 67 | $37,381/yr |
| Human Development & Family Studies | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | 64 | $34,294/yr |
| Human Development & Family Studies | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 60 | $30,292/yr |
Other Programs (26 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 59 | $36,908/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | 51 | $31,322/yr |
| Geography & Cartography | DePaul University | 50 | $47,464/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | 50 | $33,115/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | 48 | $29,168/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 48 | $27,284/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 47 | $30,203/yr |
| Legal Support Services | Generations College | 46 | $43,061/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | 46 | $32,568/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 46 | $32,380/yr |
| Legal Support Services | Loyola University Chicago | 45 | $48,819/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | 44 | $27,451/yr |
| Public Relations & Advertising | Illinois Media School | 44 | $21,902/yr |
| Public Relations & Advertising | Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus | 44 | $21,902/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | 43 | $26,939/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | 42 | $26,130/yr |
| International Studies | DePaul University | 41 | $41,636/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 41 | $27,643/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | 40 | $24,111/yr |
| Broadcasting & Digital Media | Illinois Media School | 40 | $18,740/yr |
| Broadcasting & Digital Media | Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus | 40 | $18,740/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | 39 | $26,232/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | 38 | $19,982/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | St. Augustine College | 37 | $28,804/yr |
| Biological & Physical Sciences | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 37 | $21,207/yr |
| English | MDT College of Health Sciences | 32 | $24,304/yr |
Nearby Cities with Trade Schools
More Trade Schools in Illinois
View all trade schools in Illinois or browse all cities with trade schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trade schools are in Chicago?
There are 28 accredited trade and vocational schools in Chicago, IL, offering a total of 68 certificate and associate degree programs.
What are the best trade programs in Chicago?
The highest-earning programs in Chicago include Electrical Installation, Plumbing, Nursing, with graduates earning $142,516 or more in their first year after graduation.
Are trade schools in Chicago worth it?
Trade school programs in Chicago average $32,441 in first-year graduate earnings, with many programs offering positive ROI within the first year. Most trade careers offer strong job security due to hands-on work requirements.
About This Data
This page analyzes 68 trade and vocational programs at 28 schools in Chicago, IL using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034).
School locations shown on the map are based on official institutional addresses. Graduate earnings represent median first-year earnings for certificate and associate degree completers.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034.
Last updated 2026.