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Best Trade Programs in California (2026)

Top 100 of 1074 programs in California · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in California, ranked by overall value. We scored 1074 programs across California trade schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $79,786/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in CA

1,074

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$79,786/yr

Avg TSW Score

84/100

#1 Program

Criminal Justice

San Diego Miramar College

Top Trade Programs in California

Top 100 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Criminal Justice San Diego Miramar College · San Diego, CA	93 89–95	$91,647/yr	Resilient	795.9x
2	Criminal Justice Santa Rosa Junior College · Santa Rosa, CA	93 89–95	$111,649/yr	Resilient	707.7x
3	Criminal Justice San Bernardino Valley College · San Bernardino, CA	93 89–95	$94,285/yr	Resilient	382.6x
4	Criminal Justice Butte College · Oroville, CA	93 88–94	$73,170/yr	Resilient	630.6x
5	Construction Management Technology Cabrillo College · Aptos, CA	88 86–88	$47,566/yr	AI-Proof	373.5x
6	Criminal Justice Moreno Valley College · Moreno Valley, CA	93 89–95	$81,339/yr	Resilient	571.8x
7	Practical Nursing Butte College · Oroville, CA	88 85–88	$65,467/yr	AI-Proof	244.0x
8	Business Administration Cerritos College · Norwalk, CA	93 87–95	$56,738/yr	Moderate	333.0x
9	Criminal Justice Yuba College · Marysville, CA	91 87–93	$62,350/yr	Resilient	551.7x
10	Practical Nursing Hartnell College · Salinas, CA	88 85–88	$63,321/yr	AI-Proof	450.0x
11	Nursing American River College · Sacramento, CA	91 85–92	$98,951/yr	Moderate	441.8x
12	Nursing Antelope Valley Community College District · Lancaster, CA	91 85–92	$89,234/yr	Moderate	465.0x
13	Nursing Bakersfield College · Bakersfield, CA	91 85–92	$86,312/yr	Moderate	314.7x
14	Nursing Butte College · Oroville, CA	91 85–92	$104,268/yr	Moderate	407.1x
15	Nursing Cabrillo College · Aptos, CA	91 85–92	$91,090/yr	Moderate	1067.5x
16	Nursing College of the Canyons · Santa Clarita, CA	91 85–92	$97,457/yr	Moderate	382.6x
17	Nursing City College of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA	91 85–92	$100,031/yr	Moderate	389.4x
18	Nursing Columbia College · Sonora, CA	91 85–92	$103,727/yr	Moderate	358.4x
19	Nursing Contra Costa College · San Pablo, CA	92 85–92	$101,064/yr	Moderate	514.9x
20	Nursing Cuesta College · San Luis Obispo, CA	91 85–92	$99,000/yr	Moderate	362.0x
21	Nursing College of the Desert · Palm Desert, CA	91 85–92	$91,848/yr	Moderate	434.2x
22	Nursing East Los Angeles College · Monterey Park, CA	91 85–92	$81,498/yr	Moderate	407.1x
23	Nursing Evergreen Valley College · San Jose, CA	91 85–92	$82,879/yr	Moderate	400.4x
24	Nursing Fresno City College · Fresno, CA	91 85–92	$91,961/yr	Moderate	364.9x
25	Nursing Golden West College · Huntington Beach, CA	91 85–92	$82,984/yr	Moderate	390.6x
26	Nursing Imperial Valley College · Imperial, CA	91 85–92	$77,226/yr	Moderate	403.3x
27	Nursing Los Angeles Harbor College · Wilmington, CA	91 85–92	$91,233/yr	Moderate	414.6x
28	Nursing Los Angeles City College · Los Angeles, CA	91 85–92	$83,699/yr	Moderate	458.9x
29	Nursing College of Marin · Kentfield, CA	91 85–92	$98,893/yr	Moderate	316.4x
30	Nursing Mendocino College · Ukiah, CA	91 85–92	$113,261/yr	Moderate	397.0x
31	Business Administration Mendocino College · Ukiah, CA	90 85–92	$49,145/yr	Moderate	148.2x
32	Nursing Merced College · Merced, CA	92 85–92	$107,024/yr	Moderate	478.7x
33	Nursing Modesto Junior College · Modesto, CA	91 85–92	$99,339/yr	Moderate	438.3x
34	Nursing Moorpark College · Moorpark, CA	91 85–92	$105,599/yr	Moderate	326.3x
35	Nursing Mt San Antonio College · Walnut, CA	91 85–92	$92,486/yr	Moderate	358.1x
36	Nursing Mt San Jacinto Community College District · San Jacinto, CA	91 85–92	$92,087/yr	Moderate	326.5x
37	Nursing Pasadena City College · Pasadena, CA	91 85–92	$90,156/yr	Moderate	427.1x
38	Nursing Santa Ana College · Santa Ana, CA	91 85–92	$98,493/yr	Moderate	382.5x
39	Nursing College of the Redwoods · Eureka, CA	91 85–92	$98,703/yr	Moderate	438.5x
40	Nursing Rio Hondo College · Whittier, CA	91 85–92	$95,666/yr	Moderate	390.7x
41	Nursing Riverside City College · Riverside, CA	91 85–92	$89,869/yr	Moderate	378.4x
42	Nursing Sacramento City College · Sacramento, CA	92 85–92	$100,622/yr	Moderate	503.6x
43	Nursing San Joaquin Delta College · Stockton, CA	91 85–92	$97,843/yr	Moderate	378.8x
44	Nursing Santa Barbara City College · Santa Barbara, CA	91 85–92	$101,955/yr	Moderate	428.7x
45	Nursing Santa Rosa Junior College · Santa Rosa, CA	92 85–92	$100,800/yr	Moderate	499.0x
46	Nursing College of the Sequoias · Visalia, CA	91 85–92	$98,926/yr	Moderate	344.3x
47	Nursing Shasta College · Redding, CA	91 85–92	$99,544/yr	Moderate	482.6x
48	Nursing College of the Siskiyous · Weed, CA	91 85–92	$92,905/yr	Moderate	308.7x
49	Nursing Ventura College · Ventura, CA	91 85–92	$99,778/yr	Moderate	354.9x
50	Nursing Victor Valley College · Victorville, CA	91 85–92	$91,138/yr	Moderate	375.4x
51	Nursing Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	91 85–92	$99,984/yr	Moderate	395.5x
52	Nursing Yuba College · Marysville, CA	92 85–92	$117,283/yr	Moderate	587.7x
53	Nursing Lemoore College · Lemoore, CA	91 85–92	$99,992/yr	Moderate	396.8x
54	Business Administration San Bernardino Valley College · San Bernardino, CA	89 83–91	$44,999/yr	Moderate	193.5x
55	Vehicle Repair Technology West Los Angeles College · Culver City, CA	83 81–84	$65,978/yr	AI-Proof	531.9x
56	Practical Nursing Merced College · Merced, CA	83 81–84	$47,114/yr	AI-Proof	196.3x
57	Business Administration San Diego Mesa College · San Diego, CA	88 81–90	$40,642/yr	Moderate	242.0x
58	Health Administration Santa Barbara City College · Santa Barbara, CA	88 81–90	$47,046/yr	Moderate	380.2x
59	Health Administration Santa Barbara City College · Santa Barbara, CA	87 81–90	$48,712/yr	Moderate	196.4x
60	Practical Nursing Unitek College · Fremont, CA	72 69–72	$72,368/yr	AI-Proof	—
61	Electrical Installation Los Angeles Trade Technical College · Los Angeles, CA	82 79–83	$50,745/yr	AI-Proof	550.6x
62	Practical Nursing North-West College-Van Nuys · Van Nuys, CA	70 68–71	$62,356/yr	AI-Proof	—
63	Medical Assisting College of the Sequoias · Visalia, CA	84 80–84	$57,242/yr	Resilient	224.5x
64	Vehicle Repair Technology Victor Valley College · Victorville, CA	80 78–80	$49,729/yr	AI-Proof	348.0x
65	Practical Nursing Carrington College-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA	71 68–71	$65,035/yr	AI-Proof	—
66	Practical Nursing Carrington College-San Jose · San Jose, CA	71 68–71	$65,035/yr	AI-Proof	—
67	Practical Nursing Unitek College · Fremont, CA	70 68–71	$61,838/yr	AI-Proof	—
68	Practical Nursing Medical Allied Career Center · Santa Fe Springs, CA	71 68–71	$65,387/yr	AI-Proof	—
69	Practical Nursing Unitek College · South San Francisco, CA	71 68–71	$66,221/yr	AI-Proof	—
70	Practical Nursing Unitek College · Hayward, CA	71 68–71	$66,221/yr	AI-Proof	—
71	Ground Transportation Advanced Career Institute · Visalia, CA	69 67–69	$38,651/yr	AI-Proof	—
72	Nursing American Career College-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA	74 68–75	$105,516/yr	Moderate	—
73	Practical Nursing American Career College-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA	70 67–70	$60,281/yr	AI-Proof	—
74	Accounting Cabrillo College · Aptos, CA	87 80–90	$57,294/yr	Exposed	365.5x
75	Nursing Glendale Career College · Glendale, CA	74 68–75	$100,874/yr	Moderate	—
76	Nursing Glendale Career College · Glendale, CA	74 68–75	$96,185/yr	Moderate	—
77	Practical Nursing Glendale Career College · Glendale, CA	70 67–70	$59,140/yr	AI-Proof	—
78	Nursing Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health · Los Angeles, CA	74 68–74	$89,536/yr	Moderate	—
79	Practical Nursing Concorde Career College-San Diego · San Diego, CA	70 68–71	$60,979/yr	AI-Proof	—
80	Precision Metalworking Santa Ana College · Santa Ana, CA	74 72–74	$45,864/yr	AI-Proof	387.7x
81	Nursing San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia · Visalia, CA	74 68–75	$97,011/yr	Moderate	—
82	Practical Nursing Charles A Jones Career and Education Center · Sacramento, CA	70 67–70	$60,282/yr	AI-Proof	—
83	Practical Nursing Concorde Career College-North Hollywood · North Hollywood, CA	69 67–70	$56,444/yr	AI-Proof	—
84	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$71,517/yr	Resilient	510.1x
85	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$72,116/yr	Resilient	259.5x
86	Nursing Carrington College-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA	74 68–75	$104,423/yr	Moderate	—
87	Practical Nursing Carrington College-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA	70 67–70	$60,778/yr	AI-Proof	—
88	Practical Nursing Marian Health Careers Center-Los Angeles Campus · Los Angeles, CA	70 67–70	$58,726/yr	AI-Proof	—
89	Practical Nursing Pacific College · Costa Mesa, CA	70 67–70	$59,213/yr	AI-Proof	—
90	Nursing Career Networks Institute · Santa Ana, CA	74 68–75	$93,384/yr	Moderate	—
91	Practical Nursing Carrington College-San Jose · San Jose, CA	70 67–70	$60,778/yr	AI-Proof	—
92	Practical Nursing American Career College-Anaheim · Anaheim, CA	70 67–70	$60,281/yr	AI-Proof	—
93	Nursing San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario · Ontario, CA	74 68–75	$97,011/yr	Moderate	—
94	Nursing Stanbridge University · Irvine, CA	74 68–74	$90,853/yr	Moderate	—
95	Practical Nursing Stanbridge University · Irvine, CA	69 67–70	$57,359/yr	AI-Proof	—
96	Nursing California Career College · Canoga Park, CA	74 68–75	$98,486/yr	Moderate	—
97	Mental Health Services Lemoore College · Lemoore, CA	85 80–86	$69,125/yr	Resilient	498.5x
98	Mental Health Services Lemoore College · Lemoore, CA	85 80–85	$71,182/yr	Resilient	256.2x
99	Practical Nursing Career Development Institute Inc · Los Angeles, CA	69 67–70	$56,099/yr	AI-Proof	—
100	Practical Nursing The Chicago School at Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA	69 68–69	$59,039/yr	AI-Proof	28.5x

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 trade programs at California schools, drawn from 1074 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI.

Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best trade program in California?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Criminal Justice at San Diego Miramar College ranks #1 in California with a score of 93/100 and graduate earnings of $91,647/yr.

How many trade programs are in California?

Our database includes 1074 trade programs across California schools with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.