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Best Trade Programs in Connecticut (2026)

Top 87 of 87 programs in Connecticut · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in Connecticut, ranked by overall value. We scored 87 programs across Connecticut trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $38,159/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in CT

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$38,159/yr

Avg TSW Score

56/100

#1 Program

Nursing

Connecticut State Community College

Top Trade Programs in Connecticut

Top 87 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Nursing Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	85 79–86	$76,364/yr	86.8x
2	Business Administration Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	77 73–79	$46,393/yr	46.6x
3	Truck Driving & CDL New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Connecticut · Somers, CT	71 69–71	$43,172/yr	—
4	Truck Driving & CDL New England Tractor Trailer Training School of CT-Bridgeport · Bridgeport, CT	71 69–71	$43,172/yr	—
5	Practical Nursing Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	71 71–72	$55,837/yr	38.1x
6	Practical Nursing Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	70 70–71	$53,457/yr	38.1x
7	Business Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	72 66–75	$37,152/yr	45.5x
8	Practical Nursing Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	68 66–69	$52,233/yr	—
9	Practical Nursing Lincoln Technical Institute-Shelton · Shelton, CT	68 66–69	$52,233/yr	—
10	Welding & Metalworking Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	67 65–69	$41,378/yr	104.3x
11	Nursing Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	71 65–71	$79,227/yr	19.3x
12	Allied Health Professions Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	79 75–79	$76,553/yr	149.3x
13	Business Administration Post University · Waterbury, CT	71 65–73	$52,463/yr	17.6x
14	Allied Health Professions Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	71 67–72	$65,724/yr	73.3x
15	Accounting Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	70 63–73	$42,591/yr	50.2x
16	Criminal Justice Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	66 59–69	$31,345/yr	46.2x
17	Medical Assisting Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	67 62–67	$40,439/yr	48.4x
18	Nursing Sacred Heart University · Fairfield, CT	67 61–68	$84,899/yr	7.8x
19	Electrical Installation Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	61 58–61	$39,745/yr	31.3x
20	Electrical Installation Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	61 58–62	$40,219/yr	—
21	Electrical Installation Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	62 57–63	$37,569/yr	37.5x
22	Welding & Metalworking Lincoln Technical Institute-East Windsor · East Windsor, CT	53 52–54	$39,408/yr	—
23	Culinary Arts Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	60 58–61	$24,128/yr	—
24	Welding & Metalworking Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	53 52–54	$39,408/yr	—
25	Culinary Arts Lincoln Technical Institute-Shelton · Shelton, CT	60 58–61	$24,128/yr	—
26	Vehicle Repair Technology Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	57 55–57	$37,089/yr	—
27	Electrical Installation Industrial Management Training Institute · Waterbury, CT	60 57–60	$37,876/yr	—
28	Plumbing Industrial Management Training Institute · Waterbury, CT	58 56–58	$42,300/yr	—
29	Electrical Installation Lincoln Technical Institute-East Windsor · East Windsor, CT	58 55–59	$35,880/yr	—
30	Electrical Installation Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	58 55–59	$35,880/yr	—
31	Electrical Installation Lincoln Technical Institute-Shelton · Shelton, CT	58 55–59	$35,880/yr	—
32	Vehicle Repair Technology Lincoln Technical Institute-East Windsor · East Windsor, CT	54 52–55	$32,767/yr	—
33	Teacher Education Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	60 57–61	$29,811/yr	32.2x
34	Health Administration American Institute-West Hartford · West Hartford, CT	62 55–64	$31,463/yr	—
35	Allied Health Professions American Institute-West Hartford · West Hartford, CT	59 55–60	$51,318/yr	—
36	Electrical Repair Technology Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	56 53–57	$48,608/yr	—
37	Vehicle Repair Technology Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	54 52–55	$32,767/yr	—
38	Vehicle Repair Technology Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	55 52–55	$34,030/yr	29.1x
39	Allied Health Professions Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	58 54–58	$67,217/yr	15.3x
40	Mental Health Services Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	59 56–60	$36,043/yr	38.3x
41	HVAC Technology Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	55 53–55	$43,235/yr	38.7x
42	Vehicle Repair Technology Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	53 52–54	$33,379/yr	25.0x
43	Computer Networking Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	62 52–64	$38,611/yr	34.7x
44	Health Administration Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	61 55–63	$32,936/yr	20.8x
45	Human Resources Post University · Waterbury, CT	60 56–63	$41,805/yr	23.4x
46	Medical Assisting Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	56 53–57	$34,069/yr	26.1x
47	Veterinary Technology Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	57 54–57	$43,125/yr	41.8x
48	Medical Assisting Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	56 52–56	$31,098/yr	—
49	Electrical Repair Technology Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	54 51–54	$40,642/yr	34.0x
50	Medical Assisting Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	56 52–56	$33,052/yr	25.5x
51	Medical Assisting Lincoln Technical Institute-Shelton · Shelton, CT	56 52–56	$31,098/yr	—
52	HVAC Technology Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	52 50–52	$40,075/yr	33.2x
53	Health Administration Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	58 52–60	$31,850/yr	14.0x
54	Computer Networking Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	60 51–62	$37,883/yr	—
55	Criminal Justice Post University · Waterbury, CT	56 50–58	$30,325/yr	13.0x
56	HVAC Technology Industrial Management Training Institute · Waterbury, CT	52 50–52	$41,746/yr	—
57	Dental Assisting Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	54 51–54	$58,397/yr	12.8x
58	Electrical Repair Technology Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	51 49–51	$37,816/yr	28.9x
59	Allied Health Professions Sacred Heart University · Fairfield, CT	53 49–54	$58,251/yr	6.0x
60	Management Information Systems Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	58 48–62	$45,723/yr	58.6x
61	Medical Assisting Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	52 47–52	$33,890/yr	9.3x
62	Environmental Technology Lincoln Technical Institute-East Windsor · East Windsor, CT	49 47–51	$37,285/yr	—
63	Business Operations Support American Institute-West Hartford · West Hartford, CT	52 46–55	$22,347/yr	—
64	Environmental Technology Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain · New Britain, CT	49 47–51	$37,285/yr	—
65	Human Development & Family Studies Post University · Waterbury, CT	51 48–53	$28,745/yr	8.2x
66	Industrial Production Technology Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	49 47–50	$41,911/yr	18.8x
67	Social Work Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	52 46–53	$29,555/yr	41.8x
68	Medical Assisting American Institute-West Hartford · West Hartford, CT	50 46–51	$24,139/yr	—
69	Drafting & Design Technology Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	46 43–49	$40,650/yr	34.3x
70	Funeral Service & Mortuary Science Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	44 43–45	$45,261/yr	9.7x
71	Liberal Arts & Humanities Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	42 38–41	$25,072/yr	41.2x
72	Cosmetology TIGI Hairdressing Academy Newtown · Newtown, CT	44 41–45	$21,621/yr	—
73	Dental Assisting Porter & Chester Institute of Hamden · Hamden, CT	44 40–44	$28,583/yr	23.6x
74	Cosmetology Paul Mitchell the School-North Haven · North Haven, CT	43 40–44	$19,288/yr	—
75	Dental Assisting Porter & Chester Institute · Bridgeport, CT	44 40–44	$28,549/yr	21.8x
76	Cosmetology Academy Di Capelli-School of Cosmetology · Wallingford, CT	44 40–44	$19,955/yr	—
77	Cosmetology International Institute of Cosmetology · Wethersfield, CT	44 40–44	$20,111/yr	—
78	Ophthalmic & Optometric Services Goodwin University · East Hartford, CT	44 40–45	$41,025/yr	8.7x
79	Dental Assisting American Institute-West Hartford · West Hartford, CT	43 39–44	$25,355/yr	—
80	Cosmetology Branford Academy of Hair and Cosmetology · Branford, CT	42 38–43	$15,931/yr	—
81	Cosmetology Oxford Academy of Hair Design Inc · Seymour, CT	42 39–43	$16,963/yr	—
82	Cosmetology Branford Academy of Hair & Cosmetology-Bridgeport · Bridgeport, CT	42 38–43	$15,931/yr	—
83	Legal Support Services Post University · Waterbury, CT	44 38–47	$36,412/yr	20.3x
84	Fine Arts Connecticut State Community College · Hartford, CT	40 35–42	$22,100/yr	28.1x
85	Massage Therapy Cortiva Institute · Cromwell, CT	40 35–40	$22,731/yr	—
86	Massage Therapy American Institute-West Hartford · West Hartford, CT	38 33–38	$18,889/yr	—
87	Liberal Arts & Humanities University of Hartford · West Hartford, CT	25 25–25	$6,992/yr	3.6x

About This Ranking

What we ranked

Best Trades in Connecticut ranks 87 programs across the United States by the TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines graduate earnings, return on investment, and job-market demand into a single 0-100 metric.

Data sources

Earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, which tracks graduate income one and five years after program completion. Job-market projections use Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 employment data.

How to read the table

Use the sort controls below the headline to re-rank by earnings, ROI, or other metrics. Click any school name for full earnings projections, three-scenario modeling, and detailed program data. Most students attend a school within driving distance — local rankings are usually more actionable than national.

Caveats & limitations

Rankings reflect what the data can measure: post-graduation earnings, debt levels, and broad labor-market trends. They cannot capture program quality nuances like instructor expertise, hands-on equipment access, or industry connections. Treat rankings as a starting point — visit schools and talk to current students before committing.

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 87 trade programs at Connecticut schools, drawn from 87 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, 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 Connecticut?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Nursing at Connecticut State Community College ranks #1 in Connecticut with a score of 85/100 and graduate earnings of $76,364/yr.

How many trade programs are in Connecticut?

Our database includes 87 trade programs across Connecticut 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). Last updated 2025.