Best Trade Programs in District of Columbia (2026)
The best trade school programs in District of Columbia, ranked by overall value. We scored 14 programs across District of Columbia trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $43,982/yr in graduate earnings.
Top Trade Programs in District of Columbia
Top 14 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.
| # | Program | TSW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Practical Nursing
Saint Michael College of Allied Health · Washington, DC |
74
74–75 |
$74,782/yr | 37.5x |
| 2 |
Bioethics
University of the District of Columbia · Washington, DC |
77
71–78 |
$75,609/yr | 74.3x |
| 3 |
Business
Strayer University-District of Columbia · Washington, DC |
69
62–71 |
$44,154/yr | 19.1x |
| 4 |
Business
Strayer University-Global Region · Washington, DC |
69
62–71 |
$44,154/yr | 19.1x |
| 5 |
IT Management
Strayer University-District of Columbia · Washington, DC |
68
61–71 |
$61,810/yr | 20.1x |
| 6 |
IT Management
Strayer University-Global Region · Washington, DC |
68
61–71 |
$61,810/yr | 20.1x |
| 7 |
Political Science
American University · Washington, DC |
56
50–59 |
$51,222/yr | 12.1x |
| 8 |
Health Administration
Career Technical Institute · Washington, DC |
54
47–56 |
$20,308/yr | — |
| 9 |
Information Sciences
Career Technical Institute · Washington, DC |
55
45–57 |
$24,482/yr | — |
| 10 |
IT Management
Career Technical Institute · Washington, DC |
54
46–57 |
$24,935/yr | — |
| 11 |
Clinical Laboratory Science
George Washington University · Washington, DC |
46
42–46 |
$40,630/yr | 3.8x |
| 12 |
Linguistics
American University · Washington, DC |
48
42–51 |
$52,493/yr | 8.3x |
| 13 |
Cosmetology
Bennett Career Institute · Washington, DC |
44
40–44 |
$20,316/yr | — |
| 14 |
Cosmetology
The Salon Professional Academy-Washington DC · Washington, DC |
43
40–44 |
$19,048/yr | — |
About This Ranking
What we ranked
Best Trades in District of Columbia ranks 14 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 14 trade programs at District of Columbia schools, drawn from 14 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.