Best Trade Programs in Kentucky (2026)
The best trade school programs in Kentucky, ranked by overall value. We scored 302 programs across Kentucky trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $51,511/yr in graduate earnings.
Top Trade Programs in Kentucky
Top 100 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.
| # | Program | TSW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Truck Driving & CDL
Hazard Community and Technical College · Hazard, KY |
84
83–84 |
$43,818/yr | 93.1x |
| 2 |
Nursing
Ashland Community and Technical College · Ashland, KY |
82
77–82 |
$64,909/yr | 71.0x |
| 3 |
Electrical Installation
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY |
83
81–84 |
$66,544/yr | 140.4x |
| 4 |
Electrical Installation
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
78
75–79 |
$64,748/yr | 78.9x |
| 5 |
Nursing
Hazard Community and Technical College · Hazard, KY |
82
77–83 |
$65,822/yr | 49.5x |
| 6 |
Nursing
Hopkinsville Community College · Hopkinsville, KY |
82
77–83 |
$65,979/yr | 61.3x |
| 7 |
Nursing
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
83
78–84 |
$67,888/yr | 79.3x |
| 8 |
Nursing
Big Sandy Community and Technical College · Prestonsburg, KY |
82
77–82 |
$65,735/yr | 72.6x |
| 9 |
Welding & Metalworking
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College · Bowling Green, KY |
75
74–75 |
$58,996/yr | 125.7x |
| 10 |
Nursing
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College · Bowling Green, KY |
81
76–81 |
$62,552/yr | 66.1x |
| 11 |
Criminal Justice
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY |
82
78–84 |
$44,752/yr | 94.1x |
| 12 |
Nursing
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY |
81
76–81 |
$62,832/yr | 69.5x |
| 13 |
Nursing
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
81
76–81 |
$62,002/yr | 62.2x |
| 14 |
Nursing
Jefferson Community and Technical College · Louisville, KY |
81
76–82 |
$63,784/yr | 71.8x |
| 15 |
Nursing
Maysville Community and Technical College · Maysville, KY |
81
76–82 |
$64,217/yr | 71.5x |
| 16 |
Nursing
Somerset Community College · Somerset, KY |
82
76–82 |
$62,747/yr | 73.3x |
| 17 |
Nursing
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College · Cumberland, KY |
80
75–81 |
$61,155/yr | 67.9x |
| 18 |
Electrical Installation
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College · Bowling Green, KY |
79
77–80 |
$52,553/yr | 111.9x |
| 19 |
Electrical Installation
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
80
77–81 |
$53,855/yr | 114.7x |
| 20 |
Welding & Metalworking
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
73
72–74 |
$53,172/yr | 113.2x |
| 21 |
Business Administration
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
83
78–85 |
$40,956/yr | 87.0x |
| 22 |
Nursing
Henderson Community College · Henderson, KY |
81
74–82 |
$58,754/yr | 75.7x |
| 23 |
Nursing
Madisonville Community College · Madisonville, KY |
79
73–79 |
$55,532/yr | 64.1x |
| 24 |
Business Administration
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
77
72–78 |
$43,658/yr | 46.9x |
| 25 |
Nursing
West Kentucky Community and Technical College · Paducah, KY |
80
75–80 |
$58,951/yr | 66.2x |
| 26 |
Electrical Installation
Owensboro Community and Technical College · Owensboro, KY |
77
72–78 |
$55,533/yr | 81.7x |
| 27 |
Business Administration
Owensboro Community and Technical College · Owensboro, KY |
83
78–85 |
$41,251/yr | 87.6x |
| 28 |
Welding & Metalworking
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
64
63–65 |
$48,709/yr | 51.3x |
| 29 |
Business Administration
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
82
76–83 |
$39,306/yr | 83.4x |
| 30 |
Electrical Installation
Owensboro Community and Technical College · Owensboro, KY |
78
76–79 |
$49,137/yr | 104.5x |
| 31 |
Welding & Metalworking
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY |
70
69–71 |
$46,133/yr | 97.0x |
| 32 |
Business Administration
Jefferson Community and Technical College · Louisville, KY |
81
76–83 |
$38,471/yr | 80.7x |
| 33 |
Business Administration
Jefferson Community and Technical College · Louisville, KY |
76
68–78 |
$38,361/yr | 53.8x |
| 34 |
Nursing
American National University-Pikeville · Pikeville, KY |
75
70–75 |
$75,979/yr | 32.1x |
| 35 |
Nursing
Morehead State University · Morehead, KY |
75
70–75 |
$69,929/yr | 33.4x |
| 36 |
Health Administration
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
77
72–79 |
$48,917/yr | 39.6x |
| 37 |
Electrical Installation
Somerset Community College · Somerset, KY |
77
74–77 |
$46,259/yr | 98.4x |
| 38 |
Practical Nursing
Beckfield College-Florence · Florence, KY |
70
69–70 |
$48,479/yr | 39.4x |
| 39 |
Business Administration
Ashland Community and Technical College · Ashland, KY |
78
73–80 |
$35,588/yr | 75.4x |
| 40 |
Heavy Equipment Technology
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY |
75
74–75 |
$65,743/yr | 138.7x |
| 41 |
Heavy Equipment Technology
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY |
70
68–70 |
$64,355/yr | 78.5x |
| 42 |
Nursing
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville · Louisville, KY |
73
67–73 |
$68,114/yr | — |
| 43 |
Nursing
Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond, KY |
73
69–74 |
$66,512/yr | 31.5x |
| 44 |
Heavy Equipment Technology
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY |
71
69–72 |
$65,535/yr | 87.9x |
| 45 |
Vehicle Repair Technology
Jefferson Community and Technical College · Louisville, KY |
73
72–74 |
$44,238/yr | 94.0x |
| 46 |
Information Sciences
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
77
67–80 |
$49,753/yr | 64.0x |
| 47 |
Heavy Equipment Technology
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
76
75–76 |
$69,378/yr | 148.0x |
| 48 |
Heavy Equipment Technology
Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY |
69
69–69 |
$66,827/yr | 70.8x |
| 49 |
Medical Assisting
Somerset Community College · Somerset, KY |
70
67–70 |
$46,829/yr | 50.5x |
| 50 |
Welding & Metalworking
Owensboro Community and Technical College · Owensboro, KY |
70
69–70 |
$45,366/yr | 96.4x |
About This Ranking
What we ranked
Best Trades in Kentucky ranks 100 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 100 trade programs at Kentucky schools, drawn from 302 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.