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Best Trade Programs in Michigan (2026)

Top 100 of 359 programs in Michigan · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in Michigan, ranked by overall value. We scored 359 programs across Michigan trade schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $53,152/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in MI

359

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$53,152/yr

Avg TSW Score

76/100

#1 Program

Practical Nursing

Schoolcraft Community College District

Top Trade Programs in Michigan

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

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Practical Nursing Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	88 86–89	$75,104/yr	AI-Proof	167.8x
2	Criminal Justice Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	91 87–93	$67,732/yr	Resilient	245.0x
3	Criminal Justice Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	89 85–91	$59,278/yr	Resilient	176.9x
4	Criminal Justice Northwestern Michigan College · Traverse City, MI	87 84–89	$61,054/yr	Resilient	113.1x
5	Health Administration Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	80 75–82	$68,630/yr	Moderate	49.4x
6	Business Administration Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	82 74–85	$54,060/yr	Moderate	56.6x
7	Practical Nursing Gogebic Community College · Ironwood, MI	84 83–85	$62,799/yr	AI-Proof	110.5x
8	Practical Nursing Muskegon Community College · Muskegon, MI	82 80–82	$60,995/yr	AI-Proof	86.3x
9	Nursing Mott Community College · Flint, MI	86 80–86	$73,034/yr	Moderate	93.9x
10	Practical Nursing Delta College · University Center, MI	83 81–84	$54,108/yr	AI-Proof	126.0x
11	Vehicle Repair Technology Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	75 71–76	$68,791/yr	AI-Proof	67.3x
12	Precision Metalworking Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	68 67–69	$68,852/yr	AI-Proof	56.3x
13	Nursing Henry Ford College · Dearborn, MI	87 81–87	$71,268/yr	Moderate	109.1x
14	Nursing Jackson College · Jackson, MI	80 75–81	$75,953/yr	Moderate	51.1x
15	Nursing Lake Michigan College · Benton Harbor, MI	83 77–83	$71,432/yr	Moderate	70.9x
16	Nursing Mid Michigan College · Harrison, MI	83 77–83	$75,513/yr	Moderate	61.1x
17	Criminal Justice Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI	85 80–87	$51,827/yr	Resilient	113.0x
18	Criminal Justice Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	80 75–82	$49,224/yr	Resilient	70.3x
19	Nursing Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	85 80–86	$74,889/yr	Moderate	83.2x
20	Nursing Delta College · University Center, MI	83 78–83	$67,922/yr	Moderate	75.9x
21	Nursing Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	85 80–85	$69,764/yr	Moderate	85.9x
22	Nursing Kalamazoo Valley Community College · Kalamazoo, MI	84 79–85	$66,602/yr	Moderate	88.9x
23	Nursing Kirtland Community College · Grayling, MI	82 77–82	$67,468/yr	Moderate	69.8x
24	Nursing Lansing Community College · Lansing, MI	85 79–85	$69,093/yr	Moderate	86.3x
25	Nursing Macomb Community College · Warren, MI	86 81–86	$69,619/yr	Moderate	102.6x
26	Nursing Monroe County Community College · Monroe, MI	84 78–84	$69,336/yr	Moderate	82.3x
27	Nursing Montcalm Community College · Sidney, MI	83 77–84	$68,396/yr	Moderate	78.4x
28	Nursing Muskegon Community College · Muskegon, MI	78 73–78	$65,793/yr	Moderate	51.8x
29	Nursing North Central Michigan College · Petoskey, MI	80 75–80	$65,070/yr	Moderate	62.9x
30	Criminal Justice Northwestern Michigan College · Traverse City, MI	77 74–78	$52,976/yr	Resilient	44.2x
31	Nursing Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI	87 81–88	$68,856/yr	Moderate	107.6x
32	Nursing St Clair County Community College · Port Huron, MI	83 77–83	$69,590/yr	Moderate	72.3x
33	Practical Nursing St Clair County Community College · Port Huron, MI	82 79–82	$50,656/yr	AI-Proof	112.9x
34	Nursing Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	88 82–88	$70,145/yr	Moderate	133.1x
35	Nursing Wayne County Community College District · Detroit, MI	87 81–87	$67,080/yr	Moderate	121.8x
36	Nursing West Shore Community College · Scottville, MI	83 77–83	$64,846/yr	Moderate	70.9x
37	Criminal Justice Delta College · University Center, MI	74 71–76	$44,637/yr	Resilient	49.9x
38	Nursing Glen Oaks Community College · Centreville, MI	83 78–83	$64,466/yr	Moderate	79.4x
39	Nursing Gogebic Community College · Ironwood, MI	78 74–79	$62,485/yr	Moderate	56.0x
40	Criminal Justice Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	78 75–79	$48,049/yr	Resilient	45.4x
41	Construction Management Technology Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	75 74–76	$33,914/yr	AI-Proof	66.3x
42	Business Administration Macomb Community College · Warren, MI	82 75–84	$43,491/yr	Moderate	73.2x
43	Nursing Northwestern Michigan College · Traverse City, MI	80 75–80	$64,122/yr	Moderate	61.6x
44	Nursing Southwestern Michigan College · Dowagiac, MI	81 74–81	$64,034/yr	Moderate	64.8x
45	Culinary Arts Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	75 74–76	$33,382/yr	AI-Proof	57.1x
46	Nursing Bay de Noc Community College · Escanaba, MI	78 71–79	$57,430/yr	Moderate	59.3x
47	Practical Nursing Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	81 79–82	$45,946/yr	AI-Proof	134.6x
48	Business Administration Lansing Community College · Lansing, MI	78 73–80	$43,026/yr	Moderate	48.6x
49	Electrical Installation Northern Michigan University · Marquette, MI	74 67–75	$53,242/yr	AI-Proof	68.2x
50	Business Administration Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	85 76–87	$41,152/yr	Moderate	109.1x
51	Human Development & Family Studies Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	73 69–75	$49,671/yr	Moderate	44.0x
52	Precision Metalworking Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	66 66–67	$50,089/yr	AI-Proof	60.7x
53	Business Administration Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	77 72–79	$41,712/yr	Moderate	45.7x
54	Business Operations Support Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	79 73–82	$46,821/yr	Exposed	84.6x
55	Business Administration Henry Ford College · Dearborn, MI	77 71–79	$37,860/yr	Moderate	60.3x
56	Business Macomb Community College · Warren, MI	79 70–81	$37,532/yr	Moderate	74.2x
57	Practical Nursing Detroit Business Institute-Downriver · Riverview, MI	68 66–69	$52,535/yr	AI-Proof	—
58	Culinary Arts Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	72 71–73	$27,630/yr	AI-Proof	67.1x
59	Heavy Equipment Technology Montcalm Community College · Sidney, MI	75 74–75	$66,358/yr	AI-Proof	135.5x
60	Business Administration Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI	79 70–82	$35,493/yr	Moderate	85.6x
61	Practical Nursing Davenport University · Grand Rapids, MI	67 66–68	$55,249/yr	AI-Proof	25.8x
62	Business Administration Delta College · University Center, MI	73 64–75	$33,957/yr	Moderate	52.7x
63	Business Henry Ford College · Dearborn, MI	74 67–76	$34,003/yr	Moderate	60.3x
64	Medical Assisting Muskegon Community College · Muskegon, MI	70 68–71	$58,377/yr	Resilient	39.3x
65	Nursing Ross Medical Education Center-Brighton · Brighton, MI	72 65–72	$61,959/yr	Moderate	—
66	Criminal Justice Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	68 63–70	$48,203/yr	Resilient	22.0x
67	Precision Metalworking Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	58 56–60	$56,811/yr	AI-Proof	29.4x
68	Culinary Arts Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	66 60–66	$24,473/yr	AI-Proof	51.4x
69	Horticulture Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI	66 65–67	$42,513/yr	Resilient	27.1x
70	Business Administration Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	74 64–76	$33,086/yr	Moderate	57.6x
71	Criminal Justice Mott Community College · Flint, MI	67 63–69	$34,127/yr	Resilient	44.6x
72	Business Administration Mott Community College · Flint, MI	71 62–74	$31,303/yr	Moderate	52.7x
73	Vehicle Repair Technology Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	71 69–71	$37,927/yr	AI-Proof	105.6x
74	Allied Health Professions Monroe County Community College · Monroe, MI	70 68–71	$63,378/yr	Resilient	71.1x
75	Culinary Arts Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	65 62–66	$27,248/yr	AI-Proof	39.2x
76	Vehicle Repair Technology Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	66 66–67	$37,457/yr	AI-Proof	67.5x
77	Medical Assisting Washtenaw Community College · Ann Arbor, MI	71 68–71	$39,704/yr	Resilient	71.6x
78	Practical Nursing Ross Medical Education Center-Brighton · Brighton, MI	66 63–66	$44,383/yr	AI-Proof	—
79	Ground Transportation U.S. Truck Driver Training School · Sterling Heights, MI	64 63–65	$31,688/yr	AI-Proof	—
80	Practical Nursing Ross Medical Education Center-Midland · Midland, MI	66 63–66	$44,383/yr	AI-Proof	—
81	Human Resources Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	69 65–71	$53,029/yr	Moderate	41.4x
82	Allied Health Professions Henry Ford College · Dearborn, MI	72 69–73	$58,792/yr	Resilient	78.6x
83	Allied Health Professions Kirtland Community College · Grayling, MI	68 65–68	$58,850/yr	Resilient	51.8x
84	Allied Health Professions Lake Michigan College · Benton Harbor, MI	67 64–67	$57,596/yr	Resilient	53.8x
85	Criminal Justice Lake Superior State University · Sault Ste Marie, MI	67 61–68	$44,635/yr	Resilient	20.9x
86	Allied Health Professions Lansing Community College · Lansing, MI	77 73–78	$62,717/yr	Resilient	155.4x
87	Accounting Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI	75 67–78	$40,424/yr	Exposed	82.5x
88	Vehicle Repair Technology Baker College · Owosso, MI	61 59–61	$39,719/yr	AI-Proof	38.1x
89	Allied Health Professions Mott Community College · Flint, MI	68 64–69	$53,532/yr	Resilient	67.2x
90	Business Davenport University · Grand Rapids, MI	68 62–70	$49,530/yr	Moderate	10.4x
91	Allied Health Professions Delta College · University Center, MI	66 64–67	$52,791/yr	Resilient	52.5x
92	Industrial Production Technology Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	76 73–77	$70,622/yr	Resilient	173.0x
93	Electrical Installation Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	72 68–73	$34,972/yr	AI-Proof	117.8x
94	Criminal Justice Jackson College · Jackson, MI	66 63–67	$39,162/yr	Resilient	26.8x
95	Allied Health Professions Kalamazoo Valley Community College · Kalamazoo, MI	70 66–71	$54,134/yr	Resilient	77.6x
96	Business Administration Kalamazoo Valley Community College · Kalamazoo, MI	70 61–72	$29,315/yr	Moderate	52.1x
97	Allied Health Professions Macomb Community College · Warren, MI	71 68–72	$57,326/yr	Resilient	63.1x
98	Business Administration Mid Michigan College · Harrison, MI	69 62–71	$34,180/yr	Moderate	37.2x
99	Culinary Arts Northwestern Michigan College · Traverse City, MI	64 59–64	$26,586/yr	AI-Proof	35.1x
100	Fire Protection Oakland Community College · Auburn Hills, MI	76 72–77	$44,178/yr	Resilient	145.3x

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 trade programs at Michigan schools, drawn from 359 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 Michigan?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Practical Nursing at Schoolcraft Community College District ranks #1 in Michigan with a score of 88/100 and graduate earnings of $75,104/yr.

How many trade programs are in Michigan?

Our database includes 359 trade programs across Michigan 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.