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Best Trade Programs in North Carolina (2026)

Top 100 of 433 programs in North Carolina · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in North Carolina, ranked by overall value. We scored 433 programs across North Carolina trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $56,612/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in NC

433

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$56,612/yr

Avg TSW Score

85/100

#1 Program

Truck Driving & CDL

Cape Fear Community College

Top Trade Programs in North Carolina

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

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Truck Driving & CDL Cape Fear Community College · Wilmington, NC	88 87–89	$46,329/yr	167.6x
2	Truck Driving & CDL Davidson-Davie Community College · Thomasville, NC	87 85–88	$41,081/yr	327.5x
3	Health Administration Durham Technical Community College · Durham, NC	92 86–95	$70,267/yr	347.7x
4	Nursing College of the Albemarle · Elizabeth City, NC	90 84–90	$72,750/yr	139.7x
5	Nursing Brunswick Community College · Bolivia, NC	89 83–89	$71,605/yr	139.8x
6	Criminal Justice Cape Fear Community College · Wilmington, NC	88 84–90	$52,282/yr	173.1x
7	Nursing Central Carolina Community College · Sanford, NC	89 83–89	$70,579/yr	131.1x
8	Nursing Central Piedmont Community College · Charlotte, NC	89 83–89	$73,310/yr	124.0x
9	Nursing Cleveland Community College · Shelby, NC	89 83–89	$73,173/yr	140.7x
10	Criminal Justice Durham Technical Community College · Durham, NC	88 84–90	$49,893/yr	250.2x
11	Nursing Fayetteville Technical Community College · Fayetteville, NC	89 83–89	$72,523/yr	138.4x
12	Criminal Justice Gaston College · Dallas, NC	87 83–89	$50,038/yr	156.1x
13	Nursing Halifax Community College · Weldon, NC	89 83–89	$70,982/yr	120.2x
14	Nursing Johnston Community College · Smithfield, NC	89 83–89	$74,366/yr	122.7x
15	Electrical Installation Richmond Community College · Hamlet, NC	86 82–87	$73,774/yr	210.1x
16	Nursing Robeson Community College · Lumberton, NC	90 84–90	$77,475/yr	129.8x
17	Nursing Stanly Community College · Albemarle, NC	89 83–90	$76,008/yr	140.3x
18	Nursing Vance-Granville Community College · Henderson, NC	90 84–91	$72,520/yr	206.4x
19	Criminal Justice South Piedmont Community College · Polkton, NC	87 83–89	$47,748/yr	235.1x
20	Nursing South Piedmont Community College · Polkton, NC	90 84–90	$70,497/yr	173.3x
21	Nursing Bladen Community College · Dublin, NC	89 82–89	$67,852/yr	161.8x
22	Nursing Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute · Hudson, NC	88 82–88	$66,904/yr	125.4x
23	Nursing Catawba Valley Community College · Hickory, NC	88 82–88	$64,707/yr	147.6x
24	Nursing Davidson-Davie Community College · Thomasville, NC	89 83–89	$66,695/yr	176.6x
25	Nursing Durham Technical Community College · Durham, NC	89 83–89	$66,430/yr	185.5x
26	Nursing Edgecombe Community College · Tarboro, NC	87 82–88	$66,322/yr	124.5x
27	Criminal Justice Forsyth Technical Community College · Winston-Salem, NC	87 83–89	$48,388/yr	213.5x
28	Nursing Forsyth Technical Community College · Winston-Salem, NC	89 83–89	$68,379/yr	161.8x
29	Nursing Gaston College · Dallas, NC	87 81–87	$68,245/yr	99.8x
30	Nursing Guilford Technical Community College · Jamestown, NC	88 82–89	$67,200/yr	149.7x
31	Nursing Isothermal Community College · Spindale, NC	89 83–89	$67,248/yr	177.2x
32	Practical Nursing Isothermal Community College · Spindale, NC	85 83–86	$51,324/yr	258.5x
33	Nursing James Sprunt Community College · Kenansville, NC	87 81–88	$65,112/yr	124.6x
34	Nursing Lenoir Community College · Kinston, NC	88 82–88	$67,505/yr	130.4x
35	Practical Nursing McDowell Technical Community College · Marion, NC	85 83–86	$51,299/yr	271.6x
36	Criminal Justice Mitchell Community College · Statesville, NC	87 82–88	$47,001/yr	176.3x
37	Nursing Piedmont Community College · Roxboro, NC	88 82–89	$68,517/yr	133.0x
38	Nursing Pitt Community College · Winterville, NC	89 83–89	$67,366/yr	178.3x
39	Nursing Richmond Community College · Hamlet, NC	89 83–89	$70,087/yr	149.4x
40	Practical Nursing Rockingham Community College · Wentworth, NC	85 82–85	$49,931/yr	225.5x
41	Criminal Justice Rowan-Cabarrus Community College · Salisbury, NC	87 83–89	$46,993/yr	268.1x
42	Nursing Rowan-Cabarrus Community College · Salisbury, NC	89 83–89	$67,501/yr	174.9x
43	Nursing Sampson Community College · Clinton, NC	87 82–88	$69,040/yr	126.0x
44	Nursing Sandhills Community College · Pinehurst, NC	89 83–89	$66,238/yr	179.9x
45	Nursing Southeastern Community College · Whiteville, NC	87 81–88	$65,328/yr	124.4x
46	Nursing Surry Community College · Dobson, NC	88 83–89	$69,740/yr	136.0x
47	Nursing Alamance Community College · Graham, NC	88 83–89	$69,767/yr	124.8x
48	Nursing Tri-County Community College · Murphy, NC	89 83–89	$69,455/yr	124.8x
49	Nursing Wake Technical Community College · Raleigh, NC	88 83–89	$68,266/yr	153.5x
50	Nursing Western Piedmont Community College · Morganton, NC	88 82–88	$66,888/yr	142.3x
51	Criminal Justice Wilson Community College · Wilson, NC	87 83–89	$48,304/yr	186.8x
52	Nursing Wilson Community College · Wilson, NC	88 83–89	$70,152/yr	142.2x
53	Truck Driving & CDL Miller-Motte College-Raleigh · Raleigh, NC	72 71–73	$46,909/yr	—
54	Truck Driving & CDL Miller-Motte College-Fayetteville · Fayetteville, NC	72 71–73	$46,909/yr	—
55	Truck Driving & CDL Miller-Motte College-Jacksonville · Jacksonville, NC	72 71–73	$46,909/yr	—
56	Culinary Arts Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College · Asheville, NC	74 72–74	$32,602/yr	57.6x
57	Nursing Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College · Asheville, NC	86 80–86	$63,410/yr	107.7x
58	Nursing Blue Ridge Community College · Flat Rock, NC	86 80–86	$62,192/yr	121.3x
59	Practical Nursing Brunswick Community College · Bolivia, NC	83 81–84	$46,783/yr	183.8x
60	Nursing Carteret Community College · Morehead City, NC	87 81–87	$62,321/yr	133.9x
61	Criminal Justice Central Piedmont Community College · Charlotte, NC	81 77–83	$44,616/yr	89.5x
62	Criminal Justice Cleveland Community College · Shelby, NC	85 81–87	$44,116/yr	171.2x
63	Nursing Coastal Carolina Community College · Jacksonville, NC	87 80–87	$59,879/yr	141.6x
64	Nursing Craven Community College · New Bern, NC	88 82–88	$63,478/yr	153.9x
65	Practical Nursing Durham Technical Community College · Durham, NC	84 81–84	$46,533/yr	233.3x
66	Practical Nursing Fayetteville Technical Community College · Fayetteville, NC	84 81–84	$47,495/yr	214.1x
67	Practical Nursing Forsyth Technical Community College · Winston-Salem, NC	84 82–85	$48,466/yr	231.5x
68	Nursing McDowell Technical Community College · Marion, NC	88 82–88	$62,167/yr	157.8x
69	Nursing Mitchell Community College · Statesville, NC	86 81–86	$62,584/yr	118.6x
70	Practical Nursing Montgomery Community College · Troy, NC	84 81–84	$47,578/yr	188.2x
71	Nursing Nash Community College · Rocky Mount, NC	87 80–87	$64,013/yr	124.1x
72	Nursing Rockingham Community College · Wentworth, NC	88 82–89	$63,549/yr	160.6x
73	Nursing Southwestern Community College · Sylva, NC	79 73–80	$61,931/yr	61.6x
74	Nursing Wayne Community College · Goldsboro, NC	86 81–87	$61,774/yr	132.5x
75	Criminal Justice Western Piedmont Community College · Morganton, NC	86 81–87	$44,397/yr	191.7x
76	Nursing Wilkes Community College · Wilkesboro, NC	87 81–87	$62,962/yr	119.2x
77	Business Administration South Piedmont Community College · Polkton, NC	87 82–89	$40,686/yr	200.2x
78	Business Administration Catawba Valley Community College · Hickory, NC	83 78–85	$41,425/yr	75.3x
79	Practical Nursing Central Carolina Community College · Sanford, NC	82 80–83	$44,904/yr	172.5x
80	Criminal Justice Coastal Carolina Community College · Jacksonville, NC	85 81–87	$43,070/yr	200.9x
81	Business Administration Davidson-Davie Community College · Thomasville, NC	84 79–86	$41,278/yr	103.3x
82	Nursing Haywood Community College · Clyde, NC	86 80–86	$58,923/yr	127.4x
83	Criminal Justice Wilkes Community College · Wilkesboro, NC	84 80–85	$41,251/yr	170.6x
84	Business Administration Forsyth Technical Community College · Winston-Salem, NC	83 77–85	$39,760/yr	95.8x
85	Practical Nursing Gaston College · Dallas, NC	81 78–82	$42,358/yr	185.6x
86	Business Administration Guilford Technical Community College · Jamestown, NC	87 81–89	$40,215/yr	147.5x
87	Electrical Installation Nash Community College · Rocky Mount, NC	82 79–83	$52,474/yr	220.3x
88	Practical Nursing Richmond Community College · Hamlet, NC	81 79–82	$42,826/yr	166.8x
89	Practical Nursing Robeson Community College · Lumberton, NC	81 79–81	$42,123/yr	162.8x
90	Criminal Justice Vance-Granville Community College · Henderson, NC	80 77–82	$39,750/yr	107.5x
91	Criminal Justice Wayne Community College · Goldsboro, NC	83 79–85	$40,557/yr	159.7x
92	Business Administration Blue Ridge Community College · Flat Rock, NC	78 74–80	$37,390/yr	69.3x
93	Vehicle Repair Technology Central Piedmont Community College · Charlotte, NC	75 71–75	$44,653/yr	111.5x
94	Business Administration Central Piedmont Community College · Charlotte, NC	81 73–83	$36,962/yr	91.0x
95	Criminal Justice Davidson-Davie Community College · Thomasville, NC	83 79–85	$38,392/yr	224.4x
96	Vehicle Repair Technology Guilford Technical Community College · Jamestown, NC	75 73–76	$45,604/yr	120.0x
97	Business Administration Mitchell Community College · Statesville, NC	80 74–82	$38,020/yr	78.3x
98	Practical Nursing Sampson Community College · Clinton, NC	79 77–80	$40,257/yr	141.3x
99	Business Administration Vance-Granville Community College · Henderson, NC	82 77–84	$38,146/yr	103.0x
100	Information Sciences Wake Technical Community College · Raleigh, NC	87 78–89	$55,264/yr	235.6x

About This Ranking

What we ranked

Best Trades in North Carolina 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 North Carolina schools, drawn from 433 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 North Carolina?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Truck Driving & CDL at Cape Fear Community College ranks #1 in North Carolina with a score of 88/100 and graduate earnings of $46,329/yr.

How many trade programs are in North Carolina?

Our database includes 433 trade programs across North Carolina 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.