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Best Trade Programs in Ohio (2026)

Top 100 of 622 programs in Ohio · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in Ohio, ranked by overall value. We scored 622 programs across Ohio trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $53,844/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in OH

622

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$53,844/yr

Avg TSW Score

76/100

#1 Program

Business Administration

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Top Trade Programs in Ohio

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

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Business Administration Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH	83 79–85	$66,278/yr	50.5x
2	Criminal Justice Owens Community College · Perrysburg, OH	88 84–89	$63,966/yr	110.2x
3	Criminal Justice North Central State College · Mansfield, OH	86 82–87	$53,039/yr	113.7x
4	Practical Nursing Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	82 80–82	$53,908/yr	95.6x
5	Truck Driving & CDL Hamrick School · Medina, OH	73 71–73	$47,287/yr	—
6	Nursing Central Ohio Technical College · Newark, OH	81 76–82	$66,324/yr	69.3x
7	Nursing Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	81 76–81	$68,156/yr	62.8x
8	Sales & Marketing Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH	76 73–78	$57,169/yr	43.5x
9	Nursing Marion Technical College · Marion, OH	78 74–79	$67,265/yr	52.2x
10	Business Administration Marion Technical College · Marion, OH	83 78–85	$46,334/yr	70.6x
11	Criminal Justice North Central State College · Mansfield, OH	76 73–77	$47,397/yr	50.3x
12	Nursing Trinity Health System School of Nursing · Steubenville, OH	83 78–84	$67,928/yr	78.6x
13	Nursing Owens Community College · Perrysburg, OH	80 75–80	$66,756/yr	60.5x
14	Nursing Sinclair Community College · Dayton, OH	86 81–87	$69,403/yr	99.2x
15	Business Administration Sinclair Community College · Dayton, OH	83 77–85	$45,758/yr	77.8x
16	Nursing Washington State Community College · Marietta, OH	84 79–85	$67,695/yr	88.7x
17	Truck Driving & CDL Warren County Career Center · Lebanon, OH	72 70–72	$44,616/yr	—
18	Practical Nursing Herzing University-Akron · Akron, OH	72 68–73	$47,310/yr	49.0x
19	Practical Nursing Central Ohio Technical College · Newark, OH	81 78–82	$48,483/yr	111.9x
20	Nursing University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College · Blue Ash, OH	78 71–78	$61,271/yr	54.1x
21	Nursing Clark State College · Springfield, OH	84 77–85	$63,620/yr	89.9x
22	Nursing Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	84 78–84	$62,630/yr	91.4x
23	Practical Nursing Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	83 81–84	$48,692/yr	153.0x
24	Nursing Edison State Community College · Piqua, OH	82 77–83	$62,930/yr	78.2x
25	Nursing Hocking College · Nelsonville, OH	79 74–79	$62,175/yr	59.8x
26	Nursing Lakeland Community College · Kirtland, OH	84 78–84	$62,881/yr	88.5x
27	Nursing James A. Rhodes State College · Lima, OH	81 76–81	$62,603/yr	70.0x
28	Business James A. Rhodes State College · Lima, OH	77 73–79	$45,238/yr	47.6x
29	Nursing Lorain County Community College · Elyria, OH	83 78–83	$64,242/yr	79.9x
30	Nursing North Central State College · Mansfield, OH	81 76–82	$63,650/yr	69.3x
31	Nursing Northwest State Community College · Archbold, OH	81 76–82	$63,343/yr	68.8x
32	Practical Nursing Northwest State Community College · Archbold, OH	80 79–81	$47,124/yr	99.2x
33	Nursing Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus · Chillicothe, OH	78 73–79	$64,452/yr	54.2x
34	Nursing Ohio University-Southern Campus · Ironton, OH	78 73–79	$64,452/yr	54.2x
35	Nursing Ohio University-Zanesville Campus · Zanesville, OH	78 73–79	$64,452/yr	54.2x
36	Nursing Stark State College · North Canton, OH	82 75–83	$61,548/yr	77.9x
37	Nursing Southern State Community College · Hillsboro, OH	79 73–79	$62,085/yr	59.0x
38	Nursing Terra State Community College · Fremont, OH	79 74–79	$63,495/yr	54.2x
39	Nursing Belmont College · St Clairsville, OH	80 74–80	$58,414/yr	66.3x
40	Business Administration Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	77 72–78	$45,389/yr	44.5x
41	Criminal Justice Great Oaks Career Campuses · Cincinnati, OH	73 69–75	$60,896/yr	—
42	Nursing Kent State University at Ashtabula · Ashtabula, OH	76 72–76	$64,169/yr	45.7x
43	Nursing Kent State University at East Liverpool · East Liverpool, OH	76 72–76	$64,169/yr	45.7x
44	Nursing Kent State University at Tuscarawas · New Philadelphia, OH	76 72–76	$64,169/yr	45.7x
45	Nursing Kent State University at Geauga · Burton, OH	76 72–76	$64,169/yr	45.7x
46	Business Administration Northwest State Community College · Archbold, OH	76 72–78	$42,324/yr	49.4x
47	Practical Nursing Stark State College · North Canton, OH	79 77–79	$44,914/yr	95.2x
48	Criminal Justice Central Ohio Technical College · Newark, OH	73 67–74	$40,065/yr	50.7x
49	Culinary Arts Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	70 69–70	$36,330/yr	34.5x
50	Fire Protection Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	78 75–80	$91,944/yr	84.1x
51	Practical Nursing Clark State College · Springfield, OH	80 76–80	$41,996/yr	127.2x
52	Criminal Justice Hocking College · Nelsonville, OH	78 74–79	$40,158/yr	74.8x
53	Practical Nursing James A. Rhodes State College · Lima, OH	77 75–77	$41,545/yr	84.8x
54	Business Administration Marion Technical College · Marion, OH	75 68–78	$41,844/yr	44.4x
55	Criminal Justice Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus · Chillicothe, OH	73 68–74	$44,159/yr	43.4x
56	Criminal Justice Ohio University-Southern Campus · Ironton, OH	73 68–74	$44,159/yr	43.4x
57	Criminal Justice Ohio University-Lancaster Campus · Lancaster, OH	73 68–74	$44,159/yr	43.4x
58	Practical Nursing Fortis College-Centerville · Centerville, OH	70 68–71	$47,880/yr	42.0x
59	Practical Nursing ETI Technical College · Niles, OH	69 67–69	$43,391/yr	43.5x
60	Criminal Justice Butler Technology and Career Development Schools · Monroe, OH	72 67–74	$53,759/yr	—
61	Business Administration Clark State College · Springfield, OH	75 68–77	$37,121/yr	53.9x
62	Criminal Justice Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	74 69–76	$38,595/yr	60.7x
63	Vehicle Repair Technology Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	69 69–70	$46,249/yr	60.9x
64	Health Administration Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	75 70–77	$41,914/yr	57.6x
65	Business Administration Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	75 70–77	$37,062/yr	54.1x
66	Business Administration Lorain County Community College · Elyria, OH	77 69–79	$38,120/yr	60.5x
67	Truck Driving & CDL Mid-EastCTC-Adult Education · Zanesville, OH	68 66–68	$37,227/yr	—
68	Criminal Justice Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools · Groveport, OH	72 67–73	$53,090/yr	—
69	Practical Nursing Fortis College-Columbus · Westerville, OH	69 69–70	$49,956/yr	36.4x
70	Practical Nursing Fortis College-Cincinnati · Cincinnati, OH	69 69–69	$49,956/yr	36.0x
71	Business Administration University of Cincinnati-Clermont College · Batavia, OH	74 70–75	$44,944/yr	34.9x
72	Business Administration University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College · Blue Ash, OH	73 69–75	$44,944/yr	32.7x
73	Practical Nursing North Central State College · Mansfield, OH	75 73–75	$38,897/yr	83.1x
74	Culinary Arts Sinclair Community College · Dayton, OH	69 65–69	$28,037/yr	49.3x
75	Electrical Installation Warren County Career Center · Lebanon, OH	69 66–69	$70,278/yr	—
76	Nursing Ohio Medical Career College · Dayton, OH	73 67–74	$71,666/yr	—
77	Nursing Athena Career Academy · Toledo, OH	73 66–73	$67,468/yr	—
78	Nursing Ohio Institute of Allied Health · Huber Heights, OH	74 69–74	$74,851/yr	29.6x
79	Practical Nursing Fortis College-Cuyahoga Falls · Cuyahoga Falls, OH	68 68–69	$48,339/yr	34.2x
80	Nursing Herzing University-Akron · Akron, OH	72 68–73	$73,342/yr	27.4x
81	Criminal Justice University of Cincinnati-Clermont College · Batavia, OH	69 63–71	$38,399/yr	41.6x
82	Nursing Columbiana County Career and Technical Center · Lisbon, OH	72 66–72	$63,454/yr	—
83	Criminal Justice EHOVE Career Center · Milan, OH	69 65–71	$45,082/yr	—
84	Nursing Collins Career Technical Center · Chesapeake, OH	73 66–73	$66,955/yr	—
85	Criminal Justice Owens Community College · Perrysburg, OH	69 65–71	$38,671/yr	40.9x
86	Nursing Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing · Sandusky, OH	72 66–73	$64,065/yr	—
87	Criminal Justice Stark State College · North Canton, OH	69 64–71	$35,014/yr	49.7x
88	Nursing Tri-Rivers Career Center · Marion, OH	72 66–73	$66,259/yr	—
89	Practical Nursing Washington State Community College · Marietta, OH	74 73–75	$36,836/yr	89.7x
90	Criminal Justice Greene County Career Center · Xenia, OH	70 66–72	$46,623/yr	—
91	Nursing Sandusky Career Center · Sandusky, OH	72 66–73	$64,563/yr	—
92	Nursing Mid-EastCTC-Adult Education · Zanesville, OH	72 66–73	$66,398/yr	—
93	Practical Nursing Athena Career Academy · Toledo, OH	67 65–68	$48,002/yr	—
94	Nursing Ross College-Canton · Canton, OH	72 65–72	$61,959/yr	—
95	Practical Nursing Butler Technology and Career Development Schools · Monroe, OH	67 64–67	$46,386/yr	—
96	Criminal Justice University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College · Blue Ash, OH	69 63–71	$38,399/yr	38.9x
97	Accounting Cuyahoga Community College District · Cleveland, OH	75 68–78	$44,532/yr	69.3x
98	Nursing Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH	70 66–71	$64,169/yr	25.4x
99	Practical Nursing Miami Valley Career Technology Center · Englewood, OH	66 64–67	$44,794/yr	—
100	Practical Nursing Cuyahoga Valley Career Center · Brecksville, OH	66 64–67	$45,874/yr	—

About This Ranking

What we ranked

Best Trades in Ohio 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 Ohio schools, drawn from 622 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 Ohio?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Business Administration at Ohio State University-Main Campus ranks #1 in Ohio with a score of 83/100 and graduate earnings of $66,278/yr.

How many trade programs are in Ohio?

Our database includes 622 trade programs across Ohio 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.