Best Trade Programs in Rhode Island (2026)
The best trade school programs in Rhode Island, ranked by overall value. We scored 39 programs across Rhode Island trade schools on earnings, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $38,199/yr in graduate earnings.
Top Trade Programs in Rhode Island
Top 39 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.
| # | Program | TSW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Truck Driving & CDL
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island · Pawtucket, RI |
74
72–74 |
$51,761/yr | — |
| 2 |
Nursing
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
82
76–83 |
$66,988/yr | 73.5x |
| 3 |
Practical Nursing
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln · Lincoln, RI |
69
66–69 |
$54,390/yr | — |
| 4 |
Business Administration
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
72
65–74 |
$36,468/yr | 44.1x |
| 5 |
Criminal Justice
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
65
58–67 |
$30,219/yr | 49.8x |
| 6 |
Allied Health Professions
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
68
64–69 |
$58,304/yr | 62.1x |
| 7 |
Dental Assisting
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
66
63–66 |
$58,860/yr | 51.1x |
| 8 |
Medical Assisting
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
65
59–66 |
$37,087/yr | 49.5x |
| 9 |
Vehicle Repair Technology
IYRS School of Technology & Trades · Newport, RI |
61
59–62 |
$45,663/yr | — |
| 10 |
Nursing
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
67
62–68 |
$73,631/yr | 10.1x |
| 11 |
Clinical Laboratory Science
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
65
61–65 |
$54,495/yr | 58.5x |
| 12 |
Electrical Installation
MotoRing Technical Training Institute · East Providence, RI |
62
59–63 |
$43,145/yr | — |
| 13 |
Culinary Arts
Johnson & Wales University-Online · Providence, RI |
58
54–59 |
$27,514/yr | 12.8x |
| 14 |
Vehicle Repair Technology
MotoRing Technical Training Institute · East Providence, RI |
55
53–56 |
$34,078/yr | — |
| 15 |
Health Administration
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln · Lincoln, RI |
61
54–63 |
$29,888/yr | — |
| 16 |
Culinary Arts
Johnson & Wales University-Providence · Providence, RI |
56
53–56 |
$27,514/yr | 3.6x |
| 17 |
HVAC Technology
New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island · Pawtucket, RI |
52
51–52 |
$42,532/yr | — |
| 18 |
Clinical Laboratory Science
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
58
56–59 |
$34,786/yr | 65.9x |
| 19 |
Vehicle Repair Technology
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
51
49–52 |
$39,026/yr | 6.4x |
| 20 |
Medical Assisting
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln · Lincoln, RI |
56
51–56 |
$30,787/yr | — |
| 21 |
Medical Assisting
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
55
50–55 |
$40,562/yr | 6.3x |
| 22 |
Dental Assisting
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
60
54–60 |
$32,490/yr | 77.4x |
| 23 |
Plumbing
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
50
48–51 |
$40,744/yr | 7.2x |
| 24 |
Health Administration
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
56
49–58 |
$33,559/yr | 4.6x |
| 25 |
Allied Health Professions
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
53
49–54 |
$56,860/yr | 6.9x |
| 26 |
Environmental Technology
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
49
46–50 |
$53,135/yr | 7.3x |
| 27 |
Electrical Repair Technology
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
46
43–47 |
$40,288/yr | 8.5x |
| 28 |
Dental Assisting
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln · Lincoln, RI |
48
44–48 |
$30,560/yr | — |
| 29 |
Computer Programming
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
52
44–55 |
$33,781/yr | 30.7x |
| 30 |
Industrial Production Technology
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
45
42–46 |
$41,970/yr | 4.9x |
| 31 |
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
44
41–44 |
$27,952/yr | 37.9x |
| 32 |
Cosmetology
Empire Beauty School-Warwick · Providence, RI |
43
39–44 |
$18,639/yr | — |
| 33 |
Veterinary Technology
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
44
39–44 |
$38,126/yr | 6.2x |
| 34 |
Cosmetology
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island · Cranston, RI |
42
38–43 |
$16,464/yr | — |
| 35 |
Cosmetology
Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Cranston · Cranston, RI |
42
38–43 |
$16,082/yr | — |
| 36 |
Massage Therapy
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln · Lincoln, RI |
39
34–39 |
$20,737/yr | — |
| 37 |
Design
New England Institute of Technology · East Greenwich, RI |
36
32–39 |
$26,282/yr | 5.6x |
| 38 |
Fine Arts
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
35
32–37 |
$18,544/yr | 16.4x |
| 39 |
Education
Community College of Rhode Island · Warwick, RI |
34
30–37 |
$25,867/yr | 23.3x |
About This Ranking
What we ranked
Best Trades in Rhode Island ranks 39 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 39 trade programs at Rhode Island schools, drawn from 39 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.