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Cheap Trade Programs That Pay Well (2026)

81 programs ranked · Updated 2026

Trade programs under $20K tuition where graduates still earn $35K+ in Year 1. Maximum value.

Programs Ranked

Avg Earnings

$86,157/yr

Avg TSW Score

78/100

#1 Program

Electrical Installation

Community College of Allegheny County

Cheap Trade Programs That Pay Well

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	Tuition	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Electrical Installation Community College of Allegheny County · Pittsburgh, PA	87 84–88	$151,803/yr	AI-Proof	312.5x	$4,842
2	Electrical Installation City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College · Chicago, IL	87 84–88	$142,516/yr	AI-Proof	324.4x	$4,380
3	Allied Health Professions Anne Arundel Community College · Arnold, MD	81 77–81	$119,581/yr	Resilient	285.2x	$4,178
4	Electrical Repair Technology Bunker Hill Community College · Boston, MA	75 73–75	$118,053/yr	AI-Proof	105.9x	$11,040
5	Allied Health Professions Crafton Hills College · Yucaipa, CA	81 77–82	$117,351/yr	Resilient	807.8x	$1,188
6	Nursing Yuba College · Marysville, CA	92 85–92	$117,283/yr	Moderate	587.7x	$2,256
7	Nursing Mendocino College · Ukiah, CA	91 85–92	$113,261/yr	Moderate	397.0x	$2,846
8	Criminal Justice Santa Rosa Junior College · Santa Rosa, CA	93 89–95	$111,649/yr	Resilient	707.7x	$1,318
9	Electrical Engineering Technology Stark State College · North Canton, OH	71 67–73	$109,198/yr	Moderate	115.9x	$9,340
10	Allied Health Professions Foothill College · Los Altos Hills, CA	81 77–82	$107,048/yr	Resilient	445.3x	$3,130
11	Nursing Merced College · Merced, CA	92 85–92	$107,024/yr	Moderate	478.7x	$2,388
12	Allied Health Professions Canada College · Redwood City, CA	81 77–81	$106,691/yr	Resilient	399.5x	$2,664
13	Nursing Moorpark College · Moorpark, CA	91 85–92	$105,599/yr	Moderate	326.3x	$2,832
14	Energy Systems Technology Southeast Community College Area · Lincoln, NE	73 71–74	$104,847/yr	Resilient	112.0x	$7,080
15	Nursing Butte College · Oroville, CA	91 85–92	$104,268/yr	Moderate	407.1x	$2,672
16	Allied Health Professions Red Rocks Community College · Lakewood, CO	80 76–81	$104,021/yr	Resilient	212.2x	$4,707
17	Industrial Production Technology Baton Rouge Community College · Baton Rouge, LA	77 72–78	$103,572/yr	Resilient	171.0x	$8,442
18	Electrical Installation Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	84 80–85	$99,033/yr	AI-Proof	116.6x	$11,188
19	Industrial Production Technology Arkansas Northeastern College · Blytheville, AR	77 74–78	$97,406/yr	Resilient	188.5x	$5,140
20	Electrical Installation Pennsylvania Highlands Community College · Johnstown, PA	79 77–79	$95,230/yr	AI-Proof	67.1x	$13,980
21	Physical Science Technology Lee College · Baytown, TX	75 70–77	$94,986/yr	Resilient	282.3x	$4,332
22	Criminal Justice San Bernardino Valley College · San Bernardino, CA	93 89–95	$94,285/yr	Resilient	382.6x	$1,185
23	Fire Protection Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	78 75–80	$91,944/yr	Resilient	84.1x	$10,800
24	Criminal Justice San Diego Miramar College · San Diego, CA	93 89–95	$91,647/yr	Resilient	795.9x	$1,150
25	Fire Protection North Shore Community College · Danvers, MA	78 75–80	$90,948/yr	Resilient	84.0x	$10,704
26	Electrical Engineering Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	70 65–72	$89,460/yr	Moderate	108.8x	$10,390
27	Construction Trades Honolulu Community College · Honolulu, HI	76 70–78	$86,741/yr	Resilient	166.1x	$6,348
28	Industrial Production Technology Olympic College · Bremerton, WA	73 71–75	$86,309/yr	Resilient	101.4x	$8,394
29	Construction Management Weber State University · Ogden, UT	73 68–75	$86,152/yr	Moderate	66.4x	$12,782
30	Dental Assisting Chabot College · Hayward, CA	79 75–80	$85,175/yr	Resilient	349.1x	$2,300
31	Criminal Justice Monroe Community College · Rochester, NY	91 87–93	$85,061/yr	Resilient	144.3x	$5,856
32	Industrial Production Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	74 69–75	$82,310/yr	Resilient	108.6x	$10,390
33	Electromechanical Technology Vincennes University · Vincennes, IN	66 62–67	$82,305/yr	Resilient	67.0x	$13,772
34	Plumbing Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis, IN	77 76–78	$82,191/yr	AI-Proof	90.7x	$9,824
35	Plumbing City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College · Chicago, IL	82 80–82	$82,055/yr	AI-Proof	186.3x	$4,380
36	Criminal Justice Moreno Valley College · Moreno Valley, CA	93 89–95	$81,339/yr	Resilient	571.8x	$1,420
37	Electrical Installation Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis, IN	82 79–82	$80,734/yr	AI-Proof	92.1x	$9,824
38	Liberal Arts & Humanities Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN	68 69–68	$79,921/yr	AI-Proof	79.0x	$9,992
39	Plumbing Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	81 80–82	$79,589/yr	AI-Proof	160.9x	$4,916
40	Computer Science Weber State University · Ogden, UT	83 73–86	$79,044/yr	Exposed	74.9x	$12,782
41	Industrial Production Technology Portland Community College · Portland, OR	71 68–72	$78,450/yr	Resilient	81.4x	$10,080
42	Dental Assisting Shoreline Community College · Shoreline, WA	74 71–74	$78,372/yr	Resilient	92.3x	$8,776
43	Fire Protection Southwestern Illinois College · Belleville, IL	83 79–85	$77,935/yr	Resilient	184.2x	$3,870
44	Electromechanical Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	70 65–72	$77,701/yr	Resilient	102.0x	$10,390
45	Business Administration University of Georgia · Athens, GA	92 83–94	$77,610/yr	Moderate	100.2x	$11,180
46	Electromechanical Technology Robeson Community College · Lumberton, NC	73 69–74	$77,593/yr	Resilient	149.9x	$5,142
47	Computer Engineering Boise State University · Boise, ID	78 70–81	$77,403/yr	Exposed	87.1x	$8,782
48	Electromechanical Technology Greenville Technical College · Greenville, SC	72 69–74	$77,150/yr	Resilient	135.8x	$5,639
49	Electromechanical Technology Utah Valley University · Orem, UT	65 62–66	$77,137/yr	Resilient	62.2x	$12,540
50	Engineering Technology Pellissippi State Community College · Knoxville, TN	73 69–75	$77,072/yr	Moderate	167.4x	$4,576
51	Dental Assisting Community College of Denver · Denver, CO	72 70–73	$76,712/yr	Resilient	66.5x	$9,804
52	Construction Engineering Technology Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology · Okmulgee, OK	68 62–71	$76,154/yr	Exposed	80.1x	$11,548
53	International Relations Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN	72 65–75	$76,120/yr	Moderate	90.2x	$11,790
54	Industrial Engineering University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY	66 62–68	$76,033/yr	Moderate	56.5x	$13,212
55	Bioethics University of the District of Columbia · Washington, DC	77 71–78	$75,609/yr	Moderate	74.3x	$12,304
56	Fire Protection Columbia Southern University · Orange Beach, AL	75 72–77	$75,326/yr	Resilient	68.4x	$11,616
57	Construction Engineering Technology Lake Area Technical College · Watertown, SD	64 60–66	$75,253/yr	Exposed	47.6x	$13,436
58	Practical Nursing Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	88 86–89	$75,104/yr	AI-Proof	167.8x	$4,448
59	Quality Control & Safety Technology Columbia Southern University · Orange Beach, AL	70 65–72	$74,871/yr	Moderate	71.5x	$11,616
60	Practical Nursing Saint Michael College of Allied Health · Washington, DC	74 74–75	$74,782/yr	AI-Proof	37.5x	$19,405
61	Dental Assisting Cabrillo College · Aptos, CA	79 75–79	$74,741/yr	Resilient	587.5x	$1,270
62	Practical Nursing Otero College · La Junta, CO	88 86–89	$74,405/yr	AI-Proof	167.4x	$4,418
63	Nuclear Engineering Technology Arkansas Tech University · Russellville, AR	58 56–59	$74,249/yr	Resilient	42.6x	$17,016
64	Ground Transportation Johnson County Community College · Overland Park, KS	95 93–95	$74,114/yr	AI-Proof	326.6x	$2,328
65	Clinical Laboratory Science Community College of Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA	72 69–72	$74,011/yr	Resilient	63.2x	$9,264
66	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$72,116/yr	Resilient	259.5x	$2,768
67	Business Administration Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN	88 83–90	$71,977/yr	Moderate	75.6x	$9,992
68	Business Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN	89 81–92	$71,550/yr	Moderate	83.9x	$11,790
69	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$71,517/yr	Resilient	510.1x	$1,384
70	Mental Health Services Lemoore College · Lemoore, CA	85 80–85	$71,182/yr	Resilient	256.2x	$2,768
71	Electrical Engineering Technology Jefferson Community and Technical College · Louisville, KY	66 63–68	$71,070/yr	Moderate	74.5x	$9,412
72	Environmental Technology Front Range Community College · Westminster, CO	74 72–76	$70,888/yr	Resilient	148.6x	$4,740
73	Dental Assisting Northern Virginia Community College · Annandale, VA	71 67–71	$70,727/yr	Resilient	70.3x	$11,406
74	Health Administration Durham Technical Community College · Durham, NC	92 86–95	$70,267/yr	Moderate	347.7x	$1,986
75	Heavy Equipment Technology Ranken Technical College · Saint Louis, MO	63 63–63	$70,010/yr	AI-Proof	38.8x	$17,490
76	Electrical Engineering Technology Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY	71 67–73	$69,924/yr	Moderate	147.6x	$4,706
77	Electrical Engineering Technology Greenville Technical College · Greenville, SC	64 60–65	$69,797/yr	Moderate	60.9x	$11,278
78	Heavy Equipment Technology Gateway Community and Technical College · Florence, KY	76 75–76	$69,378/yr	AI-Proof	148.0x	$4,656
79	Mental Health Services Lemoore College · Lemoore, CA	85 80–86	$69,125/yr	Resilient	498.5x	$1,384
80	Precision Metalworking Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	68 67–69	$68,852/yr	AI-Proof	56.3x	$13,630
81	Vehicle Repair Technology Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI	75 71–76	$68,791/yr	AI-Proof	67.3x	$13,630

Methodology

Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), combining graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI. Earnings data is from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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.