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High-Earning Trades With Low Debt (2026)

82 programs ranked · Updated 2026

Trade programs where graduates earn well but leave with under $15K in debt.

Programs Ranked

Avg Earnings

$73,738/yr

Avg TSW Score

75/100

#1 Program

Allied Health Professions

Foothill College

High-Earning Trades With Low Debt

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

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	Debt	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Allied Health Professions Foothill College · Los Altos Hills, CA	81 77–82	$107,048/yr	Resilient	445.3x	$10,500
2	Energy Systems Technology Southeast Community College Area · Lincoln, NE	73 71–74	$104,847/yr	Resilient	112.0x	$8,750
3	Nursing Butte College · Oroville, CA	91 85–92	$104,268/yr	Moderate	407.1x	$12,000
4	Allied Health Professions Red Rocks Community College · Lakewood, CO	80 76–81	$104,021/yr	Resilient	212.2x	$9,500
5	Industrial Production Technology Baton Rouge Community College · Baton Rouge, LA	77 72–78	$103,572/yr	Resilient	171.0x	$10,250
6	Nursing University of Hawaii Maui College · Kahului, HI	90 84–90	$102,390/yr	Moderate	162.0x	$12,000
7	Nursing Santa Rosa Junior College · Santa Rosa, CA	92 85–92	$100,800/yr	Moderate	499.0x	$14,744
8	Nursing Sacramento City College · Sacramento, CA	92 85–92	$100,622/yr	Moderate	503.6x	$14,000
9	Allied Health Professions CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College · New York, NY	77 73–78	$100,611/yr	Resilient	107.6x	$11,000
10	Nursing Shasta College · Redding, CA	91 85–92	$99,544/yr	Moderate	482.6x	$14,000
11	Physical Science Technology Lee College · Baytown, TX	75 70–77	$94,986/yr	Resilient	282.3x	$8,225
12	Electrical Engineering Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	70 65–72	$89,460/yr	Moderate	108.8x	$11,892
13	Practical Nursing Harmony Health Care Institute · Merrimack, NH	72 70–73	$85,953/yr	AI-Proof	—	$12,685
14	Allied Health Professions Kapiolani Community College · Honolulu, HI	79 75–79	$85,511/yr	Resilient	145.7x	$11,000
15	Allied Health Professions Dallas College · Dallas, TX	80 76–81	$83,557/yr	Resilient	324.4x	$8,245
16	Industrial Production Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	74 69–75	$82,310/yr	Resilient	108.6x	$12,000
17	Electromechanical Technology Vincennes University · Vincennes, IN	66 62–67	$82,305/yr	Resilient	67.0x	$9,000
18	Electrical Installation Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis, IN	82 79–82	$80,734/yr	AI-Proof	92.1x	$5,500
19	Computer Science Weber State University · Ogden, UT	83 73–86	$79,044/yr	Exposed	74.9x	$13,166
20	Electrical Installation Northwest Iowa Community College · Sheldon, IA	85 81–86	$78,118/yr	AI-Proof	155.1x	$5,500
21	Electromechanical Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	70 65–72	$77,701/yr	Resilient	102.0x	$12,000
22	Electromechanical Technology Greenville Technical College · Greenville, SC	72 69–74	$77,150/yr	Resilient	135.8x	$11,298
23	Electrical Installation Texas State Technical College · Waco, TX	79 74–80	$76,445/yr	AI-Proof	70.6x	$11,000
24	Construction Engineering Technology Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology · Okmulgee, OK	68 62–71	$76,154/yr	Exposed	80.1x	$12,000
25	Fire Protection Waldorf University · Forest City, IA	62 58–63	$76,032/yr	Resilient	14.7x	$11,200
26	Bioethics University of the District of Columbia · Washington, DC	77 71–78	$75,609/yr	Moderate	74.3x	$14,836
27	Fire Protection Columbia Southern University · Orange Beach, AL	75 72–77	$75,326/yr	Resilient	68.4x	$9,500
28	Construction Engineering Technology Lake Area Technical College · Watertown, SD	64 60–66	$75,253/yr	Exposed	47.6x	$12,000
29	Practical Nursing Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	88 86–89	$75,104/yr	AI-Proof	167.8x	$10,500
30	Quality Control & Safety Technology Columbia Southern University · Orange Beach, AL	70 65–72	$74,871/yr	Moderate	71.5x	$13,910
31	Practical Nursing Unitek College · Fremont, CA	72 69–72	$72,368/yr	AI-Proof	—	$12,523
32	Electromechanical Technology Mitchell Technical College · Mitchell, SD	61 59–63	$72,319/yr	Resilient	47.1x	$12,000
33	Practical Nursing Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing · Billerica, MA	72 69–72	$72,230/yr	AI-Proof	—	$7,076
34	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$71,517/yr	Resilient	510.1x	$9,500
35	Industrial Production Technology Grand Rapids Community College · Grand Rapids, MI	76 73–77	$70,622/yr	Resilient	173.0x	$5,500
36	Electrical Installation Warren County Career Center · Lebanon, OH	69 66–69	$70,278/yr	AI-Proof	—	$8,233
37	Electrical Installation Kennebec Valley Community College · Fairfield, ME	86 82–86	$70,166/yr	AI-Proof	247.8x	$5,500
38	Criminal Justice Erie Community College · Buffalo, NY	89 85–91	$70,012/yr	Resilient	123.9x	$9,250
39	Heavy Equipment Technology Ranken Technical College · Saint Louis, MO	63 63–63	$70,010/yr	AI-Proof	38.8x	$11,000
40	Electrical Engineering Technology Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY	71 67–73	$69,924/yr	Moderate	147.6x	$6,500
41	Criminal Justice Palm Beach State College · Lake Worth, FL	92 87–93	$69,415/yr	Resilient	261.0x	$4,892
42	Electrical Engineering Technology Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	65 62–67	$68,590/yr	Moderate	60.1x	$10,477
43	Engineering Tidewater Community College · Norfolk, VA	65 60–67	$68,555/yr	Moderate	68.8x	$9,004
44	Heavy Equipment Technology Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology · Okmulgee, OK	67 67–67	$68,422/yr	AI-Proof	58.3x	$10,417
45	Physical Science Technology Kilgore College · Kilgore, TX	72 69–74	$68,335/yr	Resilient	135.9x	$14,417
46	Heavy Equipment Technology Dakota County Technical College · Rosemount, MN	67 66–67	$67,618/yr	AI-Proof	58.7x	$12,000
47	Practical Nursing Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District · Charlton, MA	71 69–72	$67,498/yr	AI-Proof	—	$9,500
48	Criminal Justice Rasmussen University-Minnesota · St. Cloud, MN	82 79–84	$67,135/yr	Resilient	58.4x	$6,515
49	IT Management Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	79 72–82	$66,093/yr	Exposed	58.5x	$10,167
50	Heavy Equipment Technology Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington, KY	75 74–75	$65,743/yr	AI-Proof	138.7x	$7,723
51	HVAC Technology Hennepin Technical College · Brooklyn Park, MN	67 65–67	$65,592/yr	AI-Proof	65.7x	$14,751
52	Heavy Equipment Technology Elizabethtown Community and Technical College · Elizabethtown, KY	71 69–72	$65,535/yr	AI-Proof	87.9x	$11,500
53	Vehicle Repair Technology Alexandria Technical & Community College · Alexandria, MN	72 71–72	$65,311/yr	AI-Proof	52.4x	$12,000
54	Software Development Madison Area Technical College · Madison, WI	78 71–81	$65,191/yr	Exposed	67.2x	$13,149
55	Clinical Laboratory Science University of North Dakota · Grand Forks, ND	67 65–68	$65,073/yr	Resilient	58.4x	$11,201
56	Criminal Justice Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	89 85–91	$64,741/yr	Resilient	130.7x	$9,680
57	Precision Metalworking Idaho State University · Pocatello, ID	72 71–73	$64,581/yr	AI-Proof	87.9x	$9,000
58	Industrial Production Technology Texas State Technical College · Waco, TX	63 61–64	$64,485/yr	Resilient	49.0x	$14,417
59	Ground Transportation Central Lakes College-Brainerd · Brainerd, MN	90 89–90	$64,164/yr	AI-Proof	108.0x	$10,952
60	Criminal Justice Owens Community College · Perrysburg, OH	88 84–89	$63,966/yr	Resilient	110.2x	$8,174
61	Industrial Production Technology Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis, IN	73 70–74	$63,796/yr	Resilient	124.9x	$8,000
62	Clinical Laboratory Science Arapahoe Community College · Littleton, CO	70 67–70	$63,746/yr	Resilient	73.0x	$9,500
63	Electromechanical Technology ITI Technical College · Baton Rouge, LA	64 59–65	$63,569/yr	Resilient	64.9x	$8,936
64	Computer Programming Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	71 62–75	$63,559/yr	Exposed	72.4x	$12,620
65	Marketing University of Phoenix-Arizona · Phoenix, AZ	73 68–75	$63,549/yr	Exposed	65.5x	$12,063
66	Marketing University of Phoenix-California · Ontario, CA	64 58–67	$63,549/yr	Exposed	—	$12,063
67	Marketing University of Phoenix-Nevada · Las Vegas, NV	64 58–67	$63,549/yr	Exposed	—	$12,063
68	Marketing University of Phoenix-Texas · Dallas, TX	64 58–67	$63,549/yr	Exposed	—	$12,063
69	Dental Assisting Tulsa Community College · Tulsa, OK	72 69–72	$63,224/yr	Resilient	89.6x	$13,810
70	Electrical Repair Technology Highlands College of Montana Tech · Butte, MT	76 73–77	$63,098/yr	AI-Proof	221.7x	$2,750
71	Electrical Repair Technology Montana Technological University · Butte, MT	73 68–74	$63,098/yr	AI-Proof	109.1x	$2,750
72	Clinical Laboratory Science Carolinas College of Health Sciences · Charlotte, NC	60 58–60	$62,885/yr	Resilient	31.9x	$6,692
73	Electrical Repair Technology New River Community College · Dublin, VA	68 66–68	$62,688/yr	AI-Proof	68.6x	$9,000
74	Agricultural Mechanization North Dakota State College of Science · Wahpeton, ND	64 62–65	$62,531/yr	Resilient	56.5x	$12,500
75	Dental Assisting Pima Community College · Tucson, AZ	75 72–75	$62,481/yr	Resilient	134.2x	$8,731
76	Business Empire State University · Saratoga Springs, NY	79 75–81	$62,409/yr	Moderate	28.3x	$14,250
77	Dental Assisting Northern Wyoming Community College District · Sheridan, WY	68 66–68	$62,229/yr	Resilient	61.6x	$6,500
78	Dental Assisting Colorado Northwestern Community College · Rangely, CO	69 66–69	$62,148/yr	Resilient	66.6x	$13,000
79	Computer Science Colorado State University Global · Aurora, CO	82 73–84	$61,737/yr	Exposed	72.5x	$7,125
80	Physical Science Technology Ashland Community and Technical College · Ashland, KY	64 61–66	$61,539/yr	Resilient	68.3x	$11,180
81	Engineering Science Houston Community College · Houston, TX	71 66–74	$61,518/yr	Moderate	178.5x	$11,373
82	Clinical Laboratory Science Hillsborough Community College · Tampa, FL	76 72–76	$61,237/yr	Resilient	207.5x	$9,500

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.