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Highest-Earning Trade Programs in 2026

95 programs ranked · Updated 2026

Trade programs where graduates earn the most in Year 1 after graduation.

Programs Ranked

Avg Earnings

$88,800/yr

Avg TSW Score

75/100

#1 Program

Dentistry

University of Pennsylvania

Highest-Earning Trade Programs

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

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Dentistry University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA	60 59–61	$220,594/yr	Resilient	32.9x
2	Nursing University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, PA	72 67–73	$160,797/yr	Moderate	23.7x
3	Electrical Installation Community College of Allegheny County · Pittsburgh, PA	87 84–88	$151,803/yr	AI-Proof	312.5x
4	Electrical Installation City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College · Chicago, IL	87 84–88	$142,516/yr	AI-Proof	324.4x
5	Health Administration Saint Joseph's College of Maine · Standish, ME	76 72–78	$136,516/yr	Moderate	30.9x
6	Nursing Unitek College · Fremont, CA	74 68–75	$120,006/yr	Moderate	—
7	Allied Health Professions Anne Arundel Community College · Arnold, MD	81 77–81	$119,581/yr	Resilient	285.2x
8	Electrical Repair Technology Bunker Hill Community College · Boston, MA	75 73–75	$118,053/yr	AI-Proof	105.9x
9	Allied Health Professions Crafton Hills College · Yucaipa, CA	81 77–82	$117,351/yr	Resilient	807.8x
10	Nursing Yuba College · Marysville, CA	92 85–92	$117,283/yr	Moderate	587.7x
11	Nursing Mendocino College · Ukiah, CA	91 85–92	$113,261/yr	Moderate	397.0x
12	Criminal Justice Santa Rosa Junior College · Santa Rosa, CA	93 89–95	$111,649/yr	Resilient	707.7x
13	Nursing Pacific Union College · Angwin, CA	70 64–71	$110,696/yr	Moderate	16.3x
14	Electrical Engineering Technology Stark State College · North Canton, OH	71 67–73	$109,198/yr	Moderate	115.9x
15	Allied Health Professions Foothill College · Los Altos Hills, CA	81 77–82	$107,048/yr	Resilient	445.3x
16	Allied Health Professions Canada College · Redwood City, CA	81 77–81	$106,691/yr	Resilient	399.5x
17	Energy Systems Technology Southeast Community College Area · Lincoln, NE	73 71–74	$104,847/yr	Resilient	112.0x
18	Allied Health Professions Red Rocks Community College · Lakewood, CO	80 76–81	$104,021/yr	Resilient	212.2x
19	Industrial Production Technology Baton Rouge Community College · Baton Rouge, LA	77 72–78	$103,572/yr	Resilient	171.0x
20	Bioethics Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing · Falls Church, VA	67 62–69	$99,851/yr	Moderate	—
21	Electrical Installation Pierpont Community and Technical College · Fairmont, WV	84 80–85	$99,033/yr	AI-Proof	116.6x
22	Industrial Production Technology Arkansas Northeastern College · Blytheville, AR	77 74–78	$97,406/yr	Resilient	188.5x
23	Electrical Installation Pennsylvania Highlands Community College · Johnstown, PA	79 77–79	$95,230/yr	AI-Proof	67.1x
24	Physical Science Technology Lee College · Baytown, TX	75 70–77	$94,986/yr	Resilient	282.3x
25	Criminal Justice San Bernardino Valley College · San Bernardino, CA	93 89–95	$94,285/yr	Resilient	382.6x
26	Fire Protection Cincinnati State Technical and Community College · Cincinnati, OH	78 75–80	$91,944/yr	Resilient	84.1x
27	Criminal Justice San Diego Miramar College · San Diego, CA	93 89–95	$91,647/yr	Resilient	795.9x
28	Computer Science Saint Martin's University · Lacey, WA	70 62–73	$91,138/yr	Exposed	19.6x
29	Fire Protection North Shore Community College · Danvers, MA	78 75–80	$90,948/yr	Resilient	84.0x
30	Electrical Engineering Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	70 65–72	$89,460/yr	Moderate	108.8x
31	Construction Trades Honolulu Community College · Honolulu, HI	76 70–78	$86,741/yr	Resilient	166.1x
32	Industrial Production Technology Olympic College · Bremerton, WA	73 71–75	$86,309/yr	Resilient	101.4x
33	Construction Management Weber State University · Ogden, UT	73 68–75	$86,152/yr	Moderate	66.4x
34	Practical Nursing Harmony Health Care Institute · Merrimack, NH	72 70–73	$85,953/yr	AI-Proof	—
35	Dental Assisting Chabot College · Hayward, CA	79 75–80	$85,175/yr	Resilient	349.1x
36	Criminal Justice Monroe Community College · Rochester, NY	91 87–93	$85,061/yr	Resilient	144.3x
37	Business Thomas More University · Crestview Hills, KY	73 67–74	$83,571/yr	Moderate	9.9x
38	Industrial Production Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	74 69–75	$82,310/yr	Resilient	108.6x
39	Electromechanical Technology Vincennes University · Vincennes, IN	66 62–67	$82,305/yr	Resilient	67.0x
40	Plumbing Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis, IN	77 76–78	$82,191/yr	AI-Proof	90.7x
41	Plumbing City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College · Chicago, IL	82 80–82	$82,055/yr	AI-Proof	186.3x
42	Criminal Justice Moreno Valley College · Moreno Valley, CA	93 89–95	$81,339/yr	Resilient	571.8x
43	IT Management Temple University · Philadelphia, PA	75 68–77	$81,170/yr	Exposed	35.8x
44	Electrical Installation Ivy Tech Community College · Indianapolis, IN	82 79–82	$80,734/yr	AI-Proof	92.1x
45	Architectural Engineering Technology Northern Kentucky University · Highland Heights, KY	58 55–61	$80,544/yr	Moderate	36.0x
46	Engineering Studies University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA	59 55–61	$80,250/yr	Moderate	36.3x
47	Design and Applied Arts Gnomon · Hollywood, CA	60 56–62	$80,221/yr	Moderate	26.5x
48	Liberal Arts & Humanities Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN	68 69–68	$79,921/yr	AI-Proof	79.0x
49	Plumbing Fox Valley Technical College · Appleton, WI	81 80–82	$79,589/yr	AI-Proof	160.9x
50	Computer Science Weber State University · Ogden, UT	83 73–86	$79,044/yr	Exposed	74.9x
51	Industrial Production Technology Portland Community College · Portland, OR	71 68–72	$78,450/yr	Resilient	81.4x
52	Educational Administration Point Park University · Pittsburgh, PA	55 52–57	$78,430/yr	Moderate	19.6x
53	Dental Assisting Shoreline Community College · Shoreline, WA	74 71–74	$78,372/yr	Resilient	92.3x
54	Fire Protection Southwestern Illinois College · Belleville, IL	83 79–85	$77,935/yr	Resilient	184.2x
55	Electromechanical Technology Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	70 65–72	$77,701/yr	Resilient	102.0x
56	Business Administration University of Georgia · Athens, GA	92 83–94	$77,610/yr	Moderate	100.2x
57	Electromechanical Technology Robeson Community College · Lumberton, NC	73 69–74	$77,593/yr	Resilient	149.9x
58	Computer Engineering Boise State University · Boise, ID	78 70–81	$77,403/yr	Exposed	87.1x
59	Electromechanical Technology Greenville Technical College · Greenville, SC	72 69–74	$77,150/yr	Resilient	135.8x
60	Electromechanical Technology Utah Valley University · Orem, UT	65 62–66	$77,137/yr	Resilient	62.2x
61	Engineering Technology Pellissippi State Community College · Knoxville, TN	73 69–75	$77,072/yr	Moderate	167.4x
62	Dental Assisting Community College of Denver · Denver, CO	72 70–73	$76,712/yr	Resilient	66.5x
63	Vehicle Repair Technology Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach · Daytona Beach, FL	61 59–61	$76,663/yr	AI-Proof	9.1x
64	Vehicle Repair Technology Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide · Daytona Beach, FL	68 68–69	$76,663/yr	AI-Proof	35.5x
65	Construction Engineering Technology Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology · Okmulgee, OK	68 62–71	$76,154/yr	Exposed	80.1x
66	International Relations Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN	72 65–75	$76,120/yr	Moderate	90.2x
67	Industrial Engineering University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY	66 62–68	$76,033/yr	Moderate	56.5x
68	Fire Protection Waldorf University · Forest City, IA	62 58–63	$76,032/yr	Resilient	14.7x
69	Bioethics University of the District of Columbia · Washington, DC	77 71–78	$75,609/yr	Moderate	74.3x
70	Fire Protection Columbia Southern University · Orange Beach, AL	75 72–77	$75,326/yr	Resilient	68.4x
71	Construction Engineering Technology Lake Area Technical College · Watertown, SD	64 60–66	$75,253/yr	Exposed	47.6x
72	Graphic Communications Gnomon · Hollywood, CA	49 45–51	$75,226/yr	Moderate	21.0x
73	Practical Nursing Schoolcraft Community College District · Livonia, MI	88 86–89	$75,104/yr	AI-Proof	167.8x
74	Quality Control & Safety Technology Columbia Southern University · Orange Beach, AL	70 65–72	$74,871/yr	Moderate	71.5x
75	Practical Nursing Saint Michael College of Allied Health · Washington, DC	74 74–75	$74,782/yr	AI-Proof	37.5x
76	Dental Assisting Cabrillo College · Aptos, CA	79 75–79	$74,741/yr	Resilient	587.5x
77	Biology Union Adventist University · Lincoln, NE	57 52–58	$74,593/yr	Moderate	12.3x
78	Practical Nursing Otero College · La Junta, CO	88 86–89	$74,405/yr	AI-Proof	167.4x
79	Business Administration Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach · Daytona Beach, FL	72 66–74	$74,402/yr	Moderate	8.0x
80	Business Administration Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide · Daytona Beach, FL	79 75–81	$74,402/yr	Moderate	31.8x
81	Nuclear Engineering Technology Arkansas Tech University · Russellville, AR	58 56–59	$74,249/yr	Resilient	42.6x
82	Ground Transportation Johnson County Community College · Overland Park, KS	95 93–95	$74,114/yr	AI-Proof	326.6x
83	Clinical Laboratory Science Community College of Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA	72 69–72	$74,011/yr	Resilient	63.2x
84	Dental Assisting Concorde Career College-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA	62 58–62	$73,660/yr	Resilient	—
85	IT Management Champlain College · Burlington, VT	68 61–71	$73,588/yr	Exposed	15.2x
86	Engineering University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA	58 54–60	$72,825/yr	Moderate	32.8x
87	Practical Nursing Beal University · Bangor, ME	72 69–72	$72,467/yr	AI-Proof	—
88	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$72,116/yr	Resilient	259.5x
89	Business Administration Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN	88 83–90	$71,977/yr	Moderate	75.6x
90	Business Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN	89 81–92	$71,550/yr	Moderate	83.9x
91	Mental Health Services Coalinga College · Coalinga, CA	85 81–86	$71,517/yr	Resilient	510.1x
92	Mental Health Services Lemoore College · Lemoore, CA	85 80–85	$71,182/yr	Resilient	256.2x
93	Electrical Engineering Technology Jefferson Community and Technical College · Louisville, KY	66 63–68	$71,070/yr	Moderate	74.5x
94	Environmental Technology Front Range Community College · Westminster, CO	74 72–76	$70,888/yr	Resilient	148.6x
95	Economics Davidson College · Davidson, NC	69 60–72	$70,785/yr	Exposed	19.6x

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.