College of DuPage
College of DuPage offers hands-on training for skilled careers through various programs and apprenticeships. Their Project Hire-Ed Apprenticeship Program provides an "earn and learn" model, combining on-the-job training with instruction in fields like healthcare, manufacturing, and welding. The college also has strong employer connections, assisting local businesses with recruitment for internships and jobs through their "Chaps Get Hired" online job board. Many programs, such as Manufacturing Technology and HVACR, emphasize practical experience in their facilities with modern equipment and offer flexible scheduling options.
Programs Analyzed
Avg Grad Earnings
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
Tuition (In-State)
All Programs at College of DuPage
17 trade programs at College of DuPage, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size). Use the “compare” links to see how this school’s programs stack up against others nationally.
| Program | Score | Earnings | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Health Administration
Health and Medical Administrative Services Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
86 | $52,904/yr | — |
|
Nursing
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
84 | $69,105/yr | $13,006 |
|
Accounting
Accounting and Related Services Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
83 | $52,724/yr | — |
|
Business Administration
Business Administration, Management and Operations Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
79 | $46,497/yr | $15,500 |
|
Allied Health Professions
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
74 | $53,537/yr | $7,000 |
|
Medical Assisting
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
74 | $40,196/yr | — |
|
Fire Protection
Compare nationwide → |
73 | $58,160/yr | — |
|
Dental Assisting
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
68 | $59,215/yr | $17,225 |
|
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
68 | $31,086/yr | $8,312 |
|
Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts and Related Services Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
63 | $26,952/yr | — |
|
Legal Support Services
Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
61 | $40,429/yr | — |
|
Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice and Corrections Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
60 | $28,749/yr | — |
|
Design
Design and Applied Arts Compare nationwide → |
58 | $32,133/yr | — |
|
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
48 | $28,678/yr | $9,000 |
|
Library & Archives
Library and Archives Assisting Compare nationwide → |
46 | $31,514/yr | — |
|
Biological & Physical Sciences
Biological and Physical Sciences Compare nationwide → Compare in IL → |
43 | $22,654/yr | $10,664 |
|
Data Entry & Applications
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications Compare nationwide → |
36 | $45,016/yr | $6,371 |
Reading the table: Score combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size on a 0–100 scale. Earnings = median first-year salary from College Scorecard. Debt = median federal debt at graduation (blank where Scorecard suppresses small samples). 10yr ROI = projected 10-year earnings ÷ in-state tuition. AI Risk reflects task-level AI exposure across mapped occupations. Job Market = annual openings nationwide for connected occupations.
More Trade Schools in Illinois
Top-scored trade schools elsewhere in Illinois, ranked by average TradeSchoolOutlook Score across their programs.
Apprenticeship Pathways in Illinois
Earn-while-you-learn alternatives in Illinois. Registered apprenticeships skip tuition and pay you during training, though training periods are typically longer.
Trade Schools Near Glen Ellyn
Other cities in Illinois with multiple trade schools, sorted by distance from Glen Ellyn.
About This Data
TradeSchoolOutlook analyzes 17 trade and vocational programs at College of DuPage using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034).
The TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100) combines graduate earnings, return on investment, AI resilience, and job market size. AI Risk reflects task-level exposure for the occupations each program feeds into. Job Market shows the size of the national hiring pool. Programs without published debt figures had small reporting samples that the College Scorecard suppresses for privacy.