Technical School Info

Trade schools offer a number of compelling advantages....

• Some programs take only six weeks to complete, while longer programs take up to two years. This is significantly shorter than a college program, which often requires four years or more.

• The average cost of a trade school education is $33,000 compared to a four-year college’s average $127,000 cost. On top of this, the debt accrued from a four-year college is on average three times the debt from a trade school.

• Contrary to belief, trade schools provide access to high-paying jobs, such as a landscape designer ($63,000/year) and construction manager ($89,000/year). As opposed to a bachelor’s degree, a trade school certification often guarantees a job in the industry due to the specialized learning, direct skills, and the growing demand for skilled labor. According to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, about 30 million jobs that pay an average of $55,000 per year do not require a bachelor’s degree.

• Job security is another advantage, as most jobs obtained through a technical certificate — like carpentry and electrical — are difficult to export to another country. In addition, the aging population of skilled trade workers means more opportunities for young people to enter the field

it's important to realize that Most public community colleges

offer a variety of technical programs that are very similar

to the programs offered at private technical schools....

That means that most community colleges offer several different paths toward your future - those typically include an associate degree, a career certificate and/ or certification or licensure programs. For example, Metropolitan Community College offers 82 technical programs that award career certificates or specific vocational licenses. Typically if the difference between these and the associate's degree is the five or six general education classes that are required for the degree.