50 trade schools · North Carolina
Trade schools in North Carolina
North Carolina has 50 trade schools in our data (29 public, 20 for-profit), and 84 schools in all, counting community colleges, offer certificate or associate programs in the trades we track. Median yearly tuition at trade schools here is $2,838.
Trade schools50
Public29
For-profit20
Median tuition$2,838
Median completion rate56%
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry$37,005
Programs by trade in North Carolina
Number of schools, including community colleges, with a certificate or associate program in each field.
Welding60 schoolsHVAC37 schoolsElectrician38 schoolsPlumbing7 schoolsCarpentry9 schoolsConstruction trades20 schoolsAuto and diesel mechanic47 schoolsHeavy equipment mechanic4 schoolsTruck driving (CDL)6 schoolsCosmetology and barbering61 schoolsCulinary arts27 schoolsMedical assistant49 schoolsLPN and CNA44 schoolsDental assisting and hygiene24 schoolsPhlebotomy and medical lab22 schoolsEMT, surgical tech and imaging53 schoolsMedical billing and coding59 schoolsMassage therapy10 schoolsParalegal22 schools
All 50 trade schools in North Carolina
Schools that mostly award certificates. Click a heading to sort.
| School | Type | Students | Tuition (2025-26) | Avg net price | Completion rate | Earnings 10 yrs after entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance Community CollegeGraham | Public community or technical college | 3,080 | $2,592 | $3,402 | 41% | $39,210 |
| Alexander Paul Institute of Hair DesignGreenville | For-profit trade school | 55 | $18,398 | $14,951 | 85% | n/a |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community CollegeAsheville | Public community or technical college | 5,110 | $2,882 | $8,652 | 45% | $41,307 |
| Aveda Institute-Chapel HillChapel Hill | For-profit trade school | 198 | $22,989 | $17,898 | 87% | $37,296 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-CharlotteCharlotte | For-profit trade school | 344 | $16,657 | $25,451 | 73% | $50,707 |
| Beaufort County Community CollegeWashington | Public community or technical college | 1,074 | $2,540 | $6,932 | 45% | $36,400 |
| Blue Ridge Community CollegeFlat Rock | Public community or technical college | 1,758 | $2,690 | $4,341 | 50% | $38,902 |
| Carolinas College of Health SciencesCharlotte | Public technical school | 533 | $19,341 | $41,061 | n/a | $70,075 |
| Carteret Community CollegeMorehead City | Public community or technical college | 1,172 | $1,900 | $9,817 | 41% | $36,104 |
| Center for MassageAsheville | For-profit trade school | 51 | $8,995 | $19,724 | 90% | $29,315 |
| Cleveland Community CollegeShelby | Public community or technical college | 1,097 | $2,588 | $685 | 32% | $37,128 |
| College of WilmingtonWilmington | For-profit trade school | 132 | $18,100 | $16,961 | 50% | $30,835 |
| Davidson-Davie Community CollegeThomasville | Public community or technical college | 2,633 | $1,979 | $1,413 | 50% | $40,355 |
| Edgecombe Community CollegeTarboro | Public community or technical college | 1,397 | $2,640 | $1,939 | 83% | $36,064 |
| Empire Beauty School-CharlotteCharlotte | For-profit trade school | 90 | $19,260 | $16,439 | 28% | $30,388 |
| Empire Beauty School-ConcordConcord | For-profit trade school | 110 | $19,260 | $15,744 | 54% | $29,173 |
| Empire Beauty School-PinevilleCharlotte | For-profit trade school | 75 | $19,260 | $17,388 | 40% | $29,173 |
| Empire Beauty School-West GreensboroGreensboro | For-profit trade school | 99 | $19,260 | $16,200 | 44% | $31,224 |
| Empire Beauty School-Winston-SalemWinston-Salem | For-profit trade school | 80 | $20,100 | $16,016 | 65% | $29,071 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeFayetteville | Public community or technical college | 9,471 | $2,344 | $3,428 | 26% | $37,067 |
| Gaston CollegeDallas | Public community or technical college | 3,518 | $3,229 | $3,981 | 60% | $39,978 |
| Gwinnett CollegeRaleigh | For-profit trade school | 146 | $14,988 | $29,577 | 77% | $31,852 |
| Isothermal Community CollegeSpindale | Public community or technical college | 1,169 | $2,050 | $10,918 | 50% | $36,543 |
| James Sprunt Community CollegeKenansville | Public community or technical college | 799 | $2,592 | $3,420 | 54% | $33,682 |
| Lenoir Community CollegeKinston | Public community or technical college | 1,469 | $2,618 | $7,947 | 23% | $37,606 |
| Leons Beauty School IncGreensboro | For-profit trade school | 102 | $8,300 | $10,143 | 79% | $29,784 |
| Manna UniversityFayetteville | Nonprofit trade school | 183 | $9,975 | $23,613 | n/a | $37,300 |
| Martin Community CollegeWilliamston | Public community or technical college | 313 | $2,523 | $4,917 | 48% | $33,629 |
| Miller-Motte College-FayettevilleFayetteville | For-profit trade school | 336 | $19,790 | $23,704 | 83% | $34,579 |
| Miller-Motte College-JacksonvilleJacksonville | For-profit trade school | 195 | $21,040 | $23,502 | 91% | $34,579 |
| Miller-Motte College-RaleighRaleigh | For-profit trade school | 409 | $19,790 | $23,540 | 67% | $34,579 |
| Montgomery Community CollegeTroy | Public community or technical college | 852 | $2,538 | $10,936 | 68% | $39,045 |
| MyComputerCareer at RaleighRaleigh | For-profit trade school | 1,466 | $17,271 | $27,803 | 69% | $71,353 |
| Nash Community CollegeRocky Mount | Public community or technical college | 1,689 | $2,800 | $2,638 | 52% | $41,296 |
| Pamlico Community CollegeGrantsboro | Public community or technical college | 165 | $1,946 | $6,078 | 89% | $33,430 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-CharlotteCharlotte | For-profit trade school | 97 | $21,325 | $26,622 | 62% | $29,237 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-FayettevilleFayetteville | For-profit trade school | 149 | $18,575 | $19,055 | 71% | $32,129 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-RaleighRaleigh | For-profit trade school | 130 | $18,524 | $19,196 | 67% | $35,691 |
| Piedmont Community CollegeRoxboro | Public community or technical college | 457 | $2,616 | $2,065 | 33% | $37,944 |
| Pitt Community CollegeWinterville | Public community or technical college | 5,317 | $2,680 | $6,663 | 26% | $40,921 |
| Randolph Community CollegeAsheboro | Public community or technical college | 1,417 | $2,416 | $6,669 | 64% | $38,056 |
| Richmond Community CollegeHamlet | Public community or technical college | 1,352 | $1,956 | n/a | 57% | $36,318 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community CollegeSalisbury | Public community or technical college | 4,164 | $2,080 | $10,333 | 42% | $40,125 |
| Sampson Community CollegeClinton | Public community or technical college | 846 | $2,877 | $7,561 | 47% | $37,005 |
| Southeastern College-CharlotteCharlotte | For-profit trade school | 252 | $26,016 | $32,589 | 68% | $35,835 |
| Stanly Community CollegeAlbemarle | Public community or technical college | 1,465 | $2,681 | $4,910 | 62% | $40,175 |
| Surry Community CollegeDobson | Public community or technical college | 1,475 | $2,728 | $417 | 4.6% | $39,923 |
| Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleigh | Public community or technical college | 19,675 | $2,284 | $6,738 | 35% | $45,936 |
| Wayne Community CollegeGoldsboro | Public community or technical college | 2,739 | $2,598 | $2,093 | 57% | $40,597 |
| Wilkes Community CollegeWilkesboro | Public community or technical college | 1,355 | $2,572 | n/a | 61% | $40,188 |
Colleges in North Carolina with the most trade programs
- Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington: 15 trade fields
- Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte: 15 trade fields
- Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown: 15 trade fields
- Central Carolina Community College, Sanford: 13 trade fields
- Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem: 13 trade fields
- Southwestern Community College, Sylva: 13 trade fields
- Vance-Granville Community College, Henderson: 13 trade fields
- Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville: 12 trade fields
- Johnston Community College, Smithfield: 11 trade fields
- Tri-County Community College, Murphy: 11 trade fields
- College of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City: 10 trade fields
- South Piedmont Community College, Polkton: 10 trade fields
Cities with the most trade schools: Charlotte (6), Raleigh (5), Fayetteville (4).
Frequently asked questions
How many trade schools are in North Carolina?
50 schools in North Carolina mostly award certificates, and 84 schools including community colleges offer programs in the 19 trades we track.
How much does trade school cost in North Carolina?
The median trade school in North Carolina charges $2,838 a year in tuition and fees (2025-26). Public schools and community colleges usually cost less; compare the tuition column above.
What is the cheapest trade school in North Carolina?
Among trade schools with a reported price, Carteret Community College in Morehead City has the lowest yearly tuition and fees: $1,900.
Colleges in North Carolina · All trades
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (institution and field of study files), data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. What each figure covers.