321 schools · federal data
Construction trades programs compared
321 schools in our data award certificates or associate degrees in construction trades: 282 certificate programs and 173 associate programs. Graduates of the typical certificate program earned $36,165 a year after finishing and $39,229 four years after.
What counts: the Department of Education groups programs by field, and this field covers building and construction finishing, management and inspection.
Where construction trades graduates earn the most
Typical first-year earnings of certificate graduates, by state. Tap a state for its programs.
Certificate or associate degree?
| Certificate | Associate degree | |
|---|---|---|
| Programs | 282 | 173 |
| Graduates in 2023-24 | 5,249 | 1,543 |
| Typical earnings 1 year after | $36,165 | $52,390 |
| Typical earnings 4 years after | $39,229 | $60,309 |
| Typical median debt | $9,500 | $11,664 |
Associate graduates in construction trades started out earning $16,225 more a year than certificate graduates, but an associate degree usually takes longer.
Highest-earning construction trades certificate programs
Programs with at least 10 graduates in 2023-24, ranked by median earnings one year after graduation.
| School | Type | Credential | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Community and Technical CollegeRochester, MN | Community college | Certificate | 22 | $62,251 | n/a | n/a |
| North Hennepin Community CollegeBrooklyn Park, MN | Community college | Certificate | 14 | $62,096 | $71,812 | n/a |
| Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleigh, NC | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 110 | $61,071 | $68,939 | $10,136 |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology NashvilleNashville, TN | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 10 | $42,038 | n/a | n/a |
| Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeEau Claire, WI | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 25 | $41,278 | n/a | n/a |
| Motoring Technical Training InstituteSeekonk, MA | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 58 | $40,703 | n/a | $5,500 |
| Orleans Technical CollegePhiladelphia, PA | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 39 | $40,250 | $48,028 | $7,600 |
| Tidewater Tech-TradesNorfolk, VA | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 104 | $37,388 | $42,871 | $9,500 |
| Grand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids, MI | Community college | Certificate | 15 | $37,183 | $39,288 | n/a |
| Remington College-Lafayette CampusLafayette, LA | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 15 | $36,806 | n/a | $9,500 |
| Remington College-Dallas CampusDallas, TX | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 21 | $36,806 | n/a | $9,500 |
| Remington College-Cleveland CampusCleveland, OH | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 25 | $36,806 | n/a | $9,500 |
| Remington College-Fort Worth CampusNorth Richland Hills, TX | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 24 | $36,806 | n/a | $9,500 |
| Remington College-Memphis CampusMemphis, TN | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 31 | $36,806 | n/a | $9,500 |
| Remington College-Nashville CampusNashville, TN | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 19 | $36,806 | n/a | $9,500 |
Highest-earning construction trades associate programs
| School | Type | Credential | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flint Hills Technical CollegeEmporia, KS | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 15 | $69,813 | $74,602 | n/a |
| Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis, IN | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 68 | $64,909 | $60,309 | n/a |
| Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlotte, NC | Community college | Associate degree | 30 | $62,526 | $71,413 | n/a |
| Pennsylvania College of TechnologyWilliamsport, PA | Community college | Associate degree | 36 | $58,650 | n/a | $14,760 |
| Rochester Community and Technical CollegeRochester, MN | Community college | Associate degree | 15 | $57,759 | n/a | n/a |
| Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleigh, NC | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 31 | $54,023 | $81,319 | n/a |
| Gwinnett Technical CollegeLawrenceville, GA | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 22 | $50,756 | n/a | n/a |
| Santa Fe CollegeGainesville, FL | Community college | Associate degree | 27 | $49,866 | n/a | n/a |
| Mitchell Technical CollegeMitchell, SD | Community college | Associate degree | 14 | $47,606 | $49,323 | n/a |
| Lake Area Technical CollegeWatertown, SD | Community college | Associate degree | 12 | $43,218 | $47,946 | n/a |
| Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnologyLancaster, PA | Community college | Associate degree | 17 | $40,269 | $51,477 | $11,328 |
| New Castle School of TradesNew Castle, PA | For-profit 2-year college | Associate degree | 35 | $27,343 | n/a | $8,571 |
Largest construction trades programs
By number of graduates in 2023-24.
| School | Type | Credential | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Community CollegeMesa, AZ | Public technical school | Certificate | 261 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| NUC UniversityBayamon, PR | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 212 | $20,845 | $22,663 | $9,500 |
| American River CollegeSacramento, CA | Community college | Certificate | 178 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 173 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlotte, NC | Community college | Certificate | 173 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Centralia CollegeCentralia, WA | Community college | Certificate | 137 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis, IN | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 114 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleigh, NC | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 110 | $61,071 | $68,939 | $10,136 |
| Seattle Central CollegeSeattle, WA | Community college | Certificate | 110 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Tidewater Tech-TradesNorfolk, VA | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 104 | $37,388 | $42,871 | $9,500 |
| Brigham Young University-IdahoRexburg, ID | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 103 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeFayetteville, NC | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 73 | n/a | n/a | $17,540 |
| South Florida Institute of TechnologyMiami, FL | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 72 | n/a | $30,476 | $9,500 |
| Ivy Tech Community CollegeIndianapolis, IN | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 68 | $64,909 | $60,309 | n/a |
| CET-San DiegoSan Diego, CA | Nonprofit trade school | Certificate | 66 | $35,524 | $39,229 | $9,500 |
Construction trades programs by state
Fewer than 3 schools: Alaska (2), Hawaii (1), Kentucky (2), Montana (2), New Jersey (2), North Dakota (1), Puerto Rico (1), Rhode Island (1), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wyoming (2). See each state's trade school page.
Frequently asked questions
How many construction trades programs are there?
321 schools on the College Scorecard awarded at least one construction trades certificate or associate degree in the last two years we have data for: 282 certificate programs and 173 associate programs.
How much do construction trades program graduates earn?
Graduates of the typical construction trades certificate program earned a median of $36,165 one year after finishing and $39,229 four years after, in 2024 dollars. For associate degrees the one-year figure was $52,390. Pay varies a lot by school and state, so check the program tables.
Which construction trades program has the highest earnings?
Among certificate programs with at least 10 graduates, Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN had the highest median earnings one year after graduation: $62,251.
How much debt do construction trades students take on?
At the typical certificate program, graduates who borrowed federal loans left with a median of $9,500. Many trade students borrow nothing, so check each school's net price and aid first.
Other trades: Welding · HVAC · Electrician · Plumbing · Carpentry · Auto and diesel mechanic · Heavy equipment mechanic · Truck driving (CDL) · Cosmetology and barbering · Culinary arts · Medical assistant · LPN and CNA · Dental assisting and hygiene · Phlebotomy and medical lab · EMT, surgical tech and imaging · Medical billing and coding · Massage therapy · Paralegal
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.