What Is Trade School? Benefits, Careers, & Salaries

Trade school, sometimes called vocational or technical school, helps you learn job-focused skills to help you join the workforce in a specific role or trade. Many of these offer growing opportunities for those with the proper skills. Technical schools also offer programs for health professionals, such as dental and medical assistants. 

Explore what a trade school is, how it differs from a four-year college, and the careers available to those who graduate from a trade school.

What is trade school?

Trade schools are an alternative to a four-year college degree. They focus on knowledge in a skilled trade such as welding, cosmetology, mechanical, electrical, or health services. Unlike colleges, they do not require general education courses, aiming to prepare students for the workforce in their chosen trade. 

Trade schools allow you to train in your industry with the tools, materials, and techniques of professions. Trade school awards you a diploma or certificate demonstrating your knowledge and preparedness upon completion.

Read more: What Are Certificate Programs? A 2024 Guide

Benefits of trade school

Trade school has multiple benefits as an alternative to a traditional four-year college. Trade schools are often cheaper, teach quicker, provide life skills knowledge, and are in demand. Take a closer look at each of these benefits.

Financial benefits

The average cost of four-year college tuition and fees totals $38,270 yearly, according to 2024 statistics from the Education Data Initiative [1]. The cost of trade school varies depending on the vocation. Still, students can expect to pay about half the expense of traditional college or an average of $17,600, according to 2023 research from career website Zippia [2], making trade school significantly more affordable.

Quicker pace

The pace of education is another advantage trade schools have over a typical four-year college. Depending on the program, trade school programs usually take one to two years to complete, which means you will get into the workforce quicker than someone completing a four-year degree. The quicker pace in trade schools comes from their hands-on focus on your chosen vocation. Trade schools have no general education requirements, and they structure learners’ time in a way that focuses on practical knowledge and skills needed to become a professional in their field.

High demand

Skilled trades are in demand. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the construction and extraction trades will grow roughly the average speed of all occupations through 2032, with an average of 646,100 jobs opening yearly [3]. Another advantage of a trade job is that the supply currently needs to meet the demand for work, specifically in construction. Additionally, jobs in green energy are growing rapidly, with 30 million new jobs set to emerge worldwide by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) [4].

Five jobs for trade school graduates

The skilled trades encompass a wide variety of jobs. Below are five different jobs, their requirements, and salaries for examples of the opportunities in the field. 

Electrician

Average annual US salary (Lightcast™): $64,634.96 [5]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 6 percent [6]

Requirements: High school diploma; vocational school to acquire knowledge of the trade; apprenticeship and state-issued licensure

As an electrician, you will maintain, install, and repair electrical systems. You will work to supply electricity and power to appliances, outlets, and communication systems, installing new systems or repairing old ones. This field requires knowledge of federal, state, and local building codes to ensure the safety of the systems you install and repair.

Licensed practical nurse

Average annual US salary (Lightcast™): $55,726.75 [7]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 5 percent [8]

Requirements: Technical school or community college and license; completion of the NCLEX examination

As a licensed practical nurse (LPN), you will work with registered nurses (RNs) to provide basic patient care in health care settings. In this role, you will keep records, change bandages, help with bathing and dressing, and communicate greater health needs to RNs and doctors. Depending on the state where you provide care, you may be able to do other tasks, such as starting IVs or giving medications.

LPN programs usually take about a year to complete and undergo certification through examination. A technical school or community college may administer exams and courses, and classes focus on biology, nursing, pharmacology, and clinical experience.

Auto mechanic

Average annual US salary (Lightcast™): $46,170.16 [9]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 2 percent [10]

Requirements: Vocational or post-secondary education

As an auto mechanic, you will repair and maintain cars and trucks. You can work on everything from mechanical systems, engines, and transmissions to car maintenance, such as tire changes, oil changes, and brake pad replacement. You should know technical manuals and have the skills to diagnose and fix problems. You increasingly work with electronic systems and are learning new skills to repair electric vehicles. 

While you can learn many skills through high school automotive classes, the best way to get certification and a job as an auto mechanic is through vocational school. Training is hands-on and geared towards the workforce. You may earn certification through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) with two years of experience or relevant schooling and one year of experience and must pass the exam. Employers may require certification.

Dental hygienist

Average annual US salary (Lightcast™): $85,348.14 [11]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 7 percent [12]

Requirements: Associate degree

As a dental hygienist, you will work under a dentist to provide oral care, cleanings, preventive care, and basic education on best oral hygiene practices. In this role, you may also take X-rays and communicate patient issues to dentists. 

Dental hygienists need an associate degree, and you may find available programs in community colleges and technical and vocational schools, or you can earn a bachelor’s degree. Through a dental hygienist program, you will learn about biology, chemistry, and periodontics and get clinical experience.

IT technician

Average annual US salary (Lightcast™): $63,345.31 [13]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 5 percent [14]

Requirements: Associate degree

As an IT technician or computer support specialist, you will help organizations and individual computer users with basic information technology support issues. You assist in network maintenance, testing, and support in this role. You also set up new computers, maintain older ones, update and install software, and show users how to use software. 

To become a computer specialist, you often need an associate degree, but you may also get a job with a certification and relevant computing skills. 

Other four-year degree alternatives

Other cost-effective alternatives to a four-year college degree include trade or technical school, community college, certifications, and boot camps.

Community college

Similarly to trade school, community college has the advantage of lower costs. Public two-year schools have an average annual tuition ranging from $3,598 to $16,444, which equates to less debt [1]. Community colleges offer associate degrees and certificate programs.

Read more: What Is a Community College?

Certificates/certifications

While both may boost your resume to a potential employer, certificates are not the same as certifications. While you might receive a certificate after completing coursework in a field, professional organizations award certifications, accrediting the awardee to work in the specific industry. Certifications often are not tied to financial aid. An example of a certificate is the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate found on Coursera.

Boot camps

Some learners can complete boot camps even faster than trade school or certifications. Often tech-related, they typically last from one week to six months. According to Forbes Advisor's 2023 data, the median cost of coding boot camps is $9,500, with programs ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $20,000 [16]. Boot camps represent a high up-front cost but offer you the ability to learn quick skills in their accelerated programs to get you into the workforce faster.

Read more: Your Guide to Coding Bootcamps: Benefits, Careers, and More

Take the next steps on Coursera

Trade schools represent a cost-effective alternative to four-year colleges and can open the door to professional opportunities in various industries. These programs help you cultivate skills suited to your interests to work in a trade or vocation without spending the extra time or money required to attend a four-year college or university.

If you want to gain the skills necessary for an entry-level trade job in IT, try the Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera.

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