Trade Education in the United States
By the Numbers
Live statistics drawn from federal data sources including IPEDS (Dept. of Education), Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Department of Labor's registered apprenticeship system.
4,735
Active Trade Schools
28,870
Vocational Programs
43,943
Apprenticeship Sponsors
2,366
Registered Apprenticeship Programs
Highest-Paying Trades
Ranked by median journeyman hourly wage. BLS 2024
| # | Occupation | Hourly Wage | Annual Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction Manager | $50.15/hr | $104,312 |
| 2 | Elevator Constructor | $46.56/hr | $96,845 |
| 3 | Network Technician | $42.44/hr | $88,275 |
| 4 | Nurse | $41.54/hr | $86,403 |
| 5 | Boilermaker | $32.30/hr | $67,184 |
| 6 | Electronics Technician | $31.03/hr | $64,542 |
| 7 | Plumber | $30.46/hr | $63,357 |
| 8 | Chef | $30.06/hr | $62,525 |
| 9 | Electrician | $29.61/hr | $61,589 |
| 10 | Ironworker | $28.82/hr | $59,946 |
| 11 | Diesel Technician | $26.67/hr | $55,474 |
| 12 | Sheet Metal Worker | $26.33/hr | $54,766 |
| 13 | HVAC Technician | $25.95/hr | $53,976 |
| 14 | Carpenter | $25.87/hr | $53,810 |
| 15 | Mason | $24.19/hr | $50,315 |
| 16 | CDL Driver | $24.09/hr | $50,107 |
| 17 | Welder | $23.81/hr | $49,525 |
| 18 | Auto Mechanic | $23.41/hr | $48,693 |
| 19 | CNC Machinist | $22.72/hr | $47,258 |
| 20 | Painter | $22.47/hr | $46,738 |
| 21 | Roofer | $22.34/hr | $46,467 |
| 22 | Dental Assistant | $21.11/hr | $43,909 |
| 23 | Medical Assistant | $18.43/hr | $38,334 |
| 24 | Cosmetologist | $16.83/hr | $35,006 |
Schools by State
Top 10 states by number of trade schools. IPEDS 2024
Most Popular Program Categories
Top 10 categories by number of programs. IPEDS 2024
School Types
Active trade schools by institutional control. IPEDS 2024
1,915
40.4% of all schools
1,819
38.4% of all schools
1,005
21.2% of all schools
Apprenticeship Landscape
The US registered apprenticeship system, administered by the Department of Labor. Apprenticeship.gov
Apprenticeship Sponsors
43,943
Employers, unions, and associations registered with DOL to administer apprenticeship training programs.
Registered Programs
2,366
Structured earn-and-learn programs combining on-the-job training with related technical instruction.
Data sourced from apprenticeship.gov and Department of Labor RAPIDS database.
Licensing Coverage
1,224 state licensing requirements tracked across 24 trades and all 50 states + DC.
Each requirement includes the licensing agency, exam details, reciprocity rules, and application notes — sourced from state agencies and verified by our research team.
Data Sources
All statistics on this page are derived from federal data sources: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, U.S. Department of Education), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, U.S. Department of Labor), Department of Labor (DOL/RAPIDS registered apprenticeship data), and College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Data reflects the 2024-2025 academic year where available. Statistics are updated as new federal data is released.
Cite This Page
SkillPlum, “Trade Education Statistics,” skillplum.com/statistics, accessed 2026.