$1.57 trillion. That's how much student loan debt Americans owed in June 2021, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Institute for College Access and Success reports that 62% of 2019's senior graduating class was in debt from student loans. Each student's average debt? Close to $30,000.
A college degree can help you land a job in a flourishing field, but it's not the only way. Just half of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) fastest-growing jobs require a bachelor-level degree or higher.
You can break into growing jobs in health care, technology, and manufacturing with a certificate, diploma, or even an apprenticeship that pays you for your training — not the other way around. Traditionally referred to as the trades, these jobs present pathways to flourishing careers in medicine, engineering, or entrepreneurship.
Learn about the differences between trade school and college — from their costs to the opportunities they afford — so you can discover and evaluate all your options.
What is Trade School?
"Trade school" refers to a career-focused education and training program. Today, educators and employers more often use "vocational education" or "career and technical education" (CTE). These programs combine classroom learning with learning-by-doing under expert supervision in real situations.
For example, in a welding vocational education program, you'll learn about the melting points of different metals in class. Then in your apprenticeship or shop class, you'll practice using welding torches or robotic welding arms for more modern techniques.
The term "trade school" can be a bit misleading for a couple of reasons. For one, you can complete this type of training in many different settings, including:
Community colleges
High schools
Private vocational schools and career colleges
Career centers
At companies, through an employer-sponsored training program
In addition, trades are becoming more technological in nature — from fixing problems in smart homes to repairing electric vehicles. And they include many fields like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and IT.
Trade Schools vs. College
Is Trade School Worth It?
Vocational training programs generally cost less money than college, so they can help you avoid debt. Experts design the curriculum to help you get hired in a field of your choice. So, these programs may be right for you if you want to work in a booming industry like health care or a rapidly changing one like manufacturing.
A career-focused education path might also be right for you if you:
Prefer learning by doing
Want to work with the real-world applications of science, medicine, or engineering
Find nine-to-five office jobs boring
Might want to go to college one day — just not today
Aspire to master a lesser-known skill and possibly use it to open your own business or train others
Should You Go to College?
On average, four-year college graduates earn more money in salary compared to people without a four-year degree. So, if you have the money or scholarship funds to complete college and can afford the time investment, it can help you unlock high-paying job opportunities.
You'll especially want to consider a four-year college if you:
Learn best through discussion, reading, writing, and lab assignments
Want to pursue the humanities, social sciences, scientific research, finance, or operations management
Want to obtain the broadest education possible — from philosophy to statistics to foreign languages
When you're thinking about trade school versus college, associate degree programs can serve as a happy medium. Associate degrees can help you start gaining credentials that you can later use to earn a bachelor's degree. For example, you can advance from an auto technician to an automotive engineer.
Pro Tips: Expert Advice on Choosing the Right Education
Editor's note: We've edited these tips for clarity & length.
[expert-qa title="Jan Bray" description="Jan Bray serves as a senior advisor for the National Association of Workforce Boards. Bray led the Association for Career and Technical Education for 11 years and contributed to several apprenticeship programs." src="https://res.cloudinary.com/highereducation/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto/c_fill,g_face:center/v1630706968/LearnHowToBecome.org-Sonic/People/Jan-Bray.jpg" theme="primary"][expert-qa-item title="What might surprise people about career and technical education (CTE)?"]Some people may think that career-focused education culminates in becoming a mechanic or welder. In reality, CTE helps develop the knowledge and skills you need to be successful in the career pathway of your choice — in health care, IT, law careers — whatever it is. There's no longer a one-size-fits-all approach.
[/expert-qa-item][expert-qa-item title="What do modern CTE programs look like? What should someone look for in a program?"]Since the pandemic has brought us into virtual training, we're seeing more virtual simulation being used as a training technique. Still, we're always asking: How can we get students to job sites faster? Because that's where so much of the learning happens.
[/expert-qa-item][expert-qa-item title="How can a student go about deciding on which educational path is right for them?"]For one, go to your local workforce board. It's free, and they may even pay for some of your training. Plus, they work with everyone — from people who are out of work at any age, to people who are looking to change careers, to people who have been laid-off from six-figure jobs. Your local workforce board works with local employers and analyzes your area's labor market information, so they know what jobs are out there, what skills are required, and who's hiring.
Second, you can go to your local community college. Speak to a counselor there who can help you complete an assessment to see what you're interested in and the best pathway forward for you.
Finally, to learn more about opportunities within a specific industry, go to visit its national trade association website. It will offer information about events, scholarships, and what's going on in the industry.
[/expert-qa-item][/expert-qa]Resources for Choosing Between Trade School and College
When you're starting or switching your career, don't forget to calculate your net costs. In other words, look beyond tuition alone and factor in how much debt you'll take on and what other expenses, like room and board, you'll incur.
Remember that it's always more helpful to investigate actual career paths versus national averages. As we've seen, salaries vary drastically, regardless of your credential.
Finally, as you consider all your options, check out more resources available on our site:
