Trade school programs in California
644 trade school programs in 23 fields of skilled trades, with costs, results and funding that can make them free
205 schools offer these programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 23 fields below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.
Trade school programs teach hands-on work with tools, machines and building systems. That runs from building work like carpentry, plumbing and electrical, through repairing cars, diesel trucks, heating and cooling systems and factory machinery, to welding, sheet metal, masonry, auto body repair, CNC machining, manufacturing and electronics work, solar and wind installation, water treatment, workplace safety, running heavy equipment and cranes, and inspecting homes. Most are certificates; some are two-year degrees or apprenticeships.
All job training programs in California, every line of work
Accredited trade schools in California, each school with its accreditor
Trade school programs by state, to compare California with other states
Compare trade school programs in California: cost, pay and results
123 programs at 66 schools
- Most cost
- $1,128 to $4,475
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $39,200
- Working 6 months later
- 71%
- Finished
- 83%
98 programs at 48 schools
- Most cost
- $1,204 to $6,625
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $45,300
- Working 6 months later
- 76%
- Finished
- 89%
75 programs at 40 schools
- Most cost
- $1,200 to $4,247
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $47,600
- Working 6 months later
- 57%
- Finished
- 71%
45 programs at 35 schools
- Most cost
- $1,890 to $17,680
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $52,900
- Working 6 months later
- 65%
- Finished
- 82%
40 programs at 18 schools
- Most cost
- $1,222 to $4,888
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- 86%
- Finished
- 86%
39 programs at 32 schools
- Most cost
- $1,680 to $6,750
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $44,600
- Working 6 months later
- 68%
- Finished
- 82%
37 programs at 22 schools
- Most cost
- $1,250 to $4,695
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- 61%
- Finished
- 96%
30 programs at 19 schools
- Most cost
- $732 to $2,681
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 87%
23 programs at 10 schools
- Most cost
- $700 to $5,200
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- 64%
- Finished
- 85%
20 programs at 15 schools
- Most cost
- $912 to $3,998
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $37,400
- Working 6 months later
- 83%
- Finished
- 82%
17 programs at 6 schools
- Most cost
- $400 to $2,578
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
15 programs at 11 schools
- Most cost
- $1,076 to $2,520
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 87%
13 programs at 11 schools
- Most cost
- $991 to $2,605
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- 65%
- Finished
- 75%
12 programs at 5 schools
- Most cost
- $920 to $11,610
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- 95%
- Finished
- 91%
10 programs at 9 schools
- Most cost
- $850 to $1,288
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
10 programs at 10 schools
- Most cost
- $1,518 to $2,868
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $42,500
- Working 6 months later
- 51%
- Finished
- 90%
8 programs at 7 schools
- Most cost
- $906 to $3,396
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
7 programs at 7 schools
- Most cost
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
6 programs at 5 schools
- Most cost
- $1,001 to $1,263
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
6 programs at 6 schools
- Most cost
- Not reported
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
5 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $805 to $2,760
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not enough data
3 programs at 3 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
2 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
Each figure is the middle program of that field. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools in California may offer more. How these figures are made
Other job training in California, by line of work
- Medical certification programs517
- Business and office training498
- IT certification programs417
- Nursing and patient care programs231
- Allied health programs186
- First responder training175
- Transportation and logistics training173
- Child care and social services training132
- Beauty school120
- Culinary and hospitality programs90
- All job training in California3,183
Programs approved in California in each line of work.
Where the California trade school numbers come from
Which California programs are counted?
Programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) in the fields listed above. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).5 They come from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.
What the figures for each field mean
Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).
Sources for the funding facts about trade school programs in California
Show the 5 sourcesHide the sources
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
- US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
- Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
- US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
- US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List