Trade school programs in Colorado
269 trade school programs in 19 fields of skilled trades, with costs, results and funding that can make them free
24 schools offer these programs, and Colorado has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 19 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 Colorado, every line of work
Accredited trade schools in Colorado, each school with its accreditor
Trade school programs by state, to compare Colorado with other states
Compare trade school programs in Colorado: cost, pay and results
47 programs at 9 schools
- Most cost
- $2,804 to $10,664
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $32,700
- Working 6 months later
- 50%
- Finished
- 36%
36 programs at 11 schools
- Most cost
- $3,356 to $7,090
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $29,100
- Working 6 months later
- 51%
- Finished
- 57%
30 programs at 3 schools
- Most cost
- $1,074 to $4,600
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 82%
23 programs at 5 schools
- Most cost
- $2,622 to $8,240
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 28%
23 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $825 to $4,764
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
19 programs at 5 schools
- Most cost
- $3,087 to $9,412
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $31,400
- Working 6 months later
- 45%
- Finished
- 33%
16 programs at 7 schools
- Most cost
- $2,469 to $3,656
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
14 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $4,881 to $24,716
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
11 programs at 6 schools
- Most cost
- $2,660 to $5,076
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
10 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $5,294 to $25,850
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
9 programs at 3 schools
- Most cost
- $5,100 to $10,812
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $58,200
- Working 6 months later
- 53%
- Finished
- Not enough data
7 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- $1,749 to $17,910
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
6 programs at 3 schools
- Most cost
- $6,131 to $9,531
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
5 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $2,647 to $9,997
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 27%
4 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not enough data
3 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- 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 reported
- Finished
- Not reported
2 programs at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
2 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- 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 Colorado may offer more. How these figures are made
Other job training in Colorado, by line of work
- IT certification programs236
- Business and office training149
- Medical certification programs106
- First responder training100
- Child care and social services training73
- Allied health programs67
- Culinary and hospitality programs45
- Nursing and patient care programs43
- Transportation and logistics training34
- Beauty school16
- All job training in Colorado1,138
Programs approved in Colorado in each line of work.
Where the Colorado trade school numbers come from
Which Colorado programs are counted?
Programs Colorado 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 Colorado 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).
How reliable are the Colorado figures?
The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Colorado among the states with "known data quality concerns".6 The figures here are shown as the state reported them; check them with the school before you enroll.
Sources for the funding facts about trade school programs in Colorado
Show the 6 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
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: search page, note on states with known data quality concerns