2026 Rankings

Best Trade Schools in Colorado

Data-driven rankings of 34 trade colleges in Colorado based on graduation rates, student outcomes, and affordability. No paid placements.

34 Schools RankedPowered by IPEDS Data

Showing 1–25 of 34 schools

68.8/ 100

Emily Griffith Technical College

Denver, CO · Public Institution

Grad Rate:87%

Student-Faculty:44:1

Programs:27

Avg Tuition:$9,978

Financial Aid:98%

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67.0/ 100

Pima Medical Institute-Aurora

Aurora, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:76%

Student-Faculty:6:1

Programs:6

Avg Tuition:$18,914

Financial Aid:90%

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65.9/ 100

United Beauty College

Denver, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:96%

Student-Faculty:6:1

Programs:4

Avg Tuition:$8,053

Financial Aid:62%

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65.8/ 100

IBMC College

Fort Collins, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:70%

Student-Faculty:4:1

Programs:10

Avg Tuition:$22,449

Financial Aid:88%

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65.1/ 100

International Salon and Spa Academy

Colorado Springs, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:81%

Student-Faculty:7:1

Programs:4

Avg Tuition:$12,453

Financial Aid:81%

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63.3/ 100

Colorado School of Healing Arts

Lakewood, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:88%

Student-Faculty:1:1

Programs:1

Avg Tuition:N/A

Financial Aid:N/A

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60.9/ 100

The Salon Professional Academy-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:74%

Student-Faculty:8:1

Programs:4

Avg Tuition:$13,633

Financial Aid:96%

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60.4/ 100

Pima Medical Institute-Denver

Denver, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:77%

Student-Faculty:11:1

Programs:13

Avg Tuition:$30,032

Financial Aid:75%

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58.5/ 100

Aveda Institute-Denver

Denver, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:81%

Student-Faculty:11:1

Programs:5

Avg Tuition:$15,600

Financial Aid:72%

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58.5/ 100

Technical College of the Rockies

Delta, CO · Public Institution

Grad Rate:89%

Student-Faculty:N/A

Programs:13

Avg Tuition:$4,597

Financial Aid:54%

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#11

58.2/ 100

Stacey James Institute

Parker, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:81%

Student-Faculty:6:1

Programs:3

Avg Tuition:$16,500

Financial Aid:57%

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#12

55.2/ 100

Avalon Institute-Aurora

Aurora, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:78%

Student-Faculty:12:1

Programs:3

Avg Tuition:$17,250

Financial Aid:92%

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#13

55.0/ 100

Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:69%

Student-Faculty:10:1

Programs:7

Avg Tuition:$21,651

Financial Aid:81%

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#14

54.1/ 100

Intellitec College-Grand Junction

Grand Junction, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:70%

Student-Faculty:15:1

Programs:12

Avg Tuition:$29,041

Financial Aid:88%

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#15

50.2/ 100

Otero College

La Junta, CO · Public Institution

Grad Rate:40%

Student-Faculty:8:1

Programs:42

Avg Tuition:N/A

Financial Aid:95%

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#16

49.4/ 100

Paul Mitchell the School-Denver

Lakewood, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:68%

Student-Faculty:13:1

Programs:2

Avg Tuition:$10,250

Financial Aid:98%

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#17

46.4/ 100

Lincoln College of Technology-Denver

Denver, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:63%

Student-Faculty:23:1

Programs:12

Avg Tuition:$30,607

Financial Aid:85%

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#18

45.8/ 100

Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:57%

Student-Faculty:14:1

Programs:5

Avg Tuition:$11,761

Financial Aid:93%

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#19

45.0/ 100

National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA)

Denver, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:85%

Student-Faculty:22:1

Programs:1

Avg Tuition:N/A

Financial Aid:95%

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#20

44.7/ 100

Intellitec College-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:64%

Student-Faculty:26:1

Programs:8

Avg Tuition:$29,353

Financial Aid:84%

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#21

44.6/ 100

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder

Boulder, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:60%

Student-Faculty:79:1

Programs:11

Avg Tuition:$26,443

Financial Aid:80%

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#22

44.1/ 100

Tigi Hairdressing Academy-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO · Private Trade School

Grad Rate:58%

Student-Faculty:8:1

Programs:4

Avg Tuition:$14,084

Financial Aid:63%

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#23

42.9/ 100

Lamar Community College

Lamar, CO · Public Institution

Grad Rate:38%

Student-Faculty:11:1

Programs:35

Avg Tuition:N/A

Financial Aid:91%

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#24

41.5/ 100

Northeastern Junior College

Sterling, CO · Public Institution

Grad Rate:32%

Student-Faculty:11:1

Programs:49

Avg Tuition:N/A

Financial Aid:89%

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#25

39.4/ 100

Pickens Technical College

Aurora, CO · Public Institution

Grad Rate:60%

Student-Faculty:17:1

Programs:24

Avg Tuition:N/A

Financial Aid:56%

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Our rankings evaluate trade and vocational colleges using six weighted metrics derived from federal IPEDS data: graduation rate, student-faculty ratio, program breadth, institutional scale, financial accessibility, and affordability. Schools must meet minimum eligibility requirements to be ranked.

How are these rankings calculated? View Methodology