2026 Rankings

    Best Trade Schools in Kentucky

    Data-driven rankings of 42 trade colleges in Kentucky based on graduation rates, student outcomes, and affordability. No paid placements.

    42 Schools RankedPowered by IPEDS Data

    Showing 1–25 of 42 schools

    #1
    68.6/ 100
    MedQuest College

    Louisville, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:83%
    Student-Faculty:10:1
    Programs:6
    Avg Tuition:$32,888
    Financial Aid:100%
    #2
    60.2/ 100
    Medical Career & Technical College

    Richmond, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:90%
    Student-Faculty:26:1
    Programs:6
    Avg Tuition:$13,640
    Financial Aid:94%
    #3
    55.3/ 100
    Lindsey Institute of Cosmetology

    Bowling Green, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:82%
    Student-Faculty:9:1
    Programs:2
    Avg Tuition:$2,100
    Financial Aid:37%
    #4
    53.1/ 100
    Kentucky Horseshoeing School

    Richmond, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:91%
    Student-Faculty:6:1
    Programs:1
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:76%
    #5
    51.7/ 100
    South Eastern Beauty Academy

    Paintsville, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:76%
    Student-Faculty:14:1
    Programs:4
    Avg Tuition:$5,833
    Financial Aid:86%
    #6
    51.1/ 100
    Paul Mitchell the School-Louisville

    Louisville, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:73%
    Student-Faculty:12:1
    Programs:3
    Avg Tuition:$6,980
    Financial Aid:70%
    #7
    50.5/ 100
    Madisonville Community College

    Madisonville, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:47%
    Student-Faculty:12:1
    Programs:73
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:98%
    #8
    50.3/ 100
    West Kentucky Community and Technical College

    Paducah, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:45%
    Student-Faculty:12:1
    Programs:75
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:98%
    #9
    50.1/ 100
    PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green

    Bowling Green, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:54%
    Student-Faculty:8:1
    Programs:4
    Avg Tuition:$13,294
    Financial Aid:90%
    #10
    49.3/ 100
    Allure Beauty College

    Whitesburg, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:52%
    Student-Faculty:6:1
    Programs:2
    Avg Tuition:$5,750
    Financial Aid:100%
    #11
    49.2/ 100
    Gateway Community and Technical College

    Florence, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:42%
    Student-Faculty:11:1
    Programs:61
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:94%
    #12
    48.6/ 100
    Big Sandy Community and Technical College

    Prestonsburg, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:29%
    Student-Faculty:8:1
    Programs:61
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%
    #13
    45.6/ 100
    Maysville Community and Technical College

    Maysville, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:42%
    Student-Faculty:15:1
    Programs:61
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%
    #14
    45.5/ 100
    ATA College

    Louisville, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:37%
    Student-Faculty:8:1
    Programs:9
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:98%
    #15
    45.0/ 100
    Owensboro Community and Technical College

    Owensboro, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:40%
    Student-Faculty:15:1
    Programs:75
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:97%
    #16
    44.7/ 100
    Somerset Community College

    Somerset, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:33%
    Student-Faculty:13:1
    Programs:72
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%
    #17
    44.5/ 100
    Bluegrass Community and Technical College

    Lexington, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:28%
    Student-Faculty:11:1
    Programs:91
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:93%
    #18
    43.9/ 100
    Ashland Community and Technical College logo
    Ashland Community and Technical College

    Ashland, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:38%
    Student-Faculty:14:1
    Programs:53
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%
    #19
    43.7/ 100
    Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education logo
    Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education

    Lexington, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:44%
    Student-Faculty:11:1
    Programs:7
    Avg Tuition:$9,478
    Financial Aid:77%
    #20
    43.6/ 100
    Hazard Community and Technical College logo
    Hazard Community and Technical College

    Hazard, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:39%
    Student-Faculty:15:1
    Programs:56
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:98%
    #21
    43.0/ 100
    Paul Mitchell the School-Lexington logo
    Paul Mitchell the School-Lexington

    Lexington, KY · Private Trade School

    Grad Rate:71%
    Student-Faculty:17:1
    Programs:2
    Avg Tuition:$12,733
    Financial Aid:83%
    #22
    42.8/ 100
    Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College logo
    Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College

    Bowling Green, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:41%
    Student-Faculty:18:1
    Programs:46
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%
    #23
    42.0/ 100
    Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College logo
    Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College

    Cumberland, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:39%
    Student-Faculty:18:1
    Programs:53
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%
    #24
    41.6/ 100
    Hopkinsville Community College logo
    Hopkinsville Community College

    Hopkinsville, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:30%
    Student-Faculty:13:1
    Programs:57
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:100%
    #25
    40.6/ 100
    Elizabethtown Community and Technical College logo
    Elizabethtown Community and Technical College

    Elizabethtown, KY · Public Institution

    Grad Rate:33%
    Student-Faculty:18:1
    Programs:61
    Avg Tuition:N/A
    Financial Aid:99%

    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