Highest ROI Trade Programs
Best return on tuition investment. Score column shows Base Case (range = Pessimistic–Optimistic).
| Program | Score | Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Cabrillo College | 91 85–92 | $91,090 | High | 1067.5x |
| Allied Health Diagnostic Crafton Hills College | 81 77–82 | $117,351 | Moderate | 807.8x |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections San Diego Miramar College | 93 89–95 | $91,647 | Moderate | 795.9x |
| Dental Support Services Cabrillo College | 79 75–79 | $74,741 | Moderate | 587.5x |
| Industrial Production Technologies Antelope Valley Community College District | 76 72–77 | $63,060 | Moderate | 560.0x |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers Los Angeles Trade Technical College | 82 79–83 | $50,745 | Low | 550.6x |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Mt San Antonio College | 83 79–84 | $59,278 | Moderate | 548.1x |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies Los Angeles Trade Technical College | 77 73–78 | $66,574 | Moderate | 536.8x |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies West Los Angeles College | 83 81–84 | $65,978 | Low | 531.9x |
| Fire Protection Santa Ana College | 80 76–82 | $53,847 | Moderate | 483.9x |
Most AI-Resistant Trades
Lowest AI automation exposure among programs earning $40K+. These trades are hardest for AI to disrupt.
| Program | Score | Earnings | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies Warren County Career Center | 60 59–60 | $70,305 | Low |
| Building/Construction Finishing North Hennepin Community College | 90 89–90 | $66,902 | Low |
| Heating & Air Conditioning Hennepin Technical College | 67 66–66 | $65,592 | Low |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences Purdue University-Main Campus | 70 71–69 | $79,921 | Low |
| Precision Metal Working Ferris State University | 66 66–68 | $68,852 | Low |
| Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services Ivy Tech Community College | 78 77–77 | $82,191 | Low |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | 61 59–61 | $76,663 | Low |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | 69 69–68 | $76,663 | Low |
| Ground Transportation Johnson County Community College | 95 93–95 | $74,114 | Low |
| Precision Systems Maintenance Sonoran Desert Institute | 58 59–57 | $58,977 | Low |
Highest AI Disruption Risk
Trade programs whose career paths have the highest exposure to large language models and AI tools.
| Program | Score | Earnings | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications Bellevue College | 34 45–49 | $48,416 | Very High |
| Ethnic & Cultural Minority University of Missouri-Columbia | 41 33–46 | $37,389 | Very High |
| Literature University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg | 39 30–46 | $30,253 | Very High |
| Literature University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 36 28–42 | $30,253 | Very High |
| Management Information Systems and Services Prince George's Community College | 61 49–65 | $50,948 | Very High |
| Communication & Journalism Harrisburg Area Community College | 46 39–50 | $41,282 | Very High |
| Computer Programming Indian Hills Community College | 70 58–75 | $63,559 | Very High |
| Business Operations Support Washtenaw Community College | 76 69–82 | $46,821 | Very High |
| Statistics Chapman University | 47 39–50 | $57,048 | Very High |
| English Language and Literature, General Davidson College | 38 32–42 | $34,707 | Very High |
How TradeSchoolWorth Scores Work
Real Earnings Data
Actual trade school graduate salaries from the U.S. Department of Education, not self-reported surveys.
AI Risk Analysis
Every career path rated for AI exposure using peer-reviewed research on task automation.
3 Scenarios
Optimistic, Base Case, and Pessimistic projections for how AI reshapes each field over 10 years.
0–100 Score
A single number combining earnings, ROI, job market size, and AI resilience into one comparable metric.