Kansas has a strong demand for skilled workers in manufacturing, agriculture, energy, and healthcare. Trade schools give you the practical skills to move quickly into high-demand careers, often in less than two years. Whether you’re in Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka, or rural areas, there are accredited programs statewide.
Many Kansas trade schools work with local employers, unions, and apprenticeship programs to connect graduates with opportunities; timelines and outcomes vary by location and job market.
Best Trade Schools in Kansas
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools,
ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Compare accredited trade schools in 37 Kansas cities. Each city page lists the closest local schools with tuition, median graduate earnings, and the trades hiring nearby.
WSU Tech is a top choice for aviation maintenance, welding, HVAC, and healthcare. JCCC and Washburn Tech are also highly respected for skilled trades and health programs.
Are Kansas community colleges considered trade schools?
Yes. Schools like WSU Tech, JCCC, and KCKCC offer accredited, career-focused programs that function like trade schools, often with strong job placement.
What trades are in demand in Kansas in 2025?
Welders, HVAC techs, electricians, aviation maintenance techs, nurses, CNAs, and agricultural equipment technicians are in steady demand.
Kansas’ trade schools provide hands-on training, industry-recognized credentials, and strong job placement support. Whether you’re entering aviation, construction, healthcare, or manufacturing, these programs can get you job-ready fast.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
Data
Provider
Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
