Select a program of interest to explore trade schools that match your goals.
Start here to compare accredited trade schools near Garden City. This guide links to programs, state licensing steps, and related career paths so you can get job-ready quickly in Kansas.
We could not confirm enough colleges teaching this subject within range of this location, so the list below shows nearby institutions instead. Confirm with each school that it offers the program before you apply.
This page lists 8 schools within 119 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 8 of them carry a score.
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.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
| # | School | BOC Score (0–100) | Tuition | Median grad earnings (all majors) | Graduation rate | Online | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Hays State University-Northwest Kansas Technical College | 66.7 | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | Not reported | Yes* | 105 mi |
| 2 | Seward County Community College | 61.3 | Contact school for pricing | $53,375 | 48% | Yes* | 63 mi |
| 3 | Colby Community College | 57.8 | Contact school for pricing | $41,509 | 56% | Yes* | 98 mi |
| 4 | Garden City Community College | 56.0 | Contact school for pricing | $45,949 | 46% | Yes* | 1 mi |
| 5 | Dodge City Community College | 55.2 | Contact school for pricing | $48,311 | 33% | Yes* | 47 mi |
| 6 | Barton County Community College | 50.8 | Contact school for pricing | $48,242 | 38% | Yes* | 119 mi |
| 7 | Hays Academy of Hair Design | 46.4 | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | Not reported | — | 105 mi |
Schools closest to the main population center in Kansas are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Kansas is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.
| Trade | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Electricians | $65,860 |
| Plumbers | $65,220 |
| HVAC technicians | $60,460 |
| Culinary workers | $58,390 |
| Medical assistants | $39,510 |
| School | Median graduate earnings |
|---|---|
| Seward County Community College | $53,375 |
| Dodge City Community College | $48,311 |
| Barton County Community College | $48,242 |
| Garden City Community College | $45,949 |
| Colby Community College | $41,509 |
Among the Garden City, KS area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $39,510 to $65,860 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025); the chart above compares the five with the largest local workforces. Typical culinary worker training runs 1-2 years (culinary school or apprenticeship) (TradeCareerPath program data).
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Plumber | 4.5% |
| Carpenter | 4.5% |
| Welder | 2.2% |
| Flooring Installer | 9.5% |
| Construction Worker | 7.3% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Construction Manager | 8.7% |
| Home Inspector | -0.8% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Lineworker | 6.6% |
| Wind Turbine Technician | 49.9% |
| Electrician | 9.5% |
| HVAC Technician | 8.1% |
| Tower Technician | 8.6% |
| Solar Installer | 42.1% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic (A&P) | 4.0% |
| Gunsmith | 2.0% |
| Diesel Technician | 2.4% |
| Truck Driver (CDL) | 4.0% |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 3.6% |
| CNC Machinist | 0.0% |
| Auto Mechanic | 4.2% |
| Automotive Technician | 4.2% |
| Maintenance Technician | 3.8% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | 2.6% |
| Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) | 2.6% |
| Hemodialysis Technician | 5.2% |
| Mental Health Technician | 20.0% |
| Medical Assistant | 12.5% |
| Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) | 2.3% |
| Patient Care Technician | 2.3% |
| Home Health Aide | 17.0% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | 13.0% |
| Radiologic Technologist | 4.3% |
| EKG Technician | 3.0% |
| Surgical Technologist | 4.5% |
| Dental Assistant | 6.4% |
| Sterile Processing Technician | 10.0% |
| Pharmacy Technician | 6.4% |
| Optician | 2.9% |
| Phlebotomy Technician | 5.6% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Medical Billing & Coding Specialist | 7.1% |
| Medical Office Administrator | 4.2% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 19.2% |
| Massage Therapist | 15.4% |
| Personal Trainer | 11.9% |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 2.8% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Veterinary Technician | 9.1% |
| Veterinary Assistant | 8.7% |
| Dog Trainer | 5.1% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Esthetician | 6.7% |
| Beauty Professional | 5.6% |
| Cosmetologist | 5.6% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Culinary Chef | 7.1% |
| Pastry Chef | 7.1% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Digital Court Reporter | -0.3% |
| Paralegal | 0.2% |
| Bookkeeper | -5.8% |
Job growth uses state projections when available and national projections (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034) when state data is unavailable. Median pay for each trade is shown in the comparison table above.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections (2024-2034). Projected U.S. change shown for each trade.
Outcome figures such as graduation, completion, and job placement rates are reported by schools and by federal data sources, reflect prior student cohorts, and are not a prediction or promise of future results. Individual outcomes may vary.
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/.
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) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
