Best Trade Schools in Big Rapids, Michigan (2026)

Updated June 20, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Start here to compare accredited trade schools near Big Rapids. This guide links to programs, state licensing steps, and related career paths so you can get job-ready quickly in Michigan.

How to Get Started in Big Rapids

  • Compare schools and program lengths above
  • Check your state licensing steps: Michigan
  • Explore careers: Skilled trades hub
  • Ask each school about tuition, schedules, and embedded certifications (EPA 608, NCCER, ASE)

Compare Trade Schools Near Big Rapids, Michigan

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 1.1 miles away BOC Score 64.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 47.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 64
  • Annual completions: 2030
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $64,721 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

M J Murphy Beauty College of Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, MI 35.7 miles away BOC Score 60.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 92.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 55
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $17,566 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 36.2 miles away BOC Score 60.7
Tuition $14,760 - $30,681
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 89.8%
  • Graduation rate: 60.4%
  • Programs offered: 36
  • Annual completions: 1553
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $61,298 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Alma College

Alma, MI 46.1 miles away BOC Score 51.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 63.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 16
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,040 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Muskegon Community College

Muskegon, MI 47.6 miles away BOC Score 47.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 29.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 48
  • Annual completions: 304
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $47,476 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

West Shore Community College

Scottville, MI 47.5 miles away BOC Score 41.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30
  • Annual completions: 102
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,908 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Montcalm Community College

Sidney, MI 36.1 miles away BOC Score 40.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 28.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 35
  • Annual completions: 108
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,704 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Mid Michigan College

Harrison, MI 40.6 miles away BOC Score 39.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 22.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 25
  • Annual completions: 343
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,578 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the main population center in Michigan.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
160.8Contact school for pricing$17,56693%—36 mi
247.2Contact school for pricing$47,47630%Yes*48 mi
341.8Contact school for pricing$57,908Not reported—48 mi
440.9Contact school for pricing$55,70429%—36 mi
539.2Contact school for pricing$46,57823%Yes*41 mi
636.1Contact school for pricingNot reportedNot reported—36 mi
724.3Contact school for pricingNot reportedNot reported—38 mi

Schools closest to the main population center in Michigan are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Michigan 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.

Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Big Rapids, Michigan (2026)
Median graduate earnings by school, Best Trade Schools in Big Rapids, Michigan (2026) (College Scorecard)West Shore Community College $57908; Montcalm Community College $55704; Muskegon Community College $47476; Mid Michigan College $46578; M J Murphy Beauty College of Mount Pleasant $17566.West Shore Community College$57,908Montcalm Community College$55,704Muskegon Community College$47,476Mid Michigan College$46,578M J Murphy Beauty College of...$17,566
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard - median earnings of all graduates at each school (not a single program).
Median graduate earnings by school for schools serving Best Trade Schools in Big Rapids, Michigan (2026)
SchoolMedian graduate earnings
West Shore Community College$57,908
Montcalm Community College$55,704
Muskegon Community College$47,476
Mid Michigan College$46,578
M J Murphy Beauty College of Mount Pleasant$17,566

Michigan Trade Career Outlook

Building & Construction Trades

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Plumber4.5%
Carpenter4.5%
Welder2.2%
Construction Worker7.3%
Flooring Installer9.5%

Construction Management & Inspection

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Construction Manager8.7%
Home Inspector-0.8%

Electrical & Energy Systems

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Lineworker6.6%
Electrician9.5%
Tower Technician8.6%
Wind Turbine Technician49.9%
HVAC Technician8.1%
Solar Installer42.1%

Mechanical, Automotive & Transportation

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Aircraft Mechanic (A&P)4.0%
Gunsmith2.0%
Heavy Equipment Operator3.6%
Diesel Technician2.4%
Truck Driver (CDL)4.0%
Auto Mechanic4.2%
Automotive Technician4.2%
CNC Machinist0.0%
Maintenance Technician3.8%

Healthcare: Nursing & Patient Care

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)2.6%
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)2.6%
Hemodialysis Technician5.2%
Mental Health Technician20.0%
Medical Assistant12.5%
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)2.3%
Patient Care Technician2.3%
Home Health Aide17.0%

Healthcare: Allied Health & Diagnostics

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer13.0%
EKG Technician3.0%
Radiologic Technologist4.3%
Surgical Technologist4.5%
Dental Assistant6.4%
Sterile Processing Technician10.0%
Pharmacy Technician6.4%
Optician2.9%
Phlebotomy Technician5.6%

Healthcare: Administration & Office Support

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Medical Billing & Coding Specialist7.1%
Medical Office Administrator4.2%

Therapy, Rehab & Fitness

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Massage Therapist15.4%
Occupational Therapy Assistant19.2%
Personal Trainer11.9%
Physical Therapy Aide2.8%

Animal Care & Training

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Veterinary Technician9.1%
Veterinary Assistant8.7%
Dog Trainer5.1%

Beauty & Personal Care

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Esthetician6.7%
Beauty Professional5.6%
Cosmetologist5.6%

Culinary & Hospitality Careers

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Culinary Chef7.1%
Pastry Chef7.1%

Business & Legal Support

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Paralegal0.2%
Digital Court Reporter-0.3%
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.

Next Steps

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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)