Trade schools by state
Trade schools in Illinois
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data · Updated October 17, 2026
44 colleges and trade schools in Illinois reported 121 electrician, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), plumbing or construction programs with graduates in the latest two reported years, according to the federal College Scorecard. For each one you can see how many certificates or degrees it awarded, what graduates typically earned a year and four years later, and what a year at the school costs after grants.
Electrician programs in Illinois
20 programs at 13 schools. Listed by graduates' pay one year after finishing, then by size; click any column heading to sort by it, and click again to reverse.
All 20 programs
| School | Program | Graduates 2023–24 | Typical pay 1 year after | Typical pay 4 years after | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 42 | $112,442 | $176,927 | $7,250 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose ParkMelrose Park · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Associate degree | 176 | $47,467 | $54,624 | $28,524 |
| HVAC Technical InstituteChicago · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Certificate | 36 | $44,384 | — | $22,735 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose ParkMelrose Park · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Certificate | 89 | $42,700 | $53,760 | $28,524 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 528 | — | — | $6,286 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 31 | — | — | $7,555 |
| Illinois Valley Community CollegeOglesby · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 23 | — | — | $3,176 |
| Illinois Valley Community CollegeOglesby · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 20 | — | — | $3,176 |
| John Wood Community CollegeQuincy · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 16 | — | — | $6,248 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 16 | — | — | $4,839 |
| Illinois Eastern Community CollegesOlney · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 12 | — | — | $7,211 |
| Rock Valley CollegeRockford · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 12 | — | — | $3,385 |
| Rock Valley CollegeRockford · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 12 | — | — | $3,385 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 11 | — | — | $7,555 |
| Prairie State CollegeChicago Heights · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 10 | — | — | $4,220 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 7 | — | — | $6,286 |
| John Wood Community CollegeQuincy · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 7 | — | — | $6,248 |
| Prairie State CollegeChicago Heights · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 7 | — | — | $4,220 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 3 | — | — | $5,165 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 1 | — | — | $5,445 |
Nationally, the typical pay one year after finishing was $44,469 for certificate programs; $55,611 for associate degree programs.
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HVAC programs in Illinois
48 programs at 31 schools. Listed by graduates' pay one year after finishing, then by size; click any column heading to sort by it, and click again to reverse.
All 48 programs
| School | Program | Graduates 2023–24 | Typical pay 1 year after | Typical pay 4 years after | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 26 | $50,063 | $69,893 | $7,555 |
| HVAC Technical InstituteChicago · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Certificate | 138 | $48,200 | $49,419 | $22,735 |
| Lincoln Land Community CollegeSpringfield · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 34 | $46,506 | $41,223 | $3,659 |
| ETI School of Skilled TradesWillowbrook · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Certificate | 182 | $43,983 | $57,074 | $21,964 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career CollegeRockford · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Certificate | 47 | $41,376 | $41,254 | $23,337 |
| College of Lake CountyGrayslake · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 204 | — | — | $7,280 |
| Chicago Professional CenterProspect Heights · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Certificate | 159 | — | — | — |
| Moraine Valley Community CollegePalos Hills · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 151 | — | — | $3,887 |
| Elgin Community CollegeElgin · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 103 | — | — | $6,286 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 55 | — | — | $5,165 |
| Illinois Central CollegeEast Peoria · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 44 | — | $66,318 | $10,829 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 34 | — | — | $7,250 |
| Oakton CollegeDes Plaines · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 30 | — | — | $3,948 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 23 | — | — | $10,058 |
| Moraine Valley Community CollegePalos Hills · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 19 | — | — | $3,887 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar Grove · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 19 | — | — | $2,551 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 14 | — | — | $7,555 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 13 | — | — | $4,839 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 11 | — | — | $5,165 |
| College of Lake CountyGrayslake · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 11 | — | — | $7,280 |
| Prairie State CollegeChicago Heights · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 11 | — | — | $4,220 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 10 | — | — | $4,588 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 9 | — | — | $7,250 |
| John A Logan CollegeCarterville · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 9 | — | — | $7,393 |
| Richland Community CollegeDecatur · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 9 | — | — | $2,690 |
| Kankakee Community CollegeKankakee · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 8 | — | — | $3,419 |
| Danville Area Community CollegeDanville · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 7 | — | — | $3,398 |
| Oakton CollegeDes Plaines · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 7 | — | — | $3,948 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 6 | — | — | $4,588 |
| Morton CollegeCicero · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 6 | — | — | $6,075 |
| Sauk Valley Community CollegeDixon · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 6 | — | — | $5,818 |
| John A Logan CollegeCarterville · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 5 | — | — | $7,393 |
| John Wood Community CollegeQuincy · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 5 | — | — | $6,248 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 5 | — | — | $5,445 |
| Elgin Community CollegeElgin · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 4 | — | — | $6,286 |
| Illinois Valley Community CollegeOglesby · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 4 | — | — | $3,176 |
| Morton CollegeCicero · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 4 | — | — | $6,075 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar Grove · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 4 | — | — | $2,551 |
| Illinois Eastern Community CollegesOlney · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 3 | — | — | $7,211 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 3 | — | — | $4,839 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 3 | — | — | $3,243 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 3 | — | — | $10,058 |
| Illinois Central CollegeEast Peoria · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 2 | — | — | $10,829 |
| Parkland CollegeChampaign · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 2 | — | — | $5,553 |
| Kankakee Community CollegeKankakee · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 1 | — | — | $3,419 |
| Parkland CollegeChampaign · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 1 | — | — | $5,553 |
| Richland Community CollegeDecatur · Public · Scorecard | Associate degree | 1 | — | — | $2,690 |
| Shawnee Community CollegeUllin · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 0 | — | — | $4,449 |
Nationally, the typical pay one year after finishing was $42,278 for certificate programs; $48,589 for associate degree programs.
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Plumbing programs in Illinois
2 programs at 2 schools. Listed by graduates' pay one year after finishing, then by size; click any column heading to sort by it, and click again to reverse.
All 2 programs
| School | Program | Graduates 2023–24 | Typical pay 1 year after | Typical pay 4 years after | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 34 | $68,478 | $80,012 | $7,250 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | Certificate | 1 | — | — | $3,243 |
Nationally, the typical pay one year after finishing was $41,980 for certificate programs.
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Construction programs in Illinois
51 programs at 26 schools. Listed by graduates' pay one year after finishing, then by size; click any column heading to sort by it, and click again to reverse.
All 51 programs
| School | Program | Graduates 2023–24 | Typical pay 1 year after | Typical pay 4 years after | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley UniversityPeoria · Private nonprofit · Scorecard | Bachelor's degreeConstruction Management | 0 | $80,654 | — | $22,469 |
| Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville · Public · Scorecard | Bachelor's degreeConstruction Management | 23 | $79,166 | — | $13,111 |
| Illinois State UniversityNormal · Public · Scorecard | Bachelor's degreeConstruction Management | 59 | $76,140 | $91,017 | $17,829 |
| Western Illinois UniversityMacomb · Public · Scorecard | Bachelor's degreeConstruction Management | 7 | $63,363 | $85,974 | $10,018 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | CertificateCarpenters | 63 | $26,938 | $37,726 | $7,250 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Trades, General | 411 | — | — | $5,445 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 173 | — | — | $5,445 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Trades, General | 47 | — | — | $7,555 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Management | 43 | — | — | $4,588 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Trades, General | 40 | — | — | $4,839 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Trades, General | 34 | — | — | $3,243 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | CertificateCarpenters | 19 | — | — | $4,839 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Trades, General | 18 | — | — | $3,243 |
| Heartland Community CollegeNormal · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 15 | — | — | $15,472 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 14 | — | — | $7,250 |
| Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston · Public · Scorecard | Bachelor's degreeConstruction Management | 14 | — | — | $12,717 |
| John A Logan CollegeCarterville · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 12 | — | — | $7,393 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Trades, General | 11 | — | — | $5,445 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 11 | — | — | $7,555 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 10 | — | — | $4,588 |
| Parkland CollegeChampaign · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 9 | — | — | $5,553 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Trades, General | 9 | — | — | $7,555 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 8 | — | — | $5,165 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | CertificateCarpenters | 8 | — | — | $3,243 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 7 | — | — | $10,058 |
| Parkland CollegeChampaign · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 6 | — | — | $5,553 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 4 | — | — | $4,839 |
| Lincoln Land Community CollegeSpringfield · Public · Scorecard | CertificateCarpenters | 4 | — | — | $3,659 |
| Lincoln Land Community CollegeSpringfield · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeCarpenters | 4 | — | — | $3,659 |
| Oakton CollegeDes Plaines · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 4 | — | — | $3,948 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Management | 3 | — | — | $5,165 |
| Oakton CollegeDes Plaines · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 3 | — | — | $3,948 |
| Shawnee Community CollegeUllin · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Trades, General | 3 | — | — | $4,449 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career CollegeRockford · Private for-profit · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Trades, General | 3 | — | — | $23,337 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 3 | — | — | $10,058 |
| McHenry County CollegeCrystal Lake · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 2 | — | — | $11,434 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 2 | — | — | $3,243 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeCarpenters | 1 | — | — | $4,839 |
| McHenry County CollegeCrystal Lake · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 1 | — | — | $11,434 |
| South Suburban CollegeSouth Holland · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Engineering Technology/Technician | 1 | — | — | $2,011 |
| South Suburban CollegeSouth Holland · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Trades, General | 1 | — | — | $2,011 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Engineering Technology/Technician | 1 | — | — | $3,243 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 1 | — | — | $3,243 |
| Black Hawk CollegeMoline · Public · Scorecard | CertificateCarpenters | 0 | — | — | $4,349 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 0 | — | — | $7,250 |
| Danville Area Community CollegeDanville · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Engineering Technology/Technician | 0 | — | — | $3,398 |
| Kishwaukee CollegeMalta · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 0 | — | — | $4,358 |
| Lincoln Land Community CollegeSpringfield · Public · Scorecard | CertificateBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 0 | — | — | $3,659 |
| Lincoln Land Community CollegeSpringfield · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeBuilding/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 0 | — | — | $3,659 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar Grove · Public · Scorecard | CertificateConstruction Management | 0 | — | — | $2,551 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar Grove · Public · Scorecard | Associate degreeConstruction Management | 0 | — | — | $2,551 |
Nationally, the typical pay one year after finishing was $51,213 for certificate programs in construction engineering technology/technician; $60,261 for associate degree programs in construction engineering technology/technician; $39,348 for certificate programs in construction trades, general; $74,049 for associate degree programs in construction trades, general; $35,931 for certificate programs in carpenters; $39,626 for associate degree programs in carpenters; $35,572 for certificate programs in building/construction finishing, management, and inspection; $52,746 for associate degree programs in building/construction finishing, management, and inspection; $59,911 for certificate programs in construction management; $58,990 for associate degree programs in construction management; $75,379 for bachelor's degree programs in construction management.
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How to read these numbers
- Where they come from: the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Schools report their programs and graduates; the pay figures come from federal tax records.
- Graduates: the number of certificates or degrees the school reported awarding in that field in the 2023–24 school year. Programs with no graduates in the two latest reported years (2022–23 and 2023–24) are left out.
- Typical pay: the median yearly earnings (wages plus self-employment income) of graduates who were working and not back in school. The 1-year figure is for people who finished in 2020–21 or 2021–22; the 4-year figure is for people who finished in 2017–18 or 2018–19. Both are in 2024 dollars.
- Who's counted: only graduates who got federal student aid (federal grants or student loans). Graduates who didn't get federal aid aren't in the figures, so the numbers may not describe every graduate.
- A dash (—) means the Department didn't publish a figure. For pay, that's usually because too few graduates were measured, so the figure is withheld to protect their privacy. Most small programs have no pay figure.
- Yearly cost after grants: the school's average net price: a year's tuition, fees, books and living costs, minus the average grant and scholarship aid, for full-time students starting college for the first time who got federal aid (at public schools, only students paying in-state tuition). At most colleges it's an average across all programs, not the one listed; at schools that enroll students year-round instead of by semester, it's for the school's largest program, and for a program shorter than a year it's the cost of the whole program. A school's own net price calculator, if it has one, gives a closer estimate.
- Program names follow the federal list of fields of study. "Electrical" includes power line worker programs; "construction" includes general construction trades, carpentry, building finishing and inspection, construction technology and construction management.
Sources (3)
- College Scorecard data (field of study and institution files, through the College Scorecard API), U.S. Department of Education. Data as of October 17, 2026.
- Technical documentation: field of study data, U.S. Department of Education, October 2026 version.
- College Scorecard data dictionary, U.S. Department of Education.