Vocational School Programs

The Most Highly Ranked Vocational School Programs

A liberal arts education used to be considered the gold standard for college, but with the growth of fields like welding, computing, medical assistance, and medical billing and coding, many students are instead opting for vocational school programs. Hundreds of such programs are arising all over the country to meet this demand, and many students are often unsure how to choose among so many options. By ranking the top 5 vocational school programs, we hope to help you more easily make this all-important choice.  

Methodology

What makes a good school is subjective, but there are certain features that almost everyone will agree are important. We chose and ranked our winners based on the following five criteria:

• Cost, Financing, and Debt
• Number and Location of Campuses
• Number of Available Subjects
• Internship Opportunities
• Online Options

  5. ECPI University

ECPI University is one of the most versatile vocational school programs in the country, offering 34 different diploma, associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s programs. The school has 15 campuses in 13 different cities, all of which are in Virginia, South Carolina, or North Carolina. It also has an online degree program, which offers courses in cloud computing, programming, electronics engineering, mechatronics, and network security.  

4. The Milan Institute of Cosmetology

Despite its name, the Milan Institute offers courses in a plethora of fields, including medical assistance, computing, accounting, cosmetology, and massage therapy. Many of the Institute’s programs are relatively cheap; the cost of tuition and supplies ranges from $12,000 to $14,000 for many courses. The school is widespread, offering education in 16 different cities across the country.  

3. The Pima Medical Institute

Though the Pima Medical Institute loses points for only offering courses relating to health care, it regains them for being so widespread. Pima has campuses in eight different states and online. Students have the opportunity to study a wide range of medical subjects, and can enroll in certificate, associate’s, and bachelor’s degree programs. Tuition costs are not particularly high, but students nonetheless tend to graduate with large amounts of Federal and private debt.  

2. Kaplan College

Kaplan College is notable for being one of the most widespread vocational school programs, offering classes in seven states and twenty-seven cities. Kaplan students have the chance to study a wide range of subjects, including nursing, medical assistance, criminal justice, and design.  

1. The Southern Careers Institute

The Southern Careers Institute comes in first place thanks to its wide range of available programs, commitment to hands-on education, and low costs with flexible payment options. The school has seven physical campuses in various parts of Texas as well as an online program. It offers training in ten fields, including welding, HVAC maintenance and repair, and medical assistance. Tuition ranges from $13,000 to $19,000 depending on the program, and there are a wide range of loan and scholarship opportunities to help cover it. What put the Institute at the top of the list, however, was its commitment to finding quality internships for its students, a feature essential for success in vocational programs. Wherever you live in Texas, the Southern Careers Institute can offer quality, cost-effective education for the field of your choice. Rankings can be helpful, but they alone cannot tell you whether you should pick any particular vocational school. A school might offer the best computer programming course in the country, for example, but not make it onto our list because it doesn’t offer enough other courses; if your ambition is to become a computer program, you should still pick this school. To learn more about choosing among different vocational school programs, contact the Southern Careers Institute today.