Get the Financial Support You Need

Q: Is there demand for the job I’m training for? What are potential earnings for this career?

SkillPointe’s career pages answer these questions and more. It’s a smart step to make sure your investment of time and money is worthwhile. If the job falls outside SkillPointe’s listings, consult the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Q: Can I apply for scholarships and grants to fund a trade school education?

Yes, there are many trade-specific, job-specific and broadly applicable scholarships and grants available that can help reduce your expenses. Start with our guide to finding trade school scholarships.

Q: How can I manage the expense of getting into and attending trade school?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers a thorough guide to paying for college and making smart financial decisions before, during and after you earn your diploma.

Wondering how you're going to pay for training? Our resource section spells out the steps you need to take to get trained without incurring a lot of debt.

Yes, Trade School Scholarships Exist!

Learn how to find national scholarships & grants, federal assistance forms, the best national scholarship sites and much more.

Find State Scholarships & Grants

Explore our database of scholarships, grants and helpful tips for every state. Look for your state below to get started. (Not seeing your state? Check back soon. We're adding new states every month.)

Arizona

Financial Help for Arizona Students

Finding scholarships and grants to support the training you need for a skilled job in Arizona is easier when you know where to look for financial help.

Featured scholarships and grants:

Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (AzLEAP)
Arizona Community Foundation Scholarships
Beaty Martinez Foundation Scholarship
Davis Memorial Foundation Scholarship
Horatio Alger Arizona Career & Technical Education Scholarship
Mesa College Promise

California

Aid for Trade School and Community College in California

California students benefit from a rich financial aid landscape, with plenty of options for those who want to attend trade school or community college.

Featured scholarships and grants:

Cal Grant
California Community Colleges Promise Grant & California Promise
Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG)
California-Hawaii Elks Vocational Grant Program
ERC Eco Scholarship
Santa Rosa Ninety-Nines Aviation Scholarship

Florida

Florida Scholarship Opportunities

Students who want to attend trade school or community college in Florida are in luck because the state and so many community organizations provide assistance.

Featured scholarships and grants:

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
First Generation Matching Grant
Florida Work Experience Program (FWEP)
Donald L. Frendberg Scholarship Program
Florida Green Building Coalition Scholarship
Nat Moore Vocational Grant

Georgia

Money for Georgia Students

Students who’ve done well in high school and want to pursue skills-based training will be able to cover some or all of their tuition costs because of the lottery-funded scholarships and many other alternatives.

Featured scholarships and grants:

HOPE Scholarship
HOPE Career Grant
REACH Georgia Scholarship Program
Achieve Atlanta Scholarship
Georgia Engineering Foundation Scholarships
Preventive Measures Legacy Scholarship

Indiana

Indiana Scholarships and Grants

Our guide to securing financial aid for trade schools and associate degrees in the Hoosier state, including scholarships, grants and important criteria for both.

Featured scholarships & grants:

21st Century Scholars Program
Jamie Bax Memorial Scholarship
Kosciusko County Community Foundation Scholarship
EARN Indiana grant
Fast Track program

Louisiana

St. Louis Cathedral overlooking Jackson Square in New Orleans

Louisiana Scholarships and Grants to Pay for Trade School

Louisiana offers a slew of scholarships. Some are aimed at specific careers, but many are not.

Featured opportunities:

Chafee Educational and Training Voucher (ETV) Program
M.J. Foster Promise Program
Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) Scholars Program
Southern Automotive Women's Forum (SAWF) Scholarship

Maryland

The ship Chesapeake, which belongs to the National Park Service, seen moored at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore

Money for Maryland Students

Residents of this state have choices, from a robust state system of grants and scholarships to a plethora of community groups that want help specific types of students.

Featured scholarships and grants:

Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship
Workforce Development Sequence Scholarship
New Futures Scholars Program
Campus Based Educational Assistance Grant (CBEAG)
Guaranteed Access Grant
Part-Time Grant

New York

New York Scholarships and Grants

State government and community groups offer millions of dollars in financial aid for students who want to earn an associate degree or a trade school diploma.

Featured scholarships and grants:

New York Excelsior Scholarship
Part-time TAP
NYS Child Welfare Worker Incentive Scholarship
The Arc New York Scholarships
Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Workforce Training Scholarships
John Fitzpatrick and Dawna J. Colbert Scholarships
The Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship

Pennsylvania

Money for Pennsylvania Students

Students looking for financial aid that can be used for shorter, more focused educational pathways have lots of options in this state.

Featured scholarships and grants:

Pennsylvania Chafee Education and Training Grant (Chafee ETG) Program
PA Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP)
American College of Radiology Center for Research and Innovation (ACR CRI) Scholarship
Executive Women International (EWI) Scholarship Programs
Paula E. Waters-Diamond In The Rough Scholarship
Pennsylvania Land Surveyors' (PLS) Foundation Scholarship

Texas

Texas Opportunities

State government, community groups, businesses and industries provide financial aid for community college and trade school in many forms.

Featured scholarships and grants:

Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program (TEOG)
AlamoPROMISE
Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) Scholarship
BAFTX Women in STEM Scholarship
Davis Memorial Foundation Scholarship
Mark Kilroy Foundation Scholarships

How To Pay for Trade School: FAQs

Every student's financial situation is different, but these questions and answers will help you understand what to expect.

How much does trade school cost on average? How does that compare to a four-year degree?

The average cost of trade school is about $12,447 per year, according to NCES (National Center for Education Statistics), which looked at two-year programs. The cost varies by type of institution, from $3,970 (public) to $15,736 (private, for-profit) to $17,735 (private, nonprofit).
Meanwhile, the average cost of a four-year institution is about $22,090 per year, but the range is much wider, from $9,678 (public institution) to $17,825 (private, for-profit) to $38,768 (private, nonprofit).
Most schools spell out their costs clearly on their website. If not, you can call or, better yet, set up an appointment with a financial aid specialist at the school to walk through your specific scenario.

Is there demand for the job I’m training for? What are potential earnings for this career?

Does the school I’m considering accept financial aid?

If you know the school you want to attend, you can look on the school website. A school’s ability to accept financial aid is connected to accreditation and will typically be prominently displayed. If it’s not obvious, read all the FAQs and call the school.
If you’re looking at several schools, use the College Navigator tool, which will answer this aid question and many other wide-ranging details about each institution, including what programs are covered. The tool uses the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and do I need to worry about it for trade school?

The FAFSA form is the starting point for all types of financial aid for education. That includes trade school and training for all types of jobs — so yes, if you want financial aid, you need to take this step. (Note: The 2024 form is new. Though the form is easier to fill out, students and parents reported trouble getting into the system when it first opened earlier this year.)
Check out How Financial Aid Works. This graphic explains in simple terms what happens at every step of the process and what your responsibilities will be.

Can I apply for scholarships and grants to fund a trade school education?

Should I consider loans for trade school?

At SkillPointe, our goal is to help you graduate debt-free or as close to debt-free as possible. However, if you need help covering expenses, federal and private student loans are an option. Interest rates and fees are generally lower for federal student loans than for private student loans.
With any loan, make sure you are clear on the interest rate, repayment terms and timing.

Are there any apprenticeship programs or earn and learn programs available?

SkillPointe offers earn and learn training programs for several jobs. (For example, see the earn and learn options for diesel mechanics.)
Investigate additional earn and learn options specific to your location and desired career. Two good places to start are employers, unions or other organizations that need to fill in-demand jobs.
Read our earn and learn explainer to explore more.

Are there part-time job opportunities or work-study programs to help cover expenses?

Ask if your trade school offers employment options that can help pay for tuition.
The federal Work-Study program funds part-time jobs for students receiving federal financial aid. Check the work-study box on your FAFSA application. If you are approved, check with your school’s financial aid office for openings.
Some employers will pay some or all tuition expenses for employees who have been with the company for a certain amount of time. Home Depot and Amazon are two examples, and many smaller companies also offer this benefit.
Some companies offer reimbursement plans that pay you after you complete each class. Carmax and UPS are two such companies.

How can I manage the expense of getting into and attending trade school?

The bottom line

There are hundreds of scholarships and grants available to help you pay for the training you need to get started in an in-demand skills-based job. Take the next step on your journey today!

Featured Scholarships

Slide 1

two welders make sparks fly, showing the benefit of training in the skilled trades

The SkillPointe Foundation Scholarship

Every quarter, the SkillPointe Foundation awards scholarship grants of $1,000 to applicants from all backgrounds pursuing skills training for high-demand careers that don't require a four-year degree.

Apply Now

Slide 2

carpenter works with tool with safety glasses on

The Donohue Family SkillPointe Scholarship

To honor longtime CEO Tom Donohue and his commitment to workforce development, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Donohue Family Foundation are funding Donohue Family SkillPointe Scholarships of $2,000 each. The goal is to award a total of 50 scholarships in 2024 and 2025. The scholarship is open to individuals of all backgrounds pursuing skills training. Recurring application deadlines are March 31 and Sept. 30, and winners are notified within a month of those deadlines.

Apply Now

Slide 3

Man and woman looking at computer in manufacturing facility

Ball Corporation Trades SkillPointe Scholarship

Founded in 1880, Ball Corporation, specializes in aluminum packaging and has over 75 locations employing over 16,000 people worldwide. Ball Corp has created a scholarship fund for students pursuing skills-based training programs related to manufacturing. The Ball Corporation Trades SkillPointe Scholarship will provide ten $5,000 grants to students currently in Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix area) and surrounding communities.

Apply Now

Slide 4

Schneider Electric EcoXpert SkillPointe Scholarship

Schneider Electric's EcoXpert Partner Program is a worldwide network of trained and certified partner companies who offer local expertise and suppport to shared customers. Eight $2,500 scholarships will be available to students across the country who are pursuing educational training related to building automation and a commitment to creating and servicing smarter buildings and connected homes.

Apply Now

Slide 5

Construction workers on roof of a project

Schneider Electric SkillPointe Scholarship

Schneider Electric, a global leader in building and control systems, is offering $5,000 scholarship grants for individuals in Dallas, TX and surrounding areas who are pursuing training in building automation and/or related fields like security, IT, electrical, HVAC, or construction maintenance.

Apply Now

Slide 6

Two silhouetted construction workers stand together on a job site with the sun setting behind them.

Home Depot Foundation's Path To Pro Scholarship ($2,500)

The Home Depot Foundation's mission is to improve the lives of U.S. veterans, train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap and support communities impacted by natural disasters. With its Path to Pro program, the foundation is bridging the opportunity gap by pledging to invest $50 million in training skilled tradespeople. The Home Depot Foundation wants to help create the next generation of skilled trade leaders by providing scholarships to further your education.

Apply Now

Slide 7

Niagara Cares SkillPointe Scholarship

Individuals interested in pursuing training for the beverage manufacturing industry (specifically process technology) can apply for this $2,000 scholarship. Applicants must reside in Niagara Bottling communities in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Apply Now