Get the Financial Support You Need

• 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.

• 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.

• 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).

• 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.

• 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.

• 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. 

• 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.
   

• 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. 

• 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.
   

Starting July 1, 2026, students who plan to enroll in eligible short-term programs can apply for Workforce Pell by completing the FAFSA, just as they would for a traditional Pell Grant.

Pell Grant awards are prorated based on program length. For the 2025-26 award year, the maximum Pell award is $7,395 and the minimum award is $740 for a full academic year of 24 weeks. Since Workforce Pell programs run between eight and 14 weeks, award amounts will be adjusted based on program duration. For example, a 10-week program might result in less than one-third of the full award amount.

Workforce Pell awards count toward a student’s lifetime Pell eligibility, which is capped at 12 semesters. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree can still qualify if they haven’t completed a graduate or professional program. Students cannot receive both regular Pell and Workforce Pell grants in the same enrollment period.