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Trade & Technical Schools in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Gabriel Seiler Gabriel Seiler New York, United States Last Updated: December 2024 NAICS 61151

Revenue

$16.8bn

2024

$16.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

105k

Businesses

7,469

Wages

$X.Xbn

Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry analysis

Trade and technical schools have enjoyed modest growth over the past five years as consumers have considered vocational training an affordable alternative to four-year universities. The US federal government's renewal of career and technical education funding has fueled revenue for vocational schools. Similar new federal initiatives provided solid support for relevant careers, making trade schooling a more attractive option for consumers. Hands-on training plays a significant role in vocational education, but schools have embraced online platforms where possible to cut their reliance on labor and lift profit. Revenue has climbed at a CAGR of 0.8% to $16.8 billion over the five years through 2024, including an expected 0.4% decline in 2024 alone.

Trends and Insights

  • Consumers are looking beyond traditional universities. Skepticism surrounding a college degree's return on investment has reached an all-time high, which is favoring cheaper options for postsecondary education like trade school.
  • Flight training is the most lucrative service segment. Flight training takes many hours behind expensive equipment with qualified instructors, enabling aviation schools to justify a higher tuition.
  • Proximity to markets of students is critical to determining business location. The geographic spread of technical and trade schools in the United States is consistent with each region's population share since students typically don’t relocate to attend vocational school.
  • Vocational schools mainly compete based on tuition and the range of programs offered. To reduce the level of competition, some schools focus on improving their reputation. Having a solid reputation justifies higher tuition due to perceived benefits for students upon graduation.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $16.8bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

A new wave of government funding is boosting revenue for trade schools

  • The US federal government's Fiscal Year 2019 budget marked the first major boost to career and technical education (CTE) funding in over a decade. CTE funding, also called Perkins funding, climbed 5.8% to $1,270.0 million from 2018 to 2019. Funding continued to surge after the initial lift, reaching $1,470.0 million in FY 2024. These funds have trickled down to trade and technical schools, directly fueling revenue growth.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Trade & Technical Schools in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Consumers will be able to afford trade and technical schools

  • Consistent improvements in household finances and government funding will continue to boost demand for vocational education as accessible loan programs and high disposable income make the financial burden of continued education more bearable.

Biggest companies in the Trade & Technical Schools in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($short_0)
2024
Profit ($short_0)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Trade & Technical Schools in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Cosmetology and barber schools, Flight training schools and Apprenticeship training schools. Cosmetology and barber schools is the largest segment of the Trade & Technical Schools in the US.

Trends and Insights

Flight training schools' price point makes them the most lucrative segment

  • Flight schools are the most lucrative segment for vocational schools because of the significant number of hours required to become a pilot. More hours in the cockpit means more expensive tuition and higher revenue for flight trainers.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry includes schools that offer vocational and technical training in a variety of technical subjects and trades. Training often leads to job-specific certification. Instruction may be provided in diverse settings, including the company’s training facilities, the workplace, the home or through distance-learning methods. Major segments include cosmetology and barber schools, flight training, apprenticeship training and other technical training. The “other” category includes trade and technical training programs for technician roles in medicine and dentistry, in addition to art, air traffic control, culinary art, broadcasting, heavy equipment repair, policing and management.

What's included in this industry?

Cosmetology and barber schoolsFlight training schoolsApprenticeship training schools

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE)APPRENTICESHIPTITLE IV PROGRAMS

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 61151 - Trade & Technical Schools in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Consumers are looking beyond traditional universities. Skepticism surrounding a college degree's return on investment has reached an all-time high, which is favoring cheaper ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Flight training is the most lucrative service segment. Flight training takes many hours behind expensive equipment with qualified instructors, enabling aviation schools to ju...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Proximity to markets of students is critical to determining business location. The geographic spread of technical and trade schools in the United States is consistent with ea...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Vocational schools mainly compete based on tuition and the range of programs offered. To reduce the level of competition, some schools focus on improving their reputation. Ha...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The industry is highly fragmented, and no single school accounts for more than 5.0% of industry revenue. There are no major companies in this industry.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    Federal regulation is light, though states will impose additional oversight. In general, establishments must be authorized by the state in which they operate and certified by...

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Cost structure at technical or trade schools can vary considerably. The difference depends on the field of instruction and the capital equipment required for training, as som...

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
    • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
    • Income Statement (2017-2022)
    • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
    • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
    • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States in 2024?

    The market size of the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States is $16.8bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in 2024?

    There are 7,469 businesses in the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

    What does the Trade & Technical Schools in the US in United States include?

    Cosmetology and barber schools and Flight training schools are part of the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry.

    How competitive is the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States?

    The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Trade & Technical Schools in the US industry in United States.

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    Methodology

    How are IBISWorld reports created?

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    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in the US include: 

    • US Census Bureau
    • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • US International Trade Commission

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

    How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

    IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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