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Is North American Trade Schools worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for North American Trade Schools, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
North American Trade Schools lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $8,633 in yearly net price and $7,667 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $49,641. This does not make the school wrong for every student, but it does mean the price deserves a closer test.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$8,633
Median earnings 10 years out
$49,641
Median debt at graduation
$7,667
Graduation rate
69%
At North American Trade Schools, a typical graduate carries about $7,667 in student debt and earns roughly $49,641 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $87 per month, or 2% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $16,244 more than the typical working high school graduate in Maryland ($33,397) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
66% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Maryland ($33,397).
Construction Trades, General
Certificate · 34 working graduates counted
$36,146
$2,749 above the benchmark
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
Certificate · 72 working graduates counted
$40,907
$7,510 above the benchmark
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
Certificate · 26 working graduates counted
$44,231
$10,834 above the benchmark
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
Certificate · 64 working graduates counted
$47,883
$14,486 above the benchmark
Precision Metal Working
Certificate · 63 working graduates counted
$48,984
$15,587 above the benchmark
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
Certificate · 73 working graduates counted
$51,893
$18,496 above the benchmark
Ground Transportation
Certificate · 224 working graduates counted
$53,395
$19,998 above the benchmark
2 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent North American Trade Schools and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
North American Trade Schools is a two year school in Baltimore, MD. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
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Common questions about North American Trade Schools
The median net price at North American Trade Schools is $8,633 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at North American Trade Schools in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$8,633a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →