Enrollment in trade school has grown 4.9% from fall 2020 to 2023, erasing pre-pandemic declines, according to a new report from Validated Insights, a market research company. Revenue has also expanded 11.1%.
Interest in attending trade school has nearly doubled among both teens and adults since 2017. In 2024 alone, search traffic is up 27%.
University enrollment, on the other hand, has declined by 0.6% since the pandemic, according to data compiled from the National Center for Education Statistics. Projected market growth through 2030 is looking more favorable for trades (5-7%) than broader higher ed (2-4%).
Here are the most popular types of trade school, according to the most recent enrollment numbers and annual growth post-pandemic (2020 to 2023).
- Culinary Arts: 22,523; +13.4%
- Beauty and Wellness Schools: 239,022; +3.4%. Cosmetology is a major enrollment driver.
- Healthcare: 294,539; +3.3%
- Multiple specialty trade: 733,155; +0.1%
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A select few private trade schools dominate the sector; the 15 largest enroll 18.6% of all students. The 10 largest schools offering culinary arts and skilled trades each control more than 95% of their respective track’s total student enrollment.
“These findings suggest a shift in the higher education landscape, with trade schools emerging as an attractive option for students seeking a direct path to a fulfilling career,” said Yelena Shapiro, founder and CEO at Validated Insights.
Why trade school trumps four-year universities among Gen Z—and beyond
Gen Z, or what some may describe as the “toolbelt generation,” is not as reliable a source of enrollment for universities as were previous generations. From fall 2022 to 2024, first-year undergraduate enrollment among 18-year-old students and 19-20-year-olds fell 3% and 8.8%, respectively, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.
But Gen Z isn’t alone. A 2023 survey from Thumbtack found that out of a sample of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 to 30, 83% said that learning a skilled trade can be a better pathway to economic security than college (nine of out 10 from that sample were degree holders). It may be no coincidence that Validated Insights found 60% of all trade school enrollment is concentrated in non-degree tracks.
Skepticism around access, affordability and the value of a degree are three prime suspects fueling the enrollment shift.
