The Idaho Department of Commerce lists food production, advanced manufacturing, technology, energy and aerospace among its key industries for the next several years, which is good news for potential students. Programs at Idaho trade schools can prepare you for entry-level jobs in all these fields and more.
Certain training programs might be extra valuable in specific regions of the state. Nearly 40 aerospace companies make their homes in northern Idaho, for example, so airframe mechanics and aspiring pilots should have numerous potential employers to choose from. Graduates of registered nurse (RN) programs might want to consider angling their job search toward the urban centers of Coeur D'Alene or Boise, where average wages for RNs were the highest in the state.
Why is Idaho Good for Vocational/Technical Schools?
A career and technical education (CTE) program offers a few potential advantages over a four-year college program, especially if you're hoping to land one of the 54 percent of living wage jobs in Idaho that don't require a bachelor's degree.
CTE certification in Idaho is typically far less expensive than academic study at a university, for one. The average Idaho university student pays more than $7,200 in tuition and fees for one year of instruction, while students at public trade schools in Idaho are charged an average of less than $3,300 for a year of classes.
Bachelor's degrees also take four years of full-time study, in most cases, whereas vocational programs don't require such a large commitment of time. Associate degrees can usually be completed in around two years, and a wide range of career and technical certificate programs can help you train for a new position in a year or less.
Read on to find out about the best campus-based and online trade schools in Idaho, as well as get clued in to some Idaho scholarships and other resources that might help on your path to a stable career.
Highest-Paying and Fastest-Growing Careers in Idaho
Best Trade and Vocational Schools in Idaho
We looked at U.S. Department of Education data on more than 700 public and private trade schools across the U.S. and picked out the best institutions from each state. Take a look at our list of the best trade and vocational schools in Idaho and learn about what they have to offer.
North Idaho College is one of the top online trade schools in Idaho by enrollment, reporting that more than 57 percent of its nearly 5,300 students took at least some of their credits in the virtual classroom. It also performed well on our metrics of graduate success on the job market — no other school in the state reported as high an average salary for graduates with ten or more years experience in the workforce.
What vocational programs NIC offers: More than a dozen certificates in manufacturing and the trades are available here. Study plans include an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in advanced aerospace manufacturing and technical certificates in machining and computer numeric control (CNC) technology and mechatronics.
Average net price is a way to measure college cost that estimates the total of all associated expenses (tuition, fees, housing, food, transportation, books and more) and subtracts a school's average amount of grant and scholarship aid from that total. College of Southern Idaho had the lowest average net price in the state in 2018, reporting a total out-of-pocket amount of less than $7,300 for a full year of study.
What vocational programs CSI offers: Programs from the CSI agriculture department include an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in agribusiness, an A.A.S. in agriculture and an associate degree or certificate in equine studies. Degrees and certificates in the visual and performing arts are available as well, in fields like music, theater, dance and studio art.
Students who enjoy an intimate learning environment might feel right at home at College of Eastern Idaho. The student body of fewer than 1,300 learners is the smallest among all career and technical schools in Idaho, and the student-faculty ratio of 10:1 suggests that professors will be available to offer extra help outside of class hours for students who need it.
What vocational programs CEI offers: Both A.A.S. degrees and certificates are available in computer networking technologies, information assurance and cybersecurity, automotive technology and Web application development, among other subjects. Students looking to find employment in the health care industry after graduation can study medical assisting, registered nursing or surgical technology at the associate level or pursue certificates in dental assisting and practical nursing.
How to Apply for Trade School Financial Aid in Idaho
If your main obstacle to entering a college training program is the cost, you'll be glad to know that Idaho scholarships and grants are almost as widely available at trade and vocational schools as they are at the state's four-year universities. If you're not sure how to apply for trade school financial aid in Idaho, then a document called the FAFSA should be your first step.
Short for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA is your potential ticket to a wide range of student aid programs. Most Idaho scholarships and other state-based programs require applicants to have a completed FAFSA on file, and filling yours out is the only way to see if you qualify for helpful federal programs like the Pell Grant and low-interest Stafford Loans.
For more handy tips on financial aid in Idaho and some more detail about the type of information requested by the FAFSA, take a look at the financial aid guide on this site.
Here's a short list of Idaho scholarships and other aid programs that might be available to you:
- Idaho Opportunity Scholarship - This need-based scholarship program is open to Idaho residents who graduated from an Idaho high school and hold a cumulative GPA above 2.7.
- GEAR UP Idaho Scholarship - Restricted to applicants under 22 years old, this program is designed to provide a variable amount of financial aid to students who completed a GEAR UP program at an Idaho high school.
- Idaho Opportunity Scholarship for Adult Learners - Qualifying adult students who have at least 24 college credits to their name can apply for this program, which awards up to $3,500 in assistance per academic year.
Resources for Vocational Students and Job Seekers in Idaho
- Find out more about the Gem State's public and private institutions of higher education at the State of Idaho's colleges and universities portal.
- The Idaho State Board of Education has information about Idaho scholarships, public and private schools in the state and statewide initiatives aimed at promoting student success.
- Idaho Works, an initiative overseen by the Idaho Department of Labor, provides access to job postings, skills training opportunities, apprenticeships, assistance programs and other resources.
- Accreditation is a way to be sure that the training available at a given school will be up to the quality standards of employers and advanced instructors. Public trade schools in Idaho are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), while individual programs may be accredited by industry groups like the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Check out Idaho's state page at Advance CTE to learn more about the positive effect of CTE certification in Idaho, and learn more about career and technical education throughout the country at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).
