Vocational Trade Schools in Arkansas

Students who want to quickly enter the workforce often attend vocational school. Most people who want to work in a vocational position enroll in a trade program immediately after graduating high school or completing a GED. However, anyone who wants to make a career change can begin a trade program at any point.

Aspiring construction managers, welders, electricians, and physical therapists all learn through trade school. Research shows that 74% of trade school graduates work in a field related to their degree.

Trade schools’ curricula differ from traditional four-year colleges. Trade schools teach students how to complete skilled jobs that require special training, while a traditional college prepares students to work in roles that require knowledge about theories and strategies. Bachelor’s degrees also include general education courses that may not directly relate to a major, so they take longer to complete than a trade degree.

A trade degree usually takes under two years to complete. Although most trade programs require in-person training like an apprenticeship, some schools offer online programs. Online trade programs use various flexible formats, including self-paced and asynchronous formats. Students who want to complete their degrees quickly can complete accelerated programs.

Read on to learn more about accreditation for trade schools, the top vocational schools in Arkansas, and financial aid.

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

Finding a qualified, accredited trade school takes research. To help in the process, we gathered data on trade and tech schools in Arkansas and rank them based on factors like reputation, affordability, and academic quality.

Vocational schools in Arkansas can earn accreditation. When a school earns this accolade, it means it regularly receives quality assessments from a third-party organization selected by the U.S. Department of Higher Education (ED).

Accreditation benefits students. It ensures that schools meet the rigorous standards needed to provide learners with a quality education.

The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges serves as the accrediting body for more than 650 postsecondary trade and technical schools. Online programs can also earn accreditation through the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. These two organizations grant national accreditation.

Some institutions that offer trade degrees, like community colleges, can earn regional accreditation. Regional accrediting agencies oversee schools that offer two-year and four-year degrees. The Higher Learning Commission accredits colleges and universities in Arkansas.

Some scholarships only award funds to students attending a regionally accredited university, and some employers prefer job candidates with a regionally accredited degree.

Degrees can earn programmatic accreditation. For example, the Advanced Welding Institute oversees accreditation for welding programs, and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education provides accreditation to physical therapy programs. The ED offers a lookup tool so students can quickly research a school’s accreditation status.

Trade colleges must also earn either a certification or license from either the ED or a state agency to ensure they meet certain standards. Students should contact prospective schools to discover their licensure status.

Arkansas emphasizes career and technical education (CTE) at the secondary level, which means high school students can prepare for vocational and trade careers.

The state’s Smart Core program, a set of college-focused and career-focused courses, is the state’s default curriculum for all public high schools. Every public school district is required to offer at least three CTE programs from three different career pathways.

Arkansas students can also attend Secondary Area Career Centers, which provide vocational programs that smaller schools often cannot afford. Postsecondary students can find vocational and trade schools through the state’s community college system or attend one of three technical institutes.

To learn more about different vocational and trade schools in Arkansas, prospective students can use this search tool.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual income for technical and trade school occupations is $55,270. However, salaries vary based on specific occupation, experience, and geographical location.

With a median annual income of $56,180, electricians earn slightly more than the median income for all trade school occupations. The BLS projects a 10% increase in electrician jobs between 2018 and 2028. Welders earn a slightly lower median income of $42,490 per year, and the BLS projects the need for this occupation to grow by 3% during the same period.

Trade schools also prepare students to work in various roles in the medical field. Radiologists earn a median annual income of $62,280, and the BLS projects jobs for these professionals to grow 9% between 2018 and 2028. The BLS also offers data for physical therapists, who earn a median annual salary of $89,440 and benefit from a 22% projected job growth rate.

Employers in larger cities like Little Rock or Fayetteville may pay higher salaries to trade school graduates to compensate for the higher cost of living. However, employers in rural towns may use federal aid to attract job candidates in high-need areas.

Trade school prepares students to work in multiple industries, including manufacturing, health, and construction. These occupations require technical skills, so courses focus on practical applications rather than theory. Some programs include an internship or apprenticeship component, which are sometimes paid positions.

Below are five common vocational programs in Arkansas.

Vocational schools in Arkansas tend to cost less than traditional four-year colleges. Trade school students can benefit from federal financial aid by completing the FAFSA.

The FAFSA offers grants and subsidized loans on a need-based basis. Similar to scholarships, grants do not require repayment. Subsidized loans require repayment, but they do not begin collecting interest until after the recipient graduates.

Learners can also apply for unsubsidized loans through the FAFSA, which are not need-based and begin collecting interest before graduation. Prospective students should check whether a school accepts the FAFSA before applying.

Filling out the FAFSA typically takes 55 minutes for first-time applicants and 45 minutes for renewals. Students who file taxes as dependents must submit their guardian’s tax information from two years prior to the current year. All other students can submit their own financial information.

Taking the time to fill out the FAFSA can lower future student loan payments. Student loans collect interest and usually follow a 10-year repayment plan. Specific interest rates vary by loan. Learners can also apply for scholarships to further reduce loans.

Private companies and foundations set funds aside specifically for trade school students pursuing certain majors. Below are five scholarships for students attending vocational schools.

Who Can Apply: The Arkansas Department of Higher Education provides this scholarship to students pursuing technical education in fields like information technology and healthcare. Applicants must be Arkansas residents and high school graduates.

Amount: Up to $800

Amount: Varies

Who Can Apply: Students attending a college or technical school in Arkansas may apply for this scholarship. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education offers this award to dependents of law enforcement officers, firefighters, constables, and game wardens who were killed or permanently disabled while performing duties.

Amount: Varies

Who Can Apply: The Arkansas Department of Education awards this scholarship to dependents or spouses of military personnel who were permanently disabled or killed on duty. The recipient must attend a university or technical college in Arkansas.

Amount: Varies

Who Can Apply: Students pursuing a certificate program in welding at a Central Arkansas school may apply. The application requires two recommendation letters and financial transcripts.

Amount: Varies

Yes. Accredited trade schools in Arkansas can accept funds from FAFSA.

Trade school takes under two years to complete. Associate programs take longer to complete than certificates, which may take only two months.

Schools, private companies, and foundations all offer scholarships for vocational students. Most scholarships require students to attend an accredited school.

Trade schools, vocational schools, and technical schools are all the same type of institution. People use these terms interchangeably.