Trade and Vocational Schools in Illinois

Home to both the city of Chicago and millions of acres of farmland, Illinois features one of the largest and most diverse state economies in the U.S. — making it a great place to start a new career.

Illinois has flourishing manufacturing, finance, transportation, and healthcare industries. Employers in those fields need skilled workers who can run complicated machines, keep books, drive trains, or perform sonograms for patients. These jobs do not require a college degree but often demand a trade school education.

With 144 trade schools and community colleges, Illinois can be an excellent state from which to launch your career as a cosmetologist, mechanic, practical nurse, or information technology associate.

Trade schools usually require less than two years to complete a career-ready curriculum, and many offer direct pipelines into industries so you can find employment right after graduation. See the chart below for some of the Land of Lincoln’s best accredited trade and technical schools.

Trade school accreditation helps ensure the quality of your program, gives you access to financial aid, and can qualify you for state licensure in some occupations. The rigorous accreditation process assures you that your instructors are qualified and the course content is comparable to similar programs.

Federal financial aid is only available to students who attend schools accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). If your school is not accredited by an ED-recognized agency, you may not be eligible for federal grants, loans, or state licensure after graduation.

Common accrediting agencies for Illinois-based trade schools include:

Trade schools in Illinois can have a sticker price below $10,000 or above $40,000, depending on what and where you study. Besides tuition, you may also need to cover books, fees, lab equipment, and living costs while in school. Fortunately, you might not have to pay all of these expenses out of pocket. Financial aid can help.

The federally funded Pell Grant can cover up to $7,395 for qualifying students. Pell Grants are awarded based on your income. If you were ever in the military or foster care, you may also qualify for federal or state educational assistance at vocational schools in Illinois.

Check the Illinois Student Assistance Commission website, and talk with your school’s financial aid advisor about how to cover your educational expenses.

If you think the vocational schools in Illinois are not for you, you can get a career-ready education through community colleges, technical high schools, or apprenticeships. In some trades, you may even get started with on-the-job training.

Community colleges often provide programs for allied health professionals like sonographers, nurses, and medical laboratory technologists. Illinois technical high schools can also prepare you for entry-level jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, or other high-growth fields.

Carpenters, electricians, and diesel mechanics are just three careers you can learn through apprenticeships. To find apprenticeships in your part of Illinois, use the U.S. Government Office of Apprenticeship‘s website. Finally, consider doing on-the-job training with a company near your home. Employers may pay you for your help while equipping you with valuable skills and networking opportunities.

The trades can provide you with an engaging, lucrative, and rewarding career. Look for opportunities where your talents and skills overlap with what the Illinois market demands. The list below represents some of Illinois’s highest-paying, fastest-growing, and most popular trade jobs. It takes 2-3 years of trade school to qualify for an entry-level position in most of these careers.

Diagnostic medical sonographers use specialized equipment to take images of the inside of the body so surgeons and physicians can create medical plans for patients. As Baby Boomers age and the demand for cardiac disease intervention grows, hospitals and clinics need more diagnostic medical sonographers.

Illinois is home to more than 2.1 million senior citizens, according to World Population Review, and has a large urban population. As a result, it’s a great state for aspiring healthcare workers. Illinois requires an associate degree or bachelor’s degree in the field and certification with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography to become a sonographer.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers work on the lines and cables that bring electricity or communications into homes and businesses. They may string lines between towers, identify malfunctioning devices, and operate power equipment. Because they work with high-voltage electricity, these professionals need top-notch safety training and equipment.

You do not need a state license in Illinois to work as a power-line installer or repairer. However, you may need a certification, apprenticeship, or extensive on-the-job training before a power company hires you. Illinois’s combination of farmland and densely populated urban areas makes it ideal for power-line installers who want to work in nearly any setting.

Barbers cut and style hair and facial hair, primarily for male clients. Hairstylists and cosmetologists offer a more comprehensive array of hair and skincare services. These professions all focus on helping people look and feel attractive.

Becoming a barber or hairstylist requires training from a state-approved school. Once you complete your coursework, you must pass an exam and apply for a state license in Illinois. To open your own salon, you will need the state’s approval and a business license. You can also take coursework in small business management to help ensure your success.

Massage therapists manipulate joints and soft tissues to help relieve pain and stress and improve flexibility. These healthcare professionals may focus on a specialty like Swedish, sports, or deep tissue massage or emphasize a patient population such as athletes or pregnant people.

To become a massage therapist in Illinois, you must complete an approved program with at least 600 hours of supervised classroom and hands-on instruction. You must also pass the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Exam. When you apply for your license, you’ll have to submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.

Physical therapist assistants work under the supervision of a physical therapist to help patients regain movement, manage pain, or recover from injuries. These professionals usually observe patients before and after therapy, assist with specific exercises, and educate patients and families about what to do between treatments.

To become a physical therapist assistant in Illinois, you must graduate from a preparatory program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. You also have to take the licensure exam and apply for your license with the state board. To maintain your license, you must complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years.