Trade School vs. College
Enter your zip code. See the top vocational programs and four-year colleges near you, side by side, with real salary data.
Time-to-Paycheck
See how quickly each path gets you earning. Trade programs: 6-18 months. Bachelor's degree: 4+ years.
Real Salary Data
BLS salary data for your state. No guesses, no Glassdoor estimates — official government statistics.
10-Year Projection
See cumulative earnings over a decade. Factor in student debt, training costs, and time spent in school.
How the Pathway Comparison Calculator Works
Enter your zip code and we find the closest vocational programs (trade schools, community colleges) and four-year universities within 50 miles. Each school shows real tuition data from the College Scorecard and median earnings for graduates. The salary table shows BLS data for careers you can enter with each type of education, including state-specific pay when available.
This tool helps answer the question every student should ask: what's my fastest path to a good career, and what will it actually cost? For many careers — nursing, welding, HVAC, electrical, cosmetology — the answer is a trade program that costs a fraction of a four-year degree and gets you earning years sooner.