North American Trade Schools — ROI, Cost & Payback
North American Trade Schools charges a net price of $8,597/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $34,388. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,756, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, North American Trade Schools does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 52 Maryland colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,597/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $34,388 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,756 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,604/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,338 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$206,468 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North American Trade Schools's own numbers. Net price $8,597 × 4 years = $34,388 total. Median earnings $39,756 fall $8,604 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $34,388 bill in about 3.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North American Trade Schools students graduate with?
A median $7,338 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $39,756 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North American Trade Schools students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $34,388 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $49,838 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North American Trade Schools expensive compared with other Maryland colleges?
Its $8,597 net price runs $8,981 below the $17,578 median across the 52 Maryland colleges we profile, and $35,924 less across the full degree.