by our College Data Analytics Team
[Carpentry](/majors/construction-trades/carpenters/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong carpentry education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for carpentry students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the carpentry degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is Triton College, our #1 best value for carpentry in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the suburb of River Grove, Triton College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,070, compared with $15,330 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for carpentry graduates is $12,994. Carpentry graduates of Triton College earn a median of $43,278 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,994 median debt.
Lincoln Land Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value carpentry schools. Set in the rural area of Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,744 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,464. Carpentry graduates carry a median of $11,272 in student loans. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $43,834. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value carpentry schools. Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Students from in state pay about $5,154 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,935. Carpentry graduates carry a median of $9,125 in student loans. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $51,104. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in carpentry will find it at Kaskaskia College, which ranked #4. Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Centralia. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800, with out-of-state students paying around $12,570. Typical student debt for carpentry graduates is $7,875. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $45,658. That is a strong return on a $7,875 median debt.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value carpentry schools. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Rice Lake. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,926, with out-of-state students paying around $7,169. Students borrow a median of $11,384 to complete the carpentry program here. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $35,981. That is a strong return on a $11,384 median debt.
Moraine Park Technical College earned the #6 position for value in carpentry this year. Set in the city of Fond du Lac, Moraine Park Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,819 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,084. Students borrow a median of $11,471 to complete the carpentry program here. Carpentry graduates of Moraine Park Technical College earn a median of $39,552 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Milwaukee Area Technical College earned the #7 position for value in carpentry this year. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,184, with out-of-state students paying around $7,427. Carpentry graduates carry a median of $18,296 in student loans. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $38,325. Set against $18,296 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value carpentry schools. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Green Bay. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,960, while out-of-state students pay about $7,203. Carpentry graduates carry a median of $14,997 in student loans. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $42,016. Set against $14,997 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value carpentry schools. City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,590, while out-of-state students pay about $15,150. Students borrow a median of $13,175 to complete the carpentry program here. Carpentry graduates of City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College earn a median of $17,697 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Western Technical College La Cross placed #10 among the best values for carpentry. Located in the city of La Crosse, Western Technical College La Cross is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,820, compared with $7,078 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for carpentry graduates is $13,669. Soon after graduation, carpentry degree recipients from Western Technical College La Cross generally make around $43,008. Set against $13,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Waukesha County Technical College came in at #11 for value in carpentry this year. Waukesha County Technical College is a large public school located in the suburb of Pewaukee. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,803, while out-of-state students pay about $7,046. Typical student debt for carpentry graduates is $16,595. Early-career carpentry graduates make about $46,398. Set against $16,595 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fox Valley Technical College earned the #12 position for value in carpentry this year. Set in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,040, with out-of-state students paying around $7,283. Typical student debt for carpentry graduates is $13,319. Carpentry graduates of Fox Valley Technical College earn a median of $44,020 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,319 median debt.
Gateway Technical College ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value carpentry schools. Gateway Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Kenosha. Students from in state pay about $4,956 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,199 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for carpentry graduates is $14,829. Carpentry graduates of Gateway Technical College earn a median of $42,410 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Madison Area Technical College landed the #14 spot for carpentry value this year. Located in the city of Madison, Madison Area Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,977, compared with $7,141 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,812 to complete the carpentry program here. Carpentry graduates of Madison Area Technical College earn a median of $44,279 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,812 median debt.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.