2026 Best Value Construction Trades Schools in Michigan
[Construction Trades](/majors/construction-trades/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong construction trades education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 20 schools to find the best return on investment for construction trades students.
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2026 Best Value Construction Trades Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in construction trades, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Construction Trades Schools
Leading the list is Alpena Community College, our #1 best value for construction trades in Michigan. Located in the town of Alpena, Alpena Community College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,840, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction trades graduates is $6,500. Construction Trades graduates of Alpena Community College earn a median of $45,132 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in construction trades will find it at Washtenaw Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,736 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,504. Typical student debt for construction trades graduates is $17,616. Early-career construction trades graduates make about $45,332. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lansing Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value construction trades schools. Lansing Community College is a large public school located in the city of Lansing. Students from in state pay about $4,100 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,300 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction trades graduates is $16,700. Early-career construction trades graduates make about $46,103. Set against $16,700 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Delta College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value construction trades schools. Set in the rural area of University Center, Delta College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,820, while out-of-state students pay about $7,880. Typical student debt for construction trades graduates is $14,075. Construction Trades graduates of Delta College earn a median of $37,342 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Wayne County Community College District came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value construction trades schools. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne County Community College District is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,112 in tuition and fees, compared with $4,067 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction trades graduates is $20,820. Early-career construction trades graduates make about $48,892. Set against $20,820 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Jackson Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value construction trades schools. Located in the rural area of Jackson, Jackson Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,350 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,200 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,960 to complete the construction trades program here. Soon after graduation, construction trades degree recipients from Jackson Community College generally make around $41,322. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Grand Rapids Community College earned the #7 position for value in construction trades this year. Grand Rapids Community College is a large public school located in the city of Grand Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $4,179, compared with $12,219 for out-of-state students. Construction Trades graduates carry a median of $6,481 in student loans. Early-career construction trades graduates make about $34,073. That is a strong return on a $6,481 median debt.
Northern Michigan University came in at #8 for value in construction trades this year. Set in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,322 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,944. Typical student debt for construction trades graduates is $5,500. Construction Trades graduates of Northern Michigan University earn a median of $53,242 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University came in at #9 for value in construction trades this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $25,213 to complete the construction trades program here. Early-career construction trades graduates make about $39,107. That is a strong return on a $25,213 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
More Construction Trades Rankings
View All Construction Trades Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
