Students and majors

Trade School vs University

Trade school or university? Compare costs, earnings while you learn, student debt and AI risk to see which path pays off for you. Free, no sign-up.

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Trade school vs university

Trade school or university: which pays off?

Compare an apprenticeship with a degree: what each costs, what you earn while you learn, when the degree catches up, and how safe each path is from AI. Example numbers are filled in, so replace them with your own.

University
$
$
From part-time or summer work.
$
Trade or apprenticeship
$
Many apprenticeships have low or no fees.
$
You usually earn while you train.
$
Loans and assumptions

Your result

Enter both salaries to see the result.
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How this is calculated
  • University and trade costs are both paid partly with loans at the share you set under Loans and assumptions.
  • All figures are before tax and in today's money. Works in any currency.
  • Salaries grow by the same rate on both paths. Study costs paid with loans are repaid over 10 years after you finish; interest while you study isn't included.
  • AI exposure is the average brigenai AI risk score of the jobs a major or trade usually leads to.
  • This is a planning estimate, not financial advice. Scholarships, taxes and living costs can change the result a lot.
Guide
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