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

Degree

Tuition and fees per year

Years of study

Earnings per year while studying

From part-time or summer work.

Salary after graduating

Trade or apprenticeship

Trade

Training fees per year

Many apprenticeships have low or no fees.

Years of training

Apprentice wage per year

You usually earn while you train.

Salary once qualified

Loans and assumptions

Share of study costs paid with loans (%)

Loan interest rate (%)

Salary growth per year (%)

Compare over

Your result

Enter both salaries to see the result.

Path Simulator

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College major quiz

Not sure what to study?

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AI job risk

Will the job still be there?

Check how much of any job AI could take over before you invest in it.

Check AI risk

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.

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