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Methodology

How we compare programs

Public sources only. Every figure comes from information that a program, union, school, or government agency has published. We show it as published, link to it, and note the date we checked. If anything here differs from the original source, the original source is correct.

Our own math. When we calculate a number from published figures (for example, a total or per-year amount), we label it "est." and explain the calculation. This site does not currently calculate a total or a per-year amount. Published figures are shown as the source states them and are not labeled "est."

Same yardstick. When we compare programs, we use the same time span and the same definitions on every page. Where a source uses a different basis, we say so. On this site the union figure is the published hourly journeyperson rate, and the school earnings figure is the yearly amount from the College Scorecard for the shared time span when both schools have one. We do not turn the hourly rate into a yearly total, and we do not add a fee and tuition into one cost.

Earnings. Trade-school earnings are median earnings of past graduates from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (opens in a new tab). On a trade page we use the figure from 4 years after finishing when the Scorecard publishes that span. Apprenticeship pay comes from the published wage rate for each program. Earnings show the years they cover. Median. Not adjusted for inflation. Not a promise.

Gaps. If we can't find a number, we say that we could not find a published figure, name the source we checked, and give the date. For example: we could not find a published application fee on a program's site as of the day we checked. We don't guess.

No rankings. We don't rate, rank, or recommend programs, and we don't name any program "best." Deadlines are listed by how soon they close, soonest first. The trades list is electrician, HVAC, plumber, then carpenter, which is the order in the city data, not a ranking. Schools on a trade page follow a fixed directory order: Orleans, Philadelphia Technician, then community colleges, then Lincoln, Williamson, and Thaddeus Stevens. Unions follow the order stored for that trade. The school in a comparison column is the first program in that directory order. None of these orders is a rating.

Updates. We re-check every source at least weekly, and upcoming deadlines daily. A failed check, or a change we have not confirmed, keeps the last figure and shows “May be out of date — check the source.” That note also appears once the last check is older than the weekly window plus 2 days. CareerOneStop video pages are checked by hand, because those pages block the automatic checker. Williamson pages are checked by hand when the site returns a captcha. Each figure shows the date it was last checked.