(ARLINGTON, TX) JULY 23, 2026 — For the second time, USA TODAY and Statista are awarding the “America’s Top Vocational Schools” in the US.
The ranking of the best schools offering vocational training via undergraduate certificate or diploma is based on an extensive Key Performance Indicator (KPI) analysis, focusing on five dimensions:
- Graduation Rate: Measures an institution’s ability to ensure students complete their degree, looking at the various fields of study.
- Graduate Salary: Measures the impact an institution has on its graduates’ salaries over and above what you would expect them to earn, regardless of which school they attended.
- Years to Pay Off Net Price: Combines the average net price of attending the school, and the value added to the average graduate’s salary when compared to income of the average high school graduate.
- Social Mobility: Takes into account how much the positive effects provided by the school benefit students depending on financial aid.
- Diversity: Is combining diversity metrics on ethnicity and gender based on official government data.
Data on the schools’ performance was collected through publicly available sources like IPEDS and College Scorecard. The data was reviewed on its validity to project student outcomes. The final score was calculated as follows: 30% x Graduation Rate + 30% x Graduate Salary + 20% x Years to Pay Off Net Price + 10% x Social Mobility + 10% x Diversity = final score
The 250 institutions with the highest score were awarded as USA TODAY’s America’s Top Vocational Schools. Ancora is proud to share that eleven of our Ancora Education network campuses are recognized on this list!
- Arizona Automotive Institute
- Berks Technical Institute – Allentown
- Miller-Motte College – Fayetteville
- Miller-Motte College – Jacksonville
- Miller-Motte College – Raleigh
- Miller-Motte College – Tulsa
- South Texas Vocational Technical Institute – Brownsville
- South Texas Vocational Technical Institute – Arlington
- South Texas Vocational Technical Institute – McAllen
- South Texas Vocational Technical Institute – Weslaco
- South Texas Vocational Technical Institute – Corpus Christi
“What an extraordinary moment for the Ancora Education family. We are incredibly proud of our campus teams for earning a well-deserved spot on the 2026 ‘America’s Top Vocational Schools’ list. To have eleven of our campuses recognized nationwide is a powerful testament to the excellence, heart, and hard work they pour into our students every single day,” said Daylan Childress, SVP of Ground Operations at Ancora. “This achievement highlights the measurable impact they are making – guiding students through their educational journey to graduation and serving their communities through career placement and employer partnerships. Thank you all for your incredible dedication, your resilience, and your passion for changing lives through education.”
Learn more about USA TODAY and Statista ‘America’s Top Vocational Schools’ list here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/07/22/best-trade-schools-us-2026/90906047007/