
Colorado School of Trades' reported overall graduation rate is 81%, and its reported student retention rate is 93%. These measures answer different questions: graduation concerns completion within the applicable reporting period, while retention tracks whether students continue from one period to the next.
Graduation rates are based on defined student cohorts, not every person who has ever enrolled. They also do not measure job placement, licensing, or earnings. For a useful comparison with another trade school, applicants should check that both institutions are reporting comparable credentials, student groups, and completion periods.
A gunsmithing credential does not come with a predictable salary. Earnings can differ substantially by employer, location, experience, type of work, and whether a graduate works for a business or independently.
Prospective students evaluating financial return should ask for clearly defined graduate-outcome disclosures: the class covered, the time since completion, the number of graduates included, and whether any earnings figure is a median or an average. Those details matter because a placement rate is not an earnings measure, and earnings among people who report employment may not represent an entire graduating class.
Data last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.