Construction Trades at Great Oaks Career Campuses

Great Oaks' construction trades certificate punches well above its weight class nationally, with graduates earning $39,297—nearly 50% more than the typical program and placing in the 95th percentile nationwide. The modest $9,500 debt load translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.24, meaning graduates owe roughly three months' salary. That's an exceptionally manageable burden for entering a skilled trade.

The catch? This is the only construction trades certificate program in Ohio's Department of Education dataset, and the sample size is small—under 30 graduates. That means these numbers could swing considerably with different cohorts. However, the fundamentals look strong: Cincinnati's robust construction market and Great Oaks' career-focused model appear to connect students directly to solid-paying work. At under $10,000 in debt, even if earnings vary, graduates aren't locked into financial strain.

For parents whose children are mechanically inclined and eager to start earning, this represents a low-risk entry point into the trades. The debt is manageable enough that if construction doesn't stick, it won't haunt your child for years. Just recognize you're working with limited outcome data—talk to program administrators about job placement specifics and whether these numbers hold steady across recent graduating classes.