What is a Career College?

<h3 id="section---PurposeOfCareerColleges">Purpose of Career Colleges</h3> <p>According to the Career College Association (CCA), career colleges focus on the skills employers look for in future employees. They provide training for careers that are in need of skilled workers, particularly jobs that are new to the information age and careers that were previously held by retiring baby boomers. </p> <p>At a career college, the skills students obtain are of primary importance, and students take courses only in their field of interest. By contrast, at traditional 4-year colleges and universities, students study a broad range of subjects with the intent to produce well-rounded graduates. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutCareerColleges">Important Facts About Career Colleges</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Prerequisites </td><td> High school diploma or equivalent</td></tr> <tr><td>Online Availability </td><td> Yes</td></tr> <tr><td>Programs </td><td> 2-year degrees, certificates, diplomas</td></tr> <tr><td>Possible Careers </td><td> Paralegal, administrative assistant, caterer, legal secretary</td></tr> <tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $56,230&nbsp;(<i>for all&nbsp;paralegals and legal assistants</i>)&nbsp;</td></tr> <tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td>14% growth (<i>for all&nbsp;paralegals and legal assistants</i>)&nbsp;</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---AdvantagesOfAttending">Advantages of Attending</h3> <p>Attending a career college has many advantages. According to the CCA, in general, the cost of attending a career college is more expensive than 2-year and 4-year public institutions, but less expensive than private universities. Grants and loans are available, just like at other schools. The programs are accredited, so you can find good jobs after earning your degree. Students who attend a career college: </p> <ul><li>Focus strictly on the field they hope to work in </li><li>Can complete distance learning or online courses for a more flexible schedule </li><li>Find placement in the area they trained </li></ul><h3 id="section---FieldsOfStudyAvailable">Fields of Study Available</h3> <p>Since the point of a career college is to lead to a job, there are many options if you choose to go this route. Students are trained in both emerging fields and fields that are well established. Some fields of study available include: </p> <ul><li>Accounting </li><li>Interior design </li><li>Construction technology </li><li>Paralegal studies </li><li>Criminal justice </li><li>Marketing</li></ul>