Schools and programs
Our school list comes from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), run by the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education. Institutions that take part in federal student aid programs must report to IPEDS.
We list a school under a program only if it reported at least one completion in that program during the 2023–24 academic year, using these Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes:
- CNA Classes: CIP 51.3902
- LPN Programs: CIP 51.3901
- Medical Assistant Programs: CIP 51.0801
- Phlebotomy Classes: CIP 51.1009
- EMT & Paramedic Classes: CIP 51.0904, 51.0810
- Pharmacy Technician Programs: CIP 51.0805
- Dental Assistant Programs: CIP 51.0601
Closed institutions are excluded. Program costs (tuition plus books and supplies) and lengths come from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey for schools that report program-specific pricing; for degree-granting colleges we show annual tuition instead.
What IPEDS doesn’t cover
Some training providers, such as certain nursing-home and hospital-run CNA courses or very small private schools, don’t participate in federal aid and therefore don’t appear in IPEDS. We are adding state-approved program lists over time. Always confirm that a program is approved by your state before enrolling.
Salaries
Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates, at the national, state and metropolitan-area level.
Metro areas
City pages group schools by Census Bureau Core Based Statistical Area (2023 delineations), so a “Houston” page includes schools across the Houston metro, not just inside city limits.
Editorial standards
Credential and licensing summaries are written from official sources (federal regulations, BLS, and national certifying bodies) linked on each page. Rules change, so we tell readers to confirm with their state board. We don’t accept payment for placement.