Best States for Apprenticeship Opportunities (Ranking Score)

Apprenticeships are one of the strongest ways to build a high-paying career without years of debt. But not all states are created equal when it comes to apprenticeship opportunities.

This ranking aggregates five key indicators to show which states offer the best overall ecosystem for apprentices:

• Total Active Apprentices — the number of people currently enrolled in apprentice programs.
• Registered Programs — how many state-registered apprenticeship programs exist across trades.
• Completions — how many apprentices finish their program (a measure of success).
• Wage Levels — how much apprentices and new journeymen make relative to cost of living.
• Employer Sponsorship — how many employers actively sponsor apprentices and offer paid training.

Each state received a composite score based on these measures. Higher scores indicate stronger apprenticeship ecosystems overall.

How We Score a State’s Apprenticeship Ecosystem

For each state, we consider:

• Apprentices per capita (normalized to population)
• Programs per capita (breadth of options)
• Completion rates (success %)
• Average apprentice wage (higher is better)
• Employer engagement (measured by sponsorship density)

States below are ranked from strongest to least strong overall apprenticeship environments. This ranking doesn’t just show where opportunities exist today — it highlights where the training infrastructure, employers, and wages combine to make apprenticeships a powerful career choice.

Best States for Apprenticeship Opportunities (2025 Ranking)

Visual: Top States by Apprenticeship Ecosystem Score

The chart below shows how the top-ranked states compare on overall apprenticeship ecosystem strength, based on a composite of apprentices per capita, programs, completions, wages, and employer sponsorship.

Visual: Apprenticeship Strength by Region

Once all 50 states are scored, you can also compare apprenticeship ecosystems at the regional level to see where opportunities are most concentrated.

State Apprenticeship Strength Explained

Each component of the ranking tells a slightly different story about the apprenticeship ecosystem:

• Total Active Apprentices: States with more apprentices have larger, more diverse opportunities across industries.
• Registered Programs: The more registered programs, the more paths students can choose from — plumbing, electrical, HVAC, industrial maintenance, CDL, etc.
• Completions: A high completion rate indicates that apprentices aren’t just starting programs — they’re succeeding.
• Wage Levels: Higher apprentice and entry journeyman pay means better financial outcomes for students.
• Employer Sponsorship: When local companies sponsor apprentices, it shows strong demand and a willingness to invest in workforce development.

Why These States Lead the List

Here’s what makes the top states stand out:

• California: Massive population + diverse trades + high wage floors + heavy employer involvement.
• Texas: Growing construction, energy, transportation, and industrial sectors fuel apprenticeships.
• Washington: Strong union involvement, tech-adjacent trades, and solid apprenticeship completions.
• Ohio & Michigan: Long industrial history + manufacturing apprenticeships + supportive employer base.
• Massachusetts: Quality over quantity — strong wage outcomes and completion rates.

How to Use This Ranking

If you’re considering an apprenticeship, this ranking can help you pick a location that maximizes your training, earnings, and career opportunity:

• Higher-ranked states tend to offer broader program choices and stronger wage progression.
• Mid-rank states may still have excellent opportunities in specific trades (e.g., HVAC or CDL), even if their overall ecosystem is smaller.
• Lower-rank states may require students to be more proactive about finding employer sponsors or regional programs.

Regardless of where you live, you can use this ranking as a starting point—then dig deeper into
state apprenticeship directories, workforce development boards, and local trade unions to find specific openings.
To compare options and next steps, explore our
Trade Career How-To Guides,
state-by-state trade school hubs, and
U.S. Verified Trade Apprenticeships Database.