Lincoln Tech Campus Among USA Today’s “Top Vocational Schools” for 2026

Lincoln Educational Services (NASDAQ:LINC) announced that its Melrose Park, IL campus has been named one of “America’s Top Vocational Schools” for 2026 by USA Today, following a similar recognition in 2025.

Rhea-AI Summary

Lincoln Educational Services (NASDAQ:LINC) announced that its Melrose Park, IL campus has been named one of “America’s Top Vocational Schools” for 2026 by USA Today, following a similar recognition in 2025. The designation reflects multiple criteria centered on student success and diversity, including graduation rates, graduate salaries, payoff time for programs, diversity levels, and social mobility.

The Melrose Park campus, originally founded as Greer College of Automotive Engineering in 1902, offers programs in Automotive Service, Electrical, HVAC, Medical Assisting, and Welding. According to Lincoln, the campus graduated more than 600 students last year, with 81% of graduates hired in careers in their field.

Positive

• Melrose Park named a USA Today “Top Vocational School” for 2026
• Recognition follows prior inclusion on USA Today’s list for 2025
• Campus reported 81% of graduates hired in-field last year
• More than 600 students graduated from Melrose Park campus last year

Negative

• None.

Argus Jul 28 session 4 alerts

+3.60% close to close 0.4x rel. volume Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – LINC

$1.35B Market Cap

In the Jul 28 session, LINC gained 3.60%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 4 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

Recent insider records showed Net Selling with 212331 shares sold and no shares bought. That context...

Analysis

Recent insider records showed Net Selling with 212331 shares sold and no shares bought. That context frames the recognition as reputational support, while the survey methodology and graduate outcomes warrant continued scrutiny.

Key Figures

USA Today recognition year: 2026 Prior recognition year: 2025 Company operating history: 80 years +4 more

USA Today recognition year

2026

America's Top Vocational Schools

Prior recognition year

2025

USA Today list

Company operating history

80 years

specialized technical training

Campus founding year

1902

founded as Greer College of Automotive Engineering

Survey criteria

5 criteria

USA Today and Statista evaluation

Graduates hired in field

81%

last year at Melrose Park

Graduates

more than 600 students

last year at Melrose Park

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jul 22

5 events

1. Jul 22

   Earnings scheduling

   24h Move

   -2.3%

   Scheduled Q2 results and conference call without providing an operating update

2. Jul 08

   Campus expansion

   24h Move

   -2.8%

   Planned 25th campus with projected investment, revenue, and EBITDA targets

3. Jun 02

   Investor conferences

   24h Move

   +2.1%

   Management reiterated 2026 optimism and disclosed long-term revenue and EBITDA targets

4. May 13

   Foundation grants

   24h Move

   +3.6%

   Foundation received first-quarter grants supporting scholarships and student assistance

5. May 11

   Quarterly earnings

   24h Move

   +10.6%

   Q1 revenue, EBITDA, cash flow, liquidity, and student starts increased

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

hvac, social mobility

2 terms

hvac technical

"Electrical and HVAC, along with Medical Assisting and Welding."

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning — the systems that control temperature, airflow and indoor air quality in buildings. Investors care because HVAC drives operating costs, energy use, tenant comfort and regulatory compliance; like the engine and insulation of a building, efficient modern systems can lower bills, reduce repair and replacement spending, and preserve property value, while outdated units can create unexpected expenses and vacancy risk.

social mobility financial

"and social mobility (a measure of the role a campus plays"

Social mobility is the ability of individuals or families to move up or down the economic ladder over time, measured by changes in income, education, job status, or wealth across generations or within a lifetime. For investors, it matters because high or low social mobility affects consumer spending patterns, workforce skill levels, demand for products and services, and political or regulatory pressures—think of it like the health of the economic ladder that determines how many people can climb to become customers, employees, or taxpayers.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

Melrose Park, IL school recognized for commitment to student success, diversity.

Parsippany, N.J., July 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (NASDAQ: LINC), a national leader in specialized technical training for 80 years, announced today that its Melrose Park, IL campus has been named one of “America’s Top Vocational Schools” for 2026 by USA Today. The campus selection was based on a number of factors focused on student success and commitment to diversity.

The campus was also named to USA Today’s 2025 list. Melrose Park is one of Lincoln’s most established locations, with roots that can be traced to its founding as Greer College of Automotive Engineering in 1902.

“Lincoln Tech is proud to be recognized again by USA Today,” says Scott Shaw, Lincoln Tech’s President and CEO. “This inclusion is a testament to our commitment to helping build the workforces of America’s transportation, skilled trade and healthcare support industries. We are guided every day by our mission to change the lives of our students and strengthen employers nationwide through the career training programs we provide.”

The USA Today survey, conducted in collaboration with Statista, evaluated career training schools based on five main criteria: graduation rate, graduate salaries, diversity within the student body, anticipated years to pay off a program (combining the average cost of attendance with value added to an average graduate’s salary compared with an average high school graduate), and social mobility (a measure of the role a campus plays in impacting the lives of students receiving financial assistance).

The Melrose Park campus offers career training programs in Automotive Service, Electrical and HVAC, along with Medical Assisting and Welding. Last year 81% of graduates were hired for careers in their field, and the campus graduated more than 600 students.

###

About Lincoln Educational Services Corporation

Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is a leading provider of diversified career-oriented post-secondary education. Lincoln offers recent high school graduates and working adults career-oriented programs in skilled trades, automotive, health sciences and information technology. Lincoln has provided the workforce with skilled technicians since its inception in 1946.

Lincoln currently operates 22 campuses in 12 states under 3 brands: Lincoln College of Technology, Lincoln Technical Institute and Nashville AutoDiesel College. For more information, go to www.lincolntech.edu. 

Attachments

• Lincoln Tech Is a National Leader in Hands-On Career Training
• Lincoln Tech Focuses on Student Success

Scott Watkins, VP Marketing
Lincoln Tech
973.766.9656 
Swatkins@lincolntech.edu

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Why was Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park campus (NASDAQ:LINC) named a top vocational school for 2026?

Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park campus was selected as a top vocational school based on graduation rates, graduate salaries, diversity, program payoff time, and social mobility. According to Lincoln, USA Today and Statista evaluated schools across these five key student success criteria.

What programs are offered at Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park, IL campus recognized by USA Today for 2026?

The Melrose Park campus offers Automotive Service, Electrical, HVAC, Medical Assisting, and Welding programs. According to Lincoln, these hands-on career training programs support transportation, skilled trades, and healthcare support industries, aligning with the workforce needs the school aims to serve.

What are the graduate outcomes at Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park campus (LINC)?

According to Lincoln, 81% of Melrose Park graduates last year were hired in careers in their field, and the campus graduated more than 600 students. These figures highlight recent employment outcomes and scale of completions for this vocational training location.

Has Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park campus been recognized by USA Today before 2026?

Yes, the Melrose Park campus was also named to USA Today’s 2025 list of top vocational schools. According to Lincoln, the repeat recognition underscores ongoing performance in areas like graduation rates, graduate salaries, diversity, and social mobility measures.

How did USA Today and Statista evaluate vocational schools for the 2026 rankings including Lincoln Tech (NASDAQ:LINC)?

USA Today and Statista evaluated vocational schools using graduation rate, graduate salaries, student body diversity, anticipated years to pay off a program, and social mobility. According to Lincoln, these factors combined cost, earnings benefit, and impact on students receiving financial assistance.

What is the history of Lincoln Tech’s Melrose Park campus named a top vocational school for 2026?

The Melrose Park campus traces its roots to 1902 as Greer College of Automotive Engineering. According to Lincoln, it is one of the company’s most established locations and now provides multiple technical and healthcare support training programs in the Chicago-area market.