Tom P. Haney Technical College is once again earning national attention and proving that some of the best career and technical education in the country is happening right here in Bay County.
For the second year in a row, Tom P. Haney Technical College has been named one of USA TODAY’s America’s Top Vocational Schools, placing Haney among the Top 250 technical colleges nationwide.
USA TODAY partnered with global market research firm Statista to develop the annual ranking, which evaluates schools based on five key measures: graduation rate, graduates’ salaries, the number of years required to pay off the net cost of attendance, social mobility and diversity.
“To earn this national recognition once is an incredible accomplishment. To do it two years in a row says a great deal about the quality and consistency of what is happening at Tom P. Haney Technical College,” said Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen. “Haney is preparing students with real-world skills and industry credentials that can take them directly into successful, high-demand careers. We are extremely proud of our students, instructors and staff.”
And Haney’s continued recognition comes at a time when career and technical education is gaining significant momentum across the country.
According to data cited by USA TODAY from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, enrollment in highly vocational institutions increased nearly 38 percent between spring 2021 and spring 2026. During that same period, enrollment at traditional four-year colleges grew by approximately 3 percent.
For many students, the appeal is clear: hands-on learning, shorter training programs, industry-recognized credentials and a faster pathway into the workforce.
That’s exactly what students find at Haney.
Through programs designed around the needs of today’s workforce, Haney students gain practical experience and technical skills that prepare them to step into careers throughout Bay County and beyond. Strong partnerships with local employers also help connect education directly to the opportunities waiting on the other side of graduation.
The USA TODAY/Statista ranking relies on publicly available federal data to measure school performance. Institutions must also meet accreditation, financial responsibility and student loan repayment standards to be considered.
For Haney, being named among America’s best for a second consecutive year is more than another accolade. It is national recognition of the work happening every day in its classrooms, labs and training spaces, and another reminder that students don’t have to travel far to find an outstanding pathway to a successful future.
Two years. Two national recognitions. And plenty more to come from Tom P. Haney Technical College.
