Trade schools prepare students for a variety of careers as automotive service technicians, electricians, dental assistants, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) services. These jobs accept trade-school diplomas and certificates as the prerequisite for working in the industry.
Demand often runs high for workers with trade skills. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the number of electrician jobs will grow by 8% between 2019-2029, faster than the national average for all occupations. The BLS projects similarly optimistic growth for dental hygienists, personal trainers, and veterinary technologists.
Trade schools may offer diplomas, certificates, and associate degree programs. The programs emphasize employability by teaching hands-on skills so that students can enter the workforce immediately after graduation. They often guide students toward industry-accepted certifications, provide externship opportunities, and offer robust career services support.
Students can often complete a trade-school diploma in under a year, in contrast to a two- or four-year college. As a result, tuition costs also run lower. Trade schools may offer career-focused associate degree programs, which can take up to two years.
On this page, prospective students can learn about the best trade schools in Texas. Each profile covers the types of degrees each school offers, plus locations, program timelines, and tuition ranges.
Methodology
Our list of the Best Trade Schools in Texas, in no particular order, were selected based on factors that put them ahead of the rest. The writers and researchers at OnlineSchoolsCenter.com found that these Texas trade schools, both online and on-campus, share these salient features:
- A comprehensive curriculum designed for mastery of skills and competencies specific to any type of industry,
- A range of financial aid options,
- Education beyond the classroom experience, with hands-on training,
- Reputable among and accredited by academic organizations,
- Industry experts as academic advisors.
To learn more, please see our Methodology page.
The Best Trade Schools in Texas – Online and Campus
Arlington Career Institute
At Arlington Career Institute, students can choose from nine programs to prepare for jobs in legal, health care, and HVAC services.
Specific career-focused programs include court reporting, with classes in machine shorthand, criminal law, and medical terminology; paralegal, with classes in proofreading, spreadsheets, and business law; medical assistant, with classes in anatomy and physiology, clinical skills, and electronic health records; and HVAC, with classes in safety and installation, A/C and heating maintenance, and HVAC diagnostics.
Arlington Career Institute programs include experience-building externships, plus opportunities to prepare for industry standard credentials like the Certified Shorthand Reporter Licensing Exam.
At a Glance
- Location: Grand Prairie
- Tuition: $870-$26,455 for complete program (depending on the area of study)
- Program Length: 5 weeks-36 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online, Hybrid (online/on campus), Campus
Aviation Institute of Maintenance
The Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) features campuses throughout the U.S. With a focus on aviation-related careers, AIM also offers select training for other trades.
AIM programs in Texas include aviation maintenance technician, with courses covering federal aviation regulations, navigation and aircraft navigation systems, and airline communications; and aviation maintenance technical engineer, with courses covering meteorology and aviation weather services, practical dispatch applications, and airline communications.
The Texas locations also offer a two-day course in unmanned aircraft systems, plus a five-week online continuing education certificate in professional aviation maintenance.
At a Glance
- Location: Dallas, Houston
- Tuition: $448-$590 per credit, depending on program and location
- Program Length: 5 weeks-26 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online; Campus
Cisco College
At Cisco College, students can pursue career-focused associate of applied science degrees in areas like automotive technology, with a curriculum including auto electrical systems and automotive brake systems; medical assisting, with a curriculum including drug classification and lab procedures; and criminal justice, with a curriculum including criminal investigation and juvenile justice.
Shorter certificate programs at Cisco College include cosmetology, fire technology, surgical technology, and welding.
Cisco College also offers options for an associate of art or associate of science degree, with more emphasis on pursuing further academic study.
At a Glance
- Location: Cisco, Abilene
- Tuition: $100-$196 per credit, depending on campus and residency status
- Program Length: 1-2 years, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online (synchronous and asynchronous), Hybrid (online/on campus), Campus
Del Mar College
Del Mar College offers more than 100 associate degree and certificate options across pathways that include industrial technology, health sciences, architecture, aviation and automotive, and kinesiology and education.
Program options include an AAS or certificate in dental assisting, which covers dental science, radiology, and laboratory procedures; a 24-week personal training certificate, which covers exercise science, concepts of physical fitness, and first aid; and an AAS or certificate in hospitality management, which covers basic food preparation, front office procedures, and marketing.
Scholarship opportunities at Del Mar College can help defray the cost of study. In 2019, the school provided $1.8 million in scholarship funds.
At a Glance
- Location: Corpus Christi
- Tuition: $1,660-$2965 per 15-credit semester, depending on residency status
- Program Length: 6 months-2 years
- Delivery Format: Campus
Edge Tech Academy
Edge Tech Academy offers three programs: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and basic refrigeration, where students learn blueprint reading, low-voltage electrical wiring, and technical customer service; computer numerically controlled machinist, where students learn how to operate tools like milling machines and grinders; and PC and network support, where students learn computer maintenance, technical customer service, and recordkeeping.
Edge Tech Academy also offers a four-week commercial driving license training for class A tractor-trailers, which covers defensive driving, general maintenance, and trip planning.
Graduates of Edge Tech Academy can access career services as they assemble job application materials.
At a Glance
- Location: Arlington
- Tuition: Contact school for information
- Program Length: 8-13 months
- Delivery Format: Campus
Lincoln Tech
With campuses dotted throughout the country, Lincoln Tech offers Texas-based associate degree and diploma programs in six different study areas.
Learners can choose from programs that include an AAS in automotive service management to learn engine repair and performance, electrical systems, and drivability diagnostics; a diploma in welding technology to learn welding and cutting fundamentals, fabrication processes, and introduction to pipe systems; and a diploma in diesel and truck technology to learn about heavy duty drive trains, welding and hydraulics, and preventative maintenance.
Lincoln Tech’s robust career services office helps guide students to the right jobs after they graduate.
At a Glance
- Location: Grand Prairie
- Tuition: $19,000-$45,000, depending on the program
- Program Length: 52-78 weeks, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: Campus
Pima Medical Institute
Pima Medical Institute’s three Texas-based locations offer a variety of healthcare-oriented associate degrees and certificate programs.
Enrollees can study to work as radiologists, taking classes in principles of exposure, pathology, and positioning; veterinary technicians, taking classes in lab animal science and exotic medicine, large animal nursing, and surgical nursing; and pharmacy technicians, taking classes in pharmacy math, inventory maintenance, and pharmacology.
Pima Medical Institute also offers an online associate degree in healthcare administration and an online radiography bridge program.
The school provides job placement services, plus a suite of resources to help students succeed, including child care assistance, hardship resources, tutoring, and a food bank.
At a Glance
- Location: El Paso, Houston, San Antonio
- Tuition: N/A
- Program Length: 9-18 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online, Campus
Rio Grande Valley College
Rio Grande Valley College features 10 programs that prepare learners for careers in healthcare professions.
Medical assistants take courses in anatomy and physiology, electronic health records, and clinical procedures; medical billing and coding specialists take courses in medical terminology, medical insurance, and electronic health records; nurse aids take courses in personal care skills, basic nursing, and mental health and social services; and phlebotomy technicians take courses in medical terminology and infection control and safety.
Rio Grande Valley College provides individualized financial aid packages that help with the cost of these programs through grants and loans.
At a Glance
- Location: Pharr
- Tuition: $900-$29,092 per program, depending on the program
- Program Length: 5 weeks-19 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online, Campus
Recommended Schools
South Texas Vocational Technical Institute
Students considering South Texas Vocational Technical Institute can choose from 11 diploma programs in skilled trades, healthcare, or business.
The medical administrative assisting technology program teaches insurance processing, financial record maintenance, and interviewing patients for case histories; the dental assisting program teaches appointments and scheduling, inventory control, and preventative dentistry and infection control; and the combination welding program teaches shielded metal arc welding, interpass temperature control, and safe equipment use.
Career services at South Texas Vocational Technical Institute include employment search assistance, soft skills development, employer research training, interview coaching, and externship opportunities.
At a Glance
- Location: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, McAllen, San Antonio, Weslaco
- Tuition: $5,000-$24,708, depending on program and campus
- Program Length: 1-13 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: Campus
St. Philip’s College
A member of the Alamo Colleges District, St. Philip’s College offers a suite of certificate and associate-level degrees, plus pre-major and continuing education programs.
The diverse program options include an AAS in biomedical engineering technology, with courses in human anatomy and physiology, solid state devices, and ethics; a certificate in baking principles, with courses in basic food preparation, sanitation and safety, and advanced pastry shop; an AAS in hotel management, with courses in front office procedures, guest room management, and catering.
Other program options include automotive technology, nurse aid, and plumbing.
At a Glance
- Location: San Antonio
- Tuition: $99-$466 per credit, depending on residency
- Program Length: 3-5 semesters
- Delivery Format: 100% online, Campus
Texas State Technical College
Texas State Technical College offers more than 50 certificate and associate degree programs across its 10 campuses.
Students can enroll in the aircraft airframe technology program for classes in aviation physics, mathematics, drawings, and shop practice; the computer science program for classes in programming fundamentals and computer organization; or the dental hygiene program for classes in anatomy and physiology, preventive dental hygiene care, and periodontology.
Additional programs include diesel equipment technology, cybersecurity, and culinary arts.
Texas State College offers a money-back guarantee for its programs in diesel equipment, electrical lineworker, electrical power and controls, instrumentation, and welding. Graduates who do not secure jobs can apply for a tuition refund.
At a Glance
- Location: Abilene, Breckinridge, Brownwood, Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Sweetwater, Waco, Williamson County
- Tuition: $210-$421 per credit, depending on program and residency
- Program Length: 3-24 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online, Hybrid, Campus
Tulsa Welding School
Tulsa Welding School’s Houston campus offers three programs for those interested in pursuing a career in skilled trades. The campus highlights day and evening class availability, hands-on training, and career services for program graduates.
The professional welder program requires courses in welding fundamentals, structural welding, and basic pipe welding; the refrigeration technology program requires courses in fundamentals of electricity, commercial and residential comfort systems, and advanced troubleshooting techniques; and the welding specialist with pipefitting program requires courses in structural welding, advanced pipefitting, and a welding capstone.
The Tulsa Welding School offers scholarship opportunities, including a scholarship for women in the skilled trades.
At a Glance
- Location: Houston
- Tuition: $14,523-$20,465 depending on the program
- Program Length: 7-9.5 months
- Delivery Format: Campus
Universal Tech Institute
Universal Tech Institute’s three Texas-based campuses focus on specializations in automotive mechanics, diesel mechanics, auto body repair, and welding.
The automotive technology program teaches professional automotive service writing, vehicle brake systems, and hybrid vehicle system maintenance; the diesel technology program teaches diesel truck manual transmission, diesel truck transport refrigeration, and diesel hydraulic systems; and the welding technology program teaches engineering and fabrication, pipe welding, and gas metal arc welding.
The collision repair and refinish technology program prepares students for industry certifications like steel structural technician, refinish technician, and 3M plastics and composite repair systems.
The school boasts industry partnerships with household-name companies like Ford, Peterbilt, and 3M.
At a Glance
- Location: Austin, Dallas, Houston
- Tuition: $20,500-$56,400 per program, depending on program and location
- Program Length: 36-51 weeks
- Delivery Format: Campus
Vista College
At Vista College, learners can pursue diplomas, certificates, and associate degrees in healthcare, business, technology, legal, and skilled trade career areas.
Pharmacy technician students take classes in pharmacy practice, calculations, and billing and inventory management; business administration students take classes in business fundamentals, computer applications, and business communications; and paralegal students take classes in introduction to law and paralegal studies, office procedures and practices, and probate administration and estate planning.
Vista College also offers continuing education for working professionals, including nurse aid, intravenous therapy, and electronic health records.
The school provides a variety of institutional scholarships, with options that include debt forgiveness, military scholarships, and awards for recent high-school graduates.
At a Glance
- Location: Beaumont, College Station, El Paso, Killeen, Longview
- Tuition: $14,250-$41,975
- Program Length: 10-18 months, depending on the program
- Delivery Format: 100% online, Campus