Best Trade Schools in Arizona

• Out of Arizona's four-year colleges, 47% of students in 2019-2020 had student loan debt.
• Trade schools, on average, cost less and take less time to complete than college.
• Trade students study automotive technology, carpentry, culinary arts, electrical technology, nursing, and welding.
• Apprenticeships in Arizona let students learn a trade and get paid.

Arizona faces a student loan debt dilemma. Roughly 47% of Arizona college graduates in 2019-20 had student loan debt, with students owing $24,298 on average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success. As college tuition continues to rise, many Arizona students are turning to trade schools to learn skilled trades in growing industries.

Trade school graduates usually pay less for their education and spend less time in school than traditional college students. Accelerated certificates and diplomas allow trade students within months or weeks to start new careers —many of which offer good wages and continuing professional growth opportunities.

Find out on this page how to enroll in trade schools in Arizona and what the best trade school jobs pay.

Trade Jobs and Salaries in Arizona

It does not take a college degree to earn a decent wage in Arizona. Many of Arizona's highest concentrations of trade jobs only require a high school diploma or GED certificate. As you can see below, automotive service technicians, cooks, and emergency medical technicians can make decent wages without having to earn a college degree.

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

• Projected national employment growth, 2020-2030: 0%
• Average annual salary (May 2021): $46,900
• Automotive service technicians and mechanics complete vocational or community college programs over 6-12 months. While some automotive service technicians hold associate degrees, employers rarely require them.

Cooks

• Projected national employment growth, 2020-2030: 26%
• Average annual salary (May 2021): $33,120
• Cooks train on the job or go to vocational school to learn culinary arts in programs that last up to two years. Chefs and head cooks — especially those at upscale eateries — often have formal training from culinary arts schools or four-year colleges.

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

• Projected national employment growth, 2020-2030: 11%
• Average annual salary (May 2021): $36,930
• Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) need to complete training programs at community colleges or vocational schools that last up to two years. Paramedics may need an associate degree. All states require EMTs and paramedics to earn licensure by passing an exam.

Insurance Appraisers

• Projected national employment growth, 2020-2030: 3%
• Average annual salary (May 2021): $60,810
• While entry-level insurance appraisers only need a high school diploma, employers may prefer applicants who have bachelor's degrees.

Library Technicians

• Projected national employment growth, 2020-2030: 0%
• Average annual salary (May 2021): $35,760
• After completing a high school diploma or GED certificate, prospective library technicians enroll in postsecondary library technology programs. Advanced positions such as librarians or library media specialists need bachelor's or master's degrees.

Trade Schools in Arizona

Community colleges, vocational schools, and trade schools train students through classroom and clinical work. About 25 two-year public schools operate in Arizona, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The state also has 49 private nonprofit and private for-profit, two-year and less than two-year schools.

Trade school programs include cosmetology, dental assistance, electrical technology, HVAC technology, mining, pharmacy technician training, truck driving, and welding.

Arizona ranks among the top five states with the highest employment levels of miners, geological engineers, and mining safety engineers. Fun fact: Professionals in mining and geological engineering make an average of $85,020.

Nationwide, some of the fastest-growing jobs include wind turbine service technicians, solar photovoltaic installers, exercise trainers, manicurists and pedicurists, and massage therapists. The BLS projects that these trades will grow by 32%-68% from 2020 to 2030.

Average Cost of Trade School in Arizona

College students at public four-year schools in Arizona paid $11,072 for in-state tuition and fees in the 2019-2020 school year and $27,417 for out-of-state tuition and fees, according to the NCES. Private four-year schools charged $12,895 for tuition and fees. Compare those prices to those of public two-year schools in Arizona, which charged $2,151 in 2019-2020 for in-state tuition and fees and $7,642 for out-of-state tuition and fees.

Financial Aid for Trade Schools in Arizona

Trades schools in Arizona that meet federal guidelines can qualify for federal financial aid. Students attending programs that operate for 15 weeks or more can complete a FAFSA form and get federal loans and grants. Programs that run for fewer than 15 weeks only qualify for direct loans.

Scholarships for Arizona Programs

Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (AzLEAP)

• Eligibility: Eligible undergraduates must show financial need and attend an accredited school on at least a part-time basis. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and residents of Arizona.
• Award amount: $1,000-$2,500
• Deadline: January 15
• Other important information: Developed in partnership with ASU and Arizona Commission for Post-secondary Education, AzLEAP awards offer "free" money to students that does not need to be repaid. Qualifying schools include Gateway Community College, Estrella Mountain Community College, Mesa Community College, and Arizona State University.

Black Women's Task Force Scholarship

• Eligibility: African American young women who are seniors in high school can receive this award.
• Award amount: $1,000
• Deadline: Varies
• Other important information: The Black Women's Task Force, which formed in 1975 from the Pima County Tucson Women's Commission, works to educate women through scholarships and networking.

The Refrigeration School's HVAC/R Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students attending HVAC/R programs at accredited vocational schools can receive this scholarship. Applicantsmusto submit high school transcripts, an online application, two letters of recommendation, and a 500-word essay.
• Award amount: Up to $2,000
• Deadline: October 1 or June 1
• Other important information: The Clifford H. “Ted” Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation has since 2003 provided about $49,000 to more than 250 students.

Accreditations in Arizona

Much like traditional colleges and universities, reputable trade schools hold accreditation from independent agencies. Common accrediting agencies for trade schools in Arizona include the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences, Inc., Council on Occupational Education, and Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Accredited trade schools secure a student's investment and provide job security. Accrediting agencies review a trade school's learning outcomes, curriculum, and faculty. This voluntary process offers quality assurance and helps students get jobs and licenses in their respective trades. Licensing agencies often require students to have completed accredited trade programs in Arizona.

Aside from accreditation, other factors that separate trade schools include cost, time commitment, job placement services, and student outcomes, such as graduation rates.

Apprenticeships in Arizona

According to the Arizona Apprenticeship Program, roughly 4,000 apprentices participated in apprenticeships in 2021. Trade schools and colleges in Arizona offer apprenticeships that let students make money while they train. Arizona Western College features a four-year electrical apprenticeship that leads to a certificate and a career as a journeyman. Students can also seek out apprenticeships after graduating from trade schools in Arizona. Paid apprenticeships, on average, last 3-4 years.

Additionally, the Arizona Apprenticeship Office offers apprenticeships in industries such as air conditioning mechanics, boilermakers, bricklayers, carpenters, cement masons, community health workers, cooks, electronics technicians, and manicurists.

Frequently Asked Questions About Technical Schools in Arizona

Best Arizona Trade Schools

Each program on the list will meet our criteria, being:

Other Notable Arizona Trade Schools

• Avalon School of Cosmetology-Mesa
• Avalon School of Cosmetology-Phoenix
• Carrington College-Phoenix North
• Charles of Italy Beauty College
• Empire Beauty School-Avondale
• Empire Beauty School-Chandler
• Empire Beauty School-Tucson
• Pima Medical Institute-Mesa
• Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix
• Turning Point Beauty College