Best Trade Schools in Decatur, Alabama (2026 Guide)
Start here to compare accredited trade schools near Decatur. This guide links to programs, state licensing steps, and related career paths so you can get job-ready quickly in Alabama.
| Trade | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Culinary workers | $62,760 |
| Plumbers | $60,090 |
| HVAC technicians | $48,740 |
| Dental assistants | $42,050 |
| Medical assistants | $36,770 |
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Decatur
Among the Birmingham, AL area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $36,770 to $62,760 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025); the chart above compares the five with the largest local workforces. Typical culinary worker training runs 1-2 years (culinary school or apprenticeship) (TradeCareerPath program data).
Trade Schools in Nearby Cities
- Alabaster, Alabama - 28 miles
- Pelham, Alabama - 34 miles
- Hoover, Alabama - 38 miles
- Bessemer, Alabama - 39 miles
- Homewood, Alabama - 44 miles
How to Get Started in Decatur
- Compare schools and program lengths above
- Check your state licensing steps: /states/alabama
- Explore careers: /trades/
- Ask each school about tuition, schedules, and embedded certifications (EPA 608, NCCER, ASE)
Next Steps
- See all Alabama pages: /trade-school/alabama/
- Compare online and evening options: /trade-school/online-trade-schools
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |