Select a program of interest to explore trade schools that match your goals.
Start here to compare accredited trade schools near Soledad. This guide links to programs, state licensing steps, and related career paths so you can get job-ready quickly in California.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
| # | School | BOC Score (0–100) | Tuition | Median grad earnings (all majors) | Graduation rate | Online | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waynes College of Beauty | 64.3 | Contact school for pricing | $26,097 | 83% | — | 25 mi |
| 2 | CET-Soledad | 62.4 | Contact school for pricing | $40,676 | 82% | — | 2 mi |
| 3 | Hartnell College | 59.4 | $1,404 - $11,892 | $51,928 | 35% | Yes* | 24 mi |
| 4 | CET-Salinas | 59.1 | Contact school for pricing | $40,676 | 71% | — | 25 mi |
| 5 | Central Coast College | 56.8 | Contact school for pricing | $42,710 | 75% | — | 25 mi |
| 6 | Monterey Peninsula College | 34.5 | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | 35% | — | 32 mi |
Schools closest to the main population center in California are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in California is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.
| Trade | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| HVAC technicians | $72,550 |
| Culinary workers | $72,440 |
| Plumbers | $64,440 |
| Construction trades workers | $61,680 |
| Dental assistants | $56,790 |
| School | Median graduate earnings |
|---|---|
| Hartnell College | $51,928 |
| Central Coast College | $42,710 |
| CET-Soledad | $40,676 |
| CET-Salinas | $40,676 |
| Waynes College of Beauty | $26,097 |
Among the Salinas, CA area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $56,790 to $72,550 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025); the chart above compares the five with the largest local workforces. Published tuition across the trade-relevant schools serving Soledad ranges from $1,404 to $11,892 per year (IPEDS and College Scorecard); schools that do not publish a rate are marked “Contact school for pricing” in the table below. Typical culinary worker training runs 1-2 years (culinary school or apprenticeship) (TradeCareerPath program data).
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Carpenter | 4.5% |
| Plumber | 4.5% |
| Flooring Installer | 9.5% |
| Construction Worker | 7.3% |
| Welder | 2.2% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Construction Manager | 8.7% |
| Home Inspector | -0.8% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Lineworker | 6.6% |
| Wind Turbine Technician | 49.9% |
| Electrician | 9.5% |
| HVAC Technician | 8.1% |
| Tower Technician | 8.6% |
| Solar Installer | 42.1% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 3.6% |
| Aircraft Mechanic (A&P) | 4.0% |
| Gunsmith | 2.0% |
| Diesel Technician | 2.4% |
| Auto Mechanic | 4.2% |
| Automotive Technician | 4.2% |
| Truck Driver (CDL) | 4.0% |
| CNC Machinist | 0.0% |
| Maintenance Technician | 3.8% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | 2.6% |
| Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) | 2.6% |
| Hemodialysis Technician | 5.2% |
| Medical Assistant | 12.5% |
| Mental Health Technician | 20.0% |
| Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) | 2.3% |
| Patient Care Technician | 2.3% |
| Home Health Aide | 17.0% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | 13.0% |
| Radiologic Technologist | 4.3% |
| Surgical Technologist | 4.5% |
| EKG Technician | 3.0% |
| Sterile Processing Technician | 10.0% |
| Optician | 2.9% |
| Phlebotomy Technician | 5.6% |
| Pharmacy Technician | 6.4% |
| Dental Assistant | 6.4% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Medical Billing & Coding Specialist | 7.1% |
| Medical Office Administrator | 4.2% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 19.2% |
| Personal Trainer | 11.9% |
| Massage Therapist | 15.4% |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 2.8% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Veterinary Technician | 9.1% |
| Dog Trainer | 5.1% |
| Veterinary Assistant | 8.7% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Esthetician | 6.7% |
| Beauty Professional | 5.6% |
| Cosmetologist | 5.6% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Culinary Chef | 7.1% |
| Pastry Chef | 7.1% |
| Trade | Job Growth (2024-2034, US) |
|---|---|
| Digital Court Reporter | -0.3% |
| Paralegal | 0.2% |
| Bookkeeper | -5.8% |
Job growth uses state projections when available and national projections (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034) when state data is unavailable. Median pay for each trade is shown in the comparison table above.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections (2024-2034). Projected U.S. change shown for each trade.
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/.
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) |
