Here are the best schools in Alachua. This page compares accredited programs near you, explains Florida licensing, and shows where the jobs are in 2025. Use it to pick a program and start training without guesswork.
Compare Trade Schools Near Alachua, Florida
These schools are within an easy drive of Alachua and offer accredited workforce programs. Program lengths are approximate and vary by certificate or degree.
We could not confirm enough colleges teaching this subject within range of this
location, so the list below shows nearby institutions instead. Confirm with each
school that it offers the program before you apply.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 6 schools, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
6 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from
federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings
are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single
trade. Distance is measured from the main population center in Florida.
Schools closest to the main population center in Florida are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Florida 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.
Median Annual Wage by Trade - Gainesville, FL's most-employed tradesTrades ranked by local employment (BLS QCEW); wages are median annual pay (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; metro area where reported, otherwise statewide).
Median annual wage by trade in Gainesville, FL
Trade
Median annual wage
HVAC technicians
$55,670
Plumbers
$51,600
Culinary workers
$47,380
Dental assistants
$46,340
Medical assistants
$39,100
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Alachua, Florida (2026 Guide)Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard - median earnings of all graduates at each school (not a single program).
Median graduate earnings by school for schools serving Best Trade Schools in Alachua, Florida (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Santa Fe College
$53,155
Florida Gateway College
$49,676
Riveroak Technical College
$42,040
Marion Technical College
$38,674
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Alachua
Among the Gainesville, FL area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $39,100 to $55,670 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 Alachua ranges from $2,710 to $18,424 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).
Electrician
Electricians keep homes, hospitals, and industry powered. Work includes wiring, panels, controls, and troubleshooting. The BLS reports strong national demand and solid wages for electricians, with median pay above many other trades1. Many employers in North Central Florida prefer candidates who completed an electrical program or a registered apprenticeship.
HVAC/R Technician
Florida’s heat drives year-round HVAC work. Techs install, service, and fix cooling and refrigeration systems. EPA Section 608 certification is required to handle refrigerants2. Nationally, median HVAC pay is competitive, and experienced techs can move up to foreman or licensed contractor roles1.
Welder
Welders join metal for construction, manufacturing, and repair. Structural, pipe, and fabrication skills open doors across the Iā75 corridor. Employers often look for AWS or NCCER-based training and want to see weld test proficiency in multiple processes3.
Plumber
Plumbers install and repair piping, fixtures, and backflow systems. In Florida, licensure is at the contractor level, but local journeyman cards exist in some jurisdictions. BLS shows stable national demand, with strong earnings potential for licensed contractors1.
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.
Florida licenses contractors at the state level through DBPR. Many entry-level technicians work under a licensed contractor while building experience.
Electrician (Contractor)
License: Certified Electrical Contractor (EC) or Registered Electrical Contractor (ER) via the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board (DBPR)4.
Steps:
Complete a registered apprenticeship or 4+ years of verifiable experience.
Pass the Florida electrical contractor exam (trade and business).
Submit fingerprints, financial responsibility, and insurance.
Apply to DBPR and maintain continuing education.
Note: “Journeyman electrician” is a local credential in some counties and cities, not a statewide license. Check local requirements in Alachua County or Gainesville.
HVAC/R
License: Air Conditioning Contractor Class A, B, or C via the Construction Industry Licensing Board (DBPR)4.
Steps:
Gain 4 years of experience; portions may be substituted with education.
Pass trade and business exams.
Hold required liability and workers’ comp coverage.
EPA 608 certification is required for refrigerant handling2.
Plumbing
License: Certified or Registered Plumbing Contractor via DBPR CILB4.
Steps:
Complete apprenticeship or equivalent experience (about 4 years).
Pass state exam and meet insurance/financial requirements.
Local journeyman licensing may apply depending on jurisdiction.
Welding
No Florida state license for welders.
Employers often require AWS procedure qualifications (e.g., D1.1) or NCCER credentials; OSHA-10/30 is commonly requested3.
Before you enroll, match your program to the license you’re targeting. If your goal is to run your own business, pick a program that includes business prep and exam review, or plan for post-graduate exam study.
Online & Flexible Options
Hands-on trades require lab time, but many local colleges blend classroom, online, and evening schedules:
Santa Fe College and Florida Gateway College often deliver lecture/technical theory online with on-campus labs and internships.
Technical colleges like North Florida Technical College, Marion Technical College, and RiverOak Technical College offer full-time daytime cohorts and select evening sections for working adults.
General education for A.S. tracks can be taken online, then applied to on-campus technical labs.
For HVAC, you can study theory online, complete shop hours in person, and test for EPA 608 through approved proctors2.
For construction and electrical, programs that align with NCCER allow you to earn portable credentials as you complete modules3.
Ask each school about:
Hybrid formats and evening/weekend labs.
Credit for prior learning or work experience.
Embedded industry certifications and test vouchers.
Local employer partnerships and outcomes data.
How to Choose a School
Verify accreditation and state approval (check College Navigator and DBPR program approvals when applicable)54.
Tour the labs. Look for current equipment: HVAC trainers with modern refrigerants, multi-process welding booths, code-compliant electrical labs, and industry-grade CNC machines.
Confirm externships or apprenticeships. Employer connections in Gainesville, Alachua, Ocala, Lake City, and Starke improve career placement. Individual outcomes may vary.
Map the license path. Make sure your program lines up with Florida experience and exam requirements.
Check schedules and start dates. Clock-hour programs often have multiple intakes per year.
Pick two schools from the list, schedule campus tours, and ask about upcoming cohorts and certification pass rates. If you already work in the field, bring proof of experience to see if you can shorten your training.
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/.
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook and OEWS data for skilled trades (accessed 2025). ↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. EPA Section 608 Technician Certification requirements (accessed 2025). ↩︎↩︎↩︎
NCCER. standardized construction and manufacturing curricula and credentials (accessed 2025). ↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board and Construction Industry Licensing Board (accessed 2025). ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator. institutional profiles and accreditation (accessed 2025). ↩︎
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)
