Here are the best schools in Avon Park. This guide compares accredited programs, program lengths, and local licensing steps. It also shows which trades are growing and how to qualify for a license or certification in Florida12.
Compare Trade Schools Near Avon Park, Florida
Below are accredited options in and near Highlands County. Program lengths are typical ranges. Always confirm start dates and schedules with the school2.
How We Rank Schools
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.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. 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 - Sebring, 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 Sebring, FL
Trade
Median annual wage
Culinary workers
$52,760
Paralegals
$51,230
Plumbers
$50,650
Dental assistants
$45,200
HVAC technicians
$44,720
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Avon Park, 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 Avon Park, Florida (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Polk State College
$53,180
South Florida State College
$48,619
Traviss Technical College
$38,755
Ridge Technical College
$35,542
Empire Beauty School-Lakeland
$26,762
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Avon Park
Among the Sebring, FL area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $44,720 to $52,760 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 Avon Park ranges from $3,165 to $11,859 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 install, maintain, and repair electrical systems. Demand stays strong as homes and solar projects grow in Central Florida. Training usually starts with a certificate or an apprenticeship, then a local journeyman card, and later a state contractor license if you want to run jobs and pull permits1.
HVAC/R
Florida’s heat keeps HVAC techs busy all year. Technicians service cooling, heat pumps, and refrigeration. Many start with a 9-12 month certificate and pass EPA 608. Experienced techs move into supervising, controls, or become state-licensed contractors13.
Welding
Welders work in fabrication, construction, marine, and utilities. Certificates can be finished in under a year. Employers value AWS code tests and NCCER credentials. Pay rises with process skill (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW) and code qualifications1.
Plumbing
Plumbers install and repair water, drain, and gas systems. Florida uses a mix of local journeyman cards and state contractor licensing. Demand is driven by steady residential and commercial building across the region1.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these trades offer stable employment and opportunities to advance with experience and credentials1.
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.
Start with an approved electrical program or apprenticeship.
Work toward a local journeyman license through your county/municipality (experience and exam).
For statewide permitting and business ownership, apply for a Certified Electrical Contractor (EC) or Registered Electrical Contractor (ER) license through DBPR. Requirements include experience, exams, background check, financial responsibility, and insurance.
Work under a licensed contractor. With ~4 years verifiable experience, you can apply for a Class A or Class B Air Conditioning Contractor license through DBPR/CILB, pass exams, and meet financial and insurance requirements.
Florida does not issue a state welder license. Employers typically require AWS code qualifications (e.g., D1.1) and may accept NCCER performance verifications. Many projects also expect OSHA-10/30 safety cards1.
Nursing and EMS
CNA: Complete an approved program and pass the Florida CNA exam to be listed on the registry (Florida Board of Nursing).
LPN: Complete an approved PN program and pass the NCLEX-PN (Florida Board of Nursing).
EMT/Paramedic: Complete an approved program and pass NREMT; apply for Florida certification through the Department of Health5.
Online & Flexible Options
Hybrid programs
Local colleges may offer online lectures for trade theory with on-campus labs for hands-on skills. This can reduce commuting while keeping you lab-ready.
Evening/weekend schedules
Many Florida technical colleges run evening sections in HVAC, Electricity, and Welding. Ask admissions about start dates and cohort capacity.
Fully online coursework
Online schools can help with theory and exam prep (for example, EPA 608 for HVAC), but trades still require lab practice, on-the-job training, or apprenticeships to be employable and to qualify for licenses or code tests3.
Not sure which format fits your schedule? Talk with admissions about lab availability, externships, and employer partnerships in Highlands and neighboring counties. College Navigator profiles can confirm accreditation and program approvals before you enroll2.
Planning your path? See our how-to resources in Guides.
Visit campuses, ask about licensure pass rates, career placement, and lab time. Individual outcomes may vary. Bring a checklist of certifications you need for your target job. Then choose the program that fits your timeline and career goals.
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 (BLS), Occupational Outlook Handbook and OEWS data, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator profiles for listed schools and accreditation details, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification requirements for refrigerants, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board and Construction Industry Licensing Board requirements, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida Board of Nursing and Florida Department of Health (EMS), licensure and certification steps, 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)
