Here are the best schools in Belleair Shore. This list focuses on accredited options in and around Belleair Shore (Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg, and Tampa). You’ll also find Florida licensing steps and local trade demand so you can plan your next move. Electricians, HVAC techs, plumbers, and welders continue to see steady demand across Florida1.
Compare Trade Schools Near Belleair Shore, Florida
Belleair Shore is a small beach town, so most students commute a few miles to nearby campuses. The schools below are accredited and offer hands-on training. Program lengths are typical ranges; check each school for current schedules.
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.
#1
St Petersburg College
📍
St. Petersburg, FL
•15.3 miles away•BOC Score
74.6
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 - Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Trade
Median annual wage
Culinary workers
$58,240
Medical assistants
$44,480
Phlebotomy technicians
$39,220
Nursing assistants
$37,470
Patient care technicians
$37,470
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Belleair Shore, 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 Belleair Shore, Florida (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
National Aviation Academy of Tampa Bay
$68,902
St Petersburg College
$54,088
Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater
$41,457
Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg
$40,318
Ultimate Medical Academy
$30,561
American Institute of Beauty
$25,632
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Belleair Shore
Among the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $37,470 to $58,240 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025); the chart above compares the five with the largest local workforces. Typical medical assistant training runs 9-12 months (certificate or diploma) (TradeCareerPath program data).
New construction, renovations, and solar retrofits keep demand steady in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. Employers value candidates who have completed a state-registered apprenticeship or a clock-hour Electricity program, hold OSHA-10, and can document supervised hours. Electricians nationwide have solid job outlooks and competitive wages1. Learn the career path and certifications on our Electrician hub.
HVAC/R Technician
Florida’s climate means year-round cooling work. Technicians with EPA 608 and experience in heat pumps, mini-splits, and refrigeration have the edge. Many local programs prep you for NATE-ready skills and entry-level service roles1. Explore training paths on our HVAC guide.
Welder
Tampa Bay’s marine, manufacturing, and fabrication shops hire welders who can pass bend tests and hold AWS certifications. Flux-core, MIG, and TIG skills open doors in shipyard and structural work. Welding roles see steady replacement needs and project-driven hiring1. See pathways on our Welding page.
Plumber
Residential and commercial build-outs drive demand for plumbers, pipefitters, and service techs across the region. Completing an apprenticeship or a clock-hour Plumbing program plus local journeyman licensing is the typical route in Florida metro areas1. Learn more on our Plumbing career page.
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 trade contractors at the state level and many counties issue journeyman cards. Here is what to know if you plan to work in Belleair Shore and the Tampa Bay region.
Electricians
State contractor licenses: Certified Electrical Contractor (EC, statewide) or Registered Electrical Contractor (ER, limited to local jurisdictions) through the Florida Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board (ECLB) at DBPR2.
Typical steps:
Complete an apprenticeship (about 4 years) or show equivalent verifiable experience.
Pass the state exam (trade knowledge and business/finance).
Provide background check, credit/financial stability, and insurance.
Apply to DBPR for EC or ER; maintain continuing education.
Journeyman electrician: Pinellas and Hillsborough counties issue local journeyman cards. Expect 4 years of documented experience or completion of a registered apprenticeship, plus a local exam.
HVAC (Air Conditioning Contractors)
State contractor licenses through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) at DBPR: Class A (unlimited) or Class B (≤25 tons cooling/500,000 BTU heating)3.
Typical steps:
Document 4 years of experience or a combination of education and experience.
Pass trade and business exams.
Show financial responsibility and required insurance.
EPA Section 608 certification is required to handle refrigerants4.
Register your business if contracting independently.
Plumbers
State contractor licensing (Certified or Registered Plumbing Contractor) via CILB at DBPR3.
Typical steps:
Complete apprenticeship or show equivalent verified experience.
Pass trade and business exams.
Submit financials, background, and insurance.
Journeyman plumber: Licensed at the county level; expect 4 years of experience or apprenticeship completion and a local exam.
Welders
No state license. Employers commonly require AWS structural or pipe welding certifications (position- and process-specific)5.
OSHA-10/30 and TWIC cards are useful for industrial and port work.
Tip: If your goal is to become a contractor, choose programs that include exam prep for Florida’s business and finance component and help document your on-the-job experience.
Online & Flexible Options
Blended learning: Many local technical colleges offer evening or blended schedules for Electricity, HVAC, Welding, and Plumbing. Hands-on lab hours are still required.
Online theory, in-person labs: Schools may deliver safety, code, and troubleshooting theory online while keeping labs on campus.
Allied health online: Programs such as billing and coding or healthcare management can be completed online through accredited providers like UMA; externships may still be required.
Apprenticeships: Registered apprenticeships let you earn while you learn. Classroom hours are scheduled in the evenings, with paid OJT during the day. Check regional electrical, plumbing, and HVAC apprenticeship sponsors listed with the Florida Department of Education or local trade associations.
Before enrolling, verify:
Institutional accreditation (ACCSC, ABHES, regional, or COE).
Programmatic approvals where applicable.
Licensure alignment for Florida (DBPR/ECLB/CILB exams).
Set up campus tours in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. Bring your questions about schedules, certifications, and exam prep. Pick the program that gets you licensed and job‑ready fast; hiring outcomes vary by local market.
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 Handbook (Electricians, HVAC Mechanics, Plumbers, Welders). https://www.bls.gov/ooh/↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
