Here are the best schools in Briny Breezes. This guide ranks nearby accredited programs, explains Florida licensing, and points you to in-demand trades with steady pay. Electricians, HVAC techs, welders, and plumbers are needed across the West Palm Beach area and statewide1.
Compare Trade Schools Near Briny Breezes, Florida
Below are accredited options within an easy drive of Briny Breezes. Program lengths are typical ranges. Always confirm current offerings and start dates with the school.
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 - Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Trade
Median annual wage
Culinary workers
$57,940
Phlebotomy technicians
$45,210
Medical assistants
$44,930
Nursing assistants
$38,010
Patient care technicians
$38,010
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Briny Breezes, 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 Briny Breezes, Florida (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Palm Beach State College
$48,635
Medical Institute of Palm Beach
$33,141
Boca Beauty Academy
$27,218
Robert Fiance Beauty Schools
$22,920
Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach
$22,274
Latin Beauty Academy
$22,116
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Briny Breezes
Among the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $38,010 to $57,940 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 Briny Breezes ranges from $18,168 to $28,227 per year (IPEDS and College Scorecard); schools that do not publish a rate are marked “Contact school for pricing” in the table below. Typical medical assistant training runs 9-12 months (certificate or diploma) (TradeCareerPath program data).
Work includes installs, maintenance, troubleshooting, and code compliance. Florida’s construction and service sectors continue to create steady demand, and wages are competitive with room to grow into foreman and contractor roles1.
Jobs focus on comfort systems, refrigeration, and energy efficiency. Demand stays strong in South Florida’s year-round climate, with service calls across homes, condos, and commercial buildings1.
Hands-on HVAC school or an apprenticeship can prepare you for entry roles. Many techs add EPA 608 and manufacturer credentials during the first year on the job. Explore HVAC career paths.
Welder
Fabrication, repair, marine, and construction welding are active along the coast. Training teaches safety, blueprint reading, and processes like SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW. Employers often prefer AWS or NCCER credentials for structural and pipe work.
Plumbers handle installs, service, and remodels in residential and commercial settings. Backflow, gas, and medical gas skills can raise your earning potential. Florida’s ongoing development keeps work steady1.
Tip: Many local employers hire from apprenticeships because you work full-time while attending class. Others recruit from technical colleges with strong lab hours and industry certifications.
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.
To run an electrical business or pull permits: become a Certified Electrical Contractor (EC) or Registered Electrical Contractor (ER) through the DBPR. This requires verified experience, passing the trade and business exams, financial responsibility, and insurance2.
Florida does not issue a statewide journeyman license. Local jurisdictions, including Palm Beach County, may issue journeyman/master cards. Typical steps: complete a 4-year apprenticeship, document hours, and pass a local exam. Work under a licensed contractor until you qualify for state contractor exams.
Keep up with continuing education as required by the Board2.
HVAC (Air Conditioning Contractor - Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board)
To operate as a contractor: Class A (unlimited) or Class B (≤25 tons cooling/500,000 BTU heating). Requires 4 years verified experience or a combination of education/experience, exams, financial and insurance requirements3.
Technicians who handle refrigerants must hold EPA Section 608 certification (Type I, II, III, or Universal)4.
Many techs start as entry-level installers or service apprentices, then sit for contractor licensing when ready.
Plumbing (Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board)
To contract for plumbing work or pull permits: become a Certified or Registered Plumbing Contractor. Requirements include experience, exams, and financial/insurance documentation3.
Journeyman credentials are commonly issued by local jurisdictions after a 4-year apprenticeship and exam.
Welding
No Florida state license. Employers often require process tests or certifications such as AWS D1.1 (structural steel) or pipe endorsements. Many training programs align with NCCER modules and prepare you for employer tests5.
Always confirm current rules with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) before you test or apply23.
Online & Flexible Options
Hybrid learning: Public technical colleges and PBSC often deliver safety, codes, and theory online with labs on campus. This helps commuters from Briny Breezes keep travel time low.
Evening and weekend classes: Apprenticeships like ABC and IEC typically run one classroom night per week and full-time paid work during the day.
Certification prep: Many programs include prep for credentials such as EPA 608 (HVAC), OSHA-10/30, and NCCER module assessments, with online study tools available45.
Fully online programs: Best for non-lab fields like building design software, project management, bookkeeping, or IT support. Hands-on trades still require in-person labs or on-the-job training.
If you plan to work in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, or welding, shortlist two to three schools from the list above. Tour the labs, ask about outcomes data, and confirm the exact licenses and certifications the program prepares you for. Then map your path from training to license using the Florida steps above.
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, Employment Projections and Occupational Employment data for Florida trades, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board. licensing requirements and applications, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board. Air Conditioning and Plumbing Contractor licensing requirements, accessed 2025. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), Accredited Training Sponsor/Center information and credential framework, 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)
