Here are the best schools in Lake Worth Beach. Use this guide to compare accredited programs, program lengths, specialties, and Florida licensing steps. Skilled trades like HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and welding remain in steady demand in Florida, driven by population growth and construction activity1.
Compare Trade Schools Near Lake Worth Beach, Florida
School list focuses on accredited colleges and state-registered apprenticeship programs in and near Lake Worth Beach. Always verify current accreditation and program availability before enrolling23.
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
Southeastern College-West Palm Beach
📍
West Palm Beach, FL
•7.8 miles away•BOC Score
64.4
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
1756 North Congress Avenue West Palm Beach, FL 33409
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 Lake Worth Beach, 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 Lake Worth Beach, Florida (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Palm Beach State College
$48,635
Southeastern College-West Palm Beach
$42,464
Medical Institute of Palm Beach
$33,141
The Beauty Institute
$27,855
Empire Beauty School-West Palm
$26,908
Palm Beach Academy of Health & Beauty
$25,893
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Lake Worth Beach
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. Typical medical assistant training runs 9-12 months (certificate or diploma) (TradeCareerPath program data).
Electrical technicians and contractors remain essential across residential, commercial, and industrial projects in Palm Beach County. Growth is supported by new construction, retrofits, and solar integration1. Training options include state-registered apprenticeships or college credit certificates. See paths and certifications at our trade hub: Electrician careers.
HVAC/R
Florida’s climate keeps HVAC technicians busy year-round. Employers value hands-on experience and EPA 608 certification for refrigerant handling. Many local programs offer day or evening cohorts to fit work schedules4. Explore training and licensing: HVAC careers.
Welding
Welders support construction, fabrication, and marine work throughout South Florida. Certifications from AWS and NCCER help you qualify for higher-skill roles and better pay5. Learn paths and certs: Welding careers.
Plumbing
Plumbing contractors and service technicians are in steady demand, with strong call volume from residential growth and commercial maintenance. Apprenticeships with UA Local 630 and merit-shop providers are proven routes into the trade. Start here: Plumbing careers.
These pathways offer short training timelines, stackable credentials, and strong placement support. BLS projects solid national outlooks for these occupations, and Florida’s growth trends continue to support local hiring1.
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.
Licensing is handled at the state level for contractors and often at the county or city level for journeyman cards. Here are the basics:
Electrician (Florida)
Journeyman: Typically issued by local jurisdictions (county/city). Common requirements: an approved apprenticeship or equivalent experience and a journeyman exam.
Contractor (EC/EI): State licensing through Florida DBPR Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board. Requires verified experience (or a combination of education/experience), financial responsibility, background check, and passing the trade and business exams. Certified (EC) allows statewide practice; Registered (ER) is limited to specific localities6.
HVAC/R (Air-Conditioning Contractor)
Contractor License: Florida DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board. Class A (unlimited) and Class B (up to 25 tons cooling/500,000 BTU heating). Requires experience (or degree + experience), exam, and financial/insurance documentation. Certified licenses allow statewide practice; Registered licenses are locality-specific6.
EPA Section 608: Mandatory for anyone who services or purchases refrigerants4.
Plumbing
Journeyman: Usually local jurisdiction licensing with an exam and documented apprenticeship hours.
Contractor: State license via DBPR CILB as a Plumbing Contractor (Certified or Registered). Requires experience documentation, exam, and financial/insurance compliance6.
Welding
No state contractor license for welders. Employers often require AWS or NCCER welder performance qualifications. Structural work may require city/county approvals and inspections5.
Apprenticeships
Florida registered apprenticeships are overseen by the Florida Department of Education. Programs combine paid OJT with related instruction and culminate in journeyman-level credentials where applicable7.
Always check local Palm Beach County or city licensing offices for any additional permitting or journeyman requirements.
Online & Flexible Options
Hybrid training: Many local schools split theory online with in-person labs. This is common in HVAC, electrical code, and health programs.
Night and weekend schedules: Look for evening cohorts at apprenticeship training centers and career schools. This lets you work while you train.
Short industry certs: Add credentials like EPA 608, OSHA 10/30, NCCER, AWS, or NATE to boost employability and pay45.
Community college pathways: Palm Beach State College offers stackable certificates that can roll into an AS degree, helping you build skills while working2.
If you need a flexible start date, ask about rolling admissions, monthly starts, or modular courses.
Accreditation in the appropriate directory (SACSCOC, ACCSC, ABHES, ACCET, NACCAS)238910
Program length and schedule
Licensure alignment with Florida DBPR and local jurisdictions6
Certification prep included (EPA 608, NCCER, AWS, etc.)45
Start with two schools from the list above. Tour the labs, speak with instructors, and ask about outcomes data and employer partners. Then choose the program that fits your timeline and budget.
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 employment trends for construction and repair trades, bls.gov ↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator, nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator ↩︎↩︎↩︎
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) Directory of Accredited Institutions, accsc.org ↩︎↩︎
U.S. EPA, Section 608 Refrigerant Management Requirements, epa.gov/section608 ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
NCCER Credentials and Training, nccer.org ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), myfloridalicense.com ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Florida Department of Education, Registered Apprenticeship Programs, fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/apprenticeship-programs/ ↩︎
