Here are the best schools in Seminole. This guide lists accredited options nearby, the trades with the strongest demand, and the steps to get licensed in Florida. You’ll also see flexible and online choices that work for busy adults. Wage and job outlook notes come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics1. You can verify school accreditation on College Navigator2 and ACCSC3.
Compare Trade Schools Near Seminole, Florida
These campuses are in or near Seminole and serve Pinellas and the greater Tampa Bay area.
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
•9.4 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 Seminole, 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 Seminole, 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 Seminole
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).
Electricians keep homes, clinics, and businesses running. Construction and service firms in Tampa Bay hire year-round. National median pay is strong, and work often includes overtime1. A local apprenticeship or an electricity program at PTC or Erwin can get you started.
HVAC/R Technician
Florida’s heat and humidity keep HVAC techs busy. Preventive maintenance, system change-outs, and refrigerant work drive steady jobs1. Look for programs that integrate EPA 608 exam prep. PTC, HCC, and Erwin all offer HVAC tracks.
Welding
Welders support fabrication, marine, construction, and industrial maintenance in Pinellas and Hillsborough. Certifications like AWS D1.1 can raise your starting wage. Many welding programs include structural and pipe modules with performance tests.
Plumbing
Plumbers handle installs, service, and remodels for residential and commercial clients. Aging infrastructure and ongoing construction support stable demand and good earnings1. Classroom hours plus OJT or apprenticeship is the fastest route.
Other strong options around Seminole include automotive service, aviation maintenance, biomedical equipment, networking/cybersecurity, and cosmetology/barbering.
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 most construction trades at the state level through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Some journeyman cards are local. Always check current rules with DBPR before you apply4.
Electrician
Get experience: complete an approved apprenticeship or combine vocational training with supervised hours.
Journeyman: many Florida counties issue journeyman cards via local boards or testing.
State contractor: to run your own electrical business or pull permits statewide, apply for Certified Electrical Contractor (EC) via the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board (DBPR). Requires verifiable experience, passing the trade and business exams, background/financial review, and insurance4.
HVAC/R
EPA 608 certification is required if you work with refrigerants5.
State contractor: Class A (unlimited tonnage) or Class B (limited tonnage) Air-Conditioning Contractor licenses are issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (DBPR). You’ll need experience, to pass the exams, meet financial responsibility, and carry required insurance4.
Plumbing
Entry: school plus OJT or a registered apprenticeship.
State contractor: Certified Plumbing Contractor license via DBPR’s Construction Industry Licensing Board. Experience, exams, financial/insurance requirements apply4.
Welding
Florida does not issue a state “welder license.” Employers and projects typically require AWS performance qualifications or NCCER credentials. Your school or employer can schedule those tests6.
Cosmetology/Barbering
Cosmetology: 1,200 school hours plus state exam through DBPR’s Board of Cosmetology.
Barber: 900 hours plus state exam through DBPR’s Barbers’ Board4.
Aviation Maintenance
Complete an FAA Part 147 program (like NAA) or document sufficient experience, then pass the FAA Airframe and Powerplant knowledge and oral/practical tests to earn the A&P. Many local employers prefer A&P for technician roles.
Online & Flexible Options
Hybrid healthcare programs
Ultimate Medical Academy offers online coursework with local externships for Medical Assistant, Billing & Coding, and more. Good fit if you work full-time or need childcare coverage.
IT, networking, and cybersecurity
St. Petersburg College runs online and hybrid certificates and A.S. degrees in networking and security. These can stack to bachelor’s paths later.
Evening and accelerated cohorts
Pinellas Technical College and Erwin Technical College periodically offer evening or accelerated sections in trades like Electricity, Welding, and HVAC/R. Seats are limited; apply early.
Apprenticeships
Many Tampa Bay contractors sponsor earn-while-you-learn apprenticeships that blend classroom and jobsite training. NCCER credentials are widely recognized by employers6.
Short industry certifications
Look for programs that include prep and testing for EPA 608, OSHA-10/30, AWS welder performance tests, CompTIA A+/Network+, or ASE. whichever matches your field.
Next Steps
Compare Florida schools and admissions steps: visit the Florida state hub at /trade-school/florida/.
Have questions about a program or license? Start with DBPR for Florida rules, then contact the school’s admissions team. Confirm accreditation, program length, and exam pass rates before you enroll. Good training plus the right license will help you land steady work in Seminole and across Tampa Bay.
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, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and Occupational Outlook profiles (accessed 2025). ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator. Institution search and accreditation details (accessed 2025). ↩︎
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Directory of accredited institutions (accessed 2025). ↩︎
Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR). Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board and Construction Industry Licensing Board. licensing requirements (accessed 2025). ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. EPA Section 608 Technician Certification. requirements for handling refrigerants (accessed 2025). ↩︎
NCCER. National Center for Construction Education and Research. Industry-recognized credentials and apprenticeship frameworks (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)
