Here are the best schools in South Daytona. This guide compares accredited options near you, shows which trades are hiring, and explains Florida licensing steps. Use it to pick a fast, affordable program and move straight into work. Most programs below finish in a year or less and prepare you for entry-level certifications and apprenticeships123.
Compare Trade Schools Near South Daytona, Florida
Name
Program Length
Highlights
Daytona State College (Daytona Beach)
8-24 months certificates; 2-year A.S. options
Public, institutionally accredited (SACSCOC). Hands-on labs for HVAC/R, Welding Technology, Automotive Service, Building/Construction, Electrical, Cosmetology. Strong ties with Volusia employers. Night and day schedules available2.
Florida Technical College - DeLand
9-18 months diplomas/associate
ACCSC-accredited. HVAC/R, Welding, Electrical, Medical Assistant. Blended learning with block scheduling. Preps for EPA 608 and entry-level NCCER modules3.
Daytona College (Ormond Beach)
9-18 months diplomas/associate
ACCSC-accredited. Cosmetology, Barbering, Medical Assistant, Skin care and spa. Small class sizes; exam prep for Florida cosmetology boards32.
Flagler Technical College (Palm Coast)
10-12 months career certificates
COE-accredited. Welding Technology, Practical Nursing, Medical Assisting, CDL. Employer-aligned credentials and day/evening options42.
Universal Technical Institute - Orlando
11-18 months certificates
ACCSC-accredited. Automotive and Diesel Technology with manufacturer-aligned curriculum. Industry tools, strong placement support3.
Orange Technical College - Mid Florida Campus (Orlando)
10-14 months career certificates
COE-accredited. HVAC/R, Electrical, Welding, Plumbing. NCCER-aligned curriculum with night options and apprenticeship connections4.
First Coast Technical College (St. Augustine)
10-18 months career certificates
COE-accredited. Welding, HVAC/R, Automotive, Diesel, Culinary. Hands-on shops; industry certifications built in42.
Tip: Tour labs and ask about tool lists, certification pass rates, and employer partnerships before you enroll. Verify institutional accreditation through ACCSC, COE, or institutional accreditors, and check program approvals where required234.
We could not confirm enough colleges teaching this subject within range of this
location, so the list below shows nearby institutions instead. Confirm with each
school that it offers the program before you apply.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 34 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
9 of them carry a score.
1 does not have enough federal
outcome data to score, and appears last rather than being hidden.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. 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 - Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond 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 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
Trade
Median annual wage
Culinary workers
$52,110
Plumbers
$50,490
HVAC technicians
$49,290
Electricians
$48,950
Medical assistants
$43,980
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in South Daytona, 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 South Daytona, Florida (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Seminole State College of Florida
$52,407
Daytona State College
$49,001
Daytona College
$31,951
Flagler Technical College
$24,972
International Academy
$21,588
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in South Daytona
Among the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $43,980 to $52,110 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 South Daytona ranges from $3,122 to $14,281 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
Florida’s construction and service sectors continue to add electrician jobs with steady replacement needs. Apprenticeships lead to journeyman roles and contracting careers. Overtime and project work can boost pay. Growth is supported by residential builds, commercial TI, solar, and EV infrastructure1.
HVAC/R Technician
Air conditioning is essential in Central Florida. Demand rises in summer, creating strong entry-level openings. EPA 608 is required to handle refrigerants. Technicians with brazing skills, digital controls knowledge, and customer service do well15.
Welder
Fabrication, marine repair, construction, and manufacturing around Volusia and Flagler counties all use welders. Structural, pipe, and TIG skills improve job options. AWS code-test readiness is a plus1.
Plumber
Service plumbing, new construction, and remodel work are steady. Apprenticeship, backflow testing, and gas-fitting add value. Contractor licensure opens supervisory and business ownership paths1.
BLS projects continued demand for these trades through 2032 in Florida, driven by population growth, construction activity, and replacement needs1.
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.
Use these steps as a roadmap. Always verify current rules with the state board and your local jurisdiction.
Electricians
For journeyman: Florida does not issue a statewide journeyman license. Many counties and cities do. Complete an approved apprenticeship (typically 4 years/8,000 hours) and pass the local journeyman exam where required. Check Volusia County Contractor Licensing for local requirements6.
For contractor (to run a business/pull permits): Apply with the Florida DBPR Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board as a Certified Electrical Contractor (statewide) or Registered Electrical Contractor (local). Requirements include experience, financial responsibility, background check, and passing the state exam7.
HVAC/R (Air Conditioning)
Technicians must hold EPA Section 608 certification to work with refrigerants5.
To contract independently/pull permits: Get licensed by the Florida DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board as a Class A (unlimited) or Class B (up to 25 tons cooling/500,000 BTU heating) Air Conditioning Contractor. Requires experience (often 4 years or a mix of education/experience), exam, and financial credentials7.
Plumbers
Many jurisdictions offer journeyman plumber licensing via apprenticeship and a local exam. Verify with Volusia County or the city where you’ll work6.
For statewide practice as a contractor: Apply with DBPR CILB as a Certified or Registered Plumbing Contractor. Meet experience requirements and pass the exam7.
Welders
No state license. Employers and projects require performance qualifications such as AWS D1.1 or ASME Section IX. Many schools include weld test prep or on-site testing. NCCER welding credentials are widely recognized by contractors8.
Keep your records. Save proof of hours, W-2s, affidavits, and course certificates. You’ll need them for applications and exams.
Online & Flexible Options
Blended programs: Several local schools deliver lecture online with in-person labs for welding, HVAC, automotive, and electrical. Ask Daytona State College, Florida Technical College, and Orange Technical College about hybrid sections.
Night and weekend cohorts: Public technical colleges commonly run evening schedules for working adults. This is useful for apprentices who need classroom hours after work.
Short industry certs: EPA 608, OSHA-10/30, NCCER Core, and CPR/First Aid can often be completed in days or weeks. These stack well with longer programs and improve job readiness58.
Apprenticeships: Many employers partner with schools and trade associations. Apprentices earn while they learn and build hours toward journeyman or contractor qualifications. Look for NCCER-aligned programs and employer sponsorships8.
Next Steps
Compare statewide options: Visit the Florida hub to see more schools and cities: /trade-school/florida/
Explore trades:
Electrician: /trades/electrician
HVAC/R: /trades/hvac
Welding: /trades/welding
Plumbing: /trades/plumbing
Learn how to choose a program, prep for exams, and find apprenticeships in our guides: /guides/
Browse all trade paths: /trades/
If you’re just starting, scan our main school hub for quick comparisons: /trade-school/
Visit campuses, confirm accreditation, and ask about placement help and certification pass rates. With the right program, you can start a skilled career in South Daytona in under a year.
Outcome figures such as graduation, completion, and job placement rates are reported by schools and by federal data sources, reflect prior student cohorts, and are not a prediction or promise of future results. Individual outcomes may vary.
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 and Employment Projections for construction and installation trades. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator institutional profiles for accreditation and program offerings. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), directory of accredited institutions. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Council on Occupational Education (COE), accredited institutions list. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
Volusia County Contractor Licensing, local journeyman and contractor registration requirements. ↩︎↩︎
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR): Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board and Construction Industry Licensing Board. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
NCCER, industry-recognized construction craft credentials. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
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)
