Hawaii needs skilled workers to keep homes, hotels, hospitals, and infrastructure running. Trade schools help you learn practical skills fast so you can get job-ready in months, not years; hiring outcomes vary by location and job market. Whether you’re on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, or Kauai, you’ll find accredited programs that fit your life.
Many programs connect directly with employers and apprenticeships to help students access opportunities; timelines and outcomes vary by location and job market.
Best Trade Schools in Hawaii
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.
Compare accredited trade schools in 6 Hawaii cities. Each city page lists the closest local schools with tuition, median graduate earnings, and the trades hiring nearby.
Honolulu CC is a top choice for electrical, HVAC, welding, automotive, and aeronautics. Hawai’i CC and UH Maui College also deliver strong hands-on training.
Are Hawaii community colleges considered trade schools?
Yes. The UH community colleges offer accredited, career-focused programs that function like trade schools with employer partnerships and job placement support.
What trades are in demand in Hawaii in 2025?
Electricians, HVAC techs, solar PV installers, carpenters, welders, plumbers, medical assistants, CNAs, and facilities maintenance roles are in steady demand.
Hawaii’s trade programs offer practical training, recognized credentials, and direct ties to local employers. Pick a program that matches your goals, get certified, and step into a reliable career.
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/.
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)
