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
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 7 schools, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
7 of them carry a score.
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.
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)
