Here are the best schools in Honolulu. Use this guide to compare accredited programs, program lengths, and licensing steps in Hawaii. Construction, healthcare, and hospitality are steady employers on Oahu, and many skilled trades pay above national averages in Hawaii1.
Compare Trade Schools Near Honolulu, 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 4 schools, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
4 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.
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 Hawaii.
Schools closest to the main population center in Hawaii are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Hawaii 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 - Urban Honolulu, HI'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 Urban Honolulu, HI
Trade
Median annual wage
Culinary workers
$74,380
Phlebotomy technicians
$47,750
Medical assistants
$47,720
Nursing assistants
$45,260
Patient care technicians
$45,260
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii (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 Honolulu, Hawaii (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Honolulu Community College
$71,254
Kapiolani Community College
$51,544
Hawaii Medical College
$40,730
Hawaii Institute of Hair Design
$18,581
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Honolulu
Among the Urban Honolulu, HI area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $45,260 to $74,380 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 Honolulu ranges from $3,174 to $13,151 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).
Commercial and residential projects, defense facilities, and solar keep demand steady on Oahu. Hawaii’s electrician pay is among the highest compared to national averages, and licensed journey workers are competitive statewide1.
Pathways include Honolulu CC’s Electrical Installation program and IBEW 1186 apprenticeship placements.
HVAC/R Technician
Hotels, hospitals, high-rise buildings, and data rooms need HVAC techs for chiller, split, and VRF systems. EPA 608 is required to work with refrigerants2. Hawaii pay for HVAC mechanics is strong relative to national figures1.
Honolulu CC’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning program aligns with industry needs in the islands’ humid climate.
Welder
Shipyard work at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, structural steel, and fabrication shops drive demand. Many employers prefer AWS structural codes for process qualification.
Honolulu CC’s Welding Technology provides common processes used in marine and structural applications.
Plumber
High-rise, hotel renovation, and retrofit projects keep plumbers busy. Licensed journey workers and contractor RMEs are in demand, and wages are typically well above the national median in Hawaii1.
Apprenticeships coordinated with unions and UH programs are the standard route.
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.
Regulator: DCCA Professional & Vocational Licensing, Board of Electricians and Plumbers4.
Journey Worker Electrician (EJ) and Journey Worker Plumber (PJ):
Complete a state-registered apprenticeship with required on-the-job hours and classroom instruction.
Submit application to the Board, verify experience and training, and pass the licensure exam.
Maintain license and meet any continuing education the Board requires.
Supervising or independent contracting:
If you will contract directly with clients, you must hold or work under a licensed contractor. See the Contractors License Board for classifications, experience, and Responsible Managing Employee (RME) requirements5.
HVAC/R Technicians
No standalone state HVAC technician license to work as an employee. Common requirements:
EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerants2.
Employer or union apprenticeship training and proof of OJT.
To contract independently for HVAC, you need a Hawaii C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning contractor license through the Contractors License Board, including experience, exam, and financial responsibility5.
Welders
No state welder license to be employed as a welder.
Employers and projects often require AWS structural or pressure certifications; marine work may require additional site or federal clearances.
Welding contractors must hold the appropriate Hawaii contractor classification if bidding work directly5.
Cosmetology and Barbering
Regulator: DCCA Board of Barbering and Cosmetology6.
Complete a board-approved program, meet required training hours, pass written and practical exams, then apply for licensure.
Maintain license renewal as required by the Board.
Always review the latest forms, fees, and experience requirements on the DCCA website before you apply456.
Online & Flexible Options
Honolulu CC and Kapi�“olani CC offer hybrid and evening courses in many programs. General education and some technical theory can be online, with labs on campus.
Hawai�“i Medical College runs hybrid schedules for several healthcare programs, useful for working adults7.
PCATT delivers short evening and weekend bootcamps for IT certifications, which pair well with facilities or low-voltage roles.
For HVAC, many technicians complete EPA 608 self-study modules online before testing2.
Apprenticeships often blend paid on-the-job training with evening related instruction, which helps career changers keep income while upskilling4.
If you plan to work independently, review Hawaii contractor licensing classifications early5. If you plan to work as an employee, focus on accredited training, certifications, and an apprenticeship that matches your goal trade.
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 Employment and Wage Statistics, Hawaii statewide data, May 2023. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Section 608 Technician Certification. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
O*NET OnLine, occupation outlook profiles for Electricians, HVAC Mechanics, Plumbers, and Welders. ↩︎
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Professional & Vocational Licensing, Board of Electricians and Plumbers. ↩︎↩︎↩︎
Hawaii DCCA, Contractors License Board, license classifications and RME requirements. ↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Hawaii DCCA, Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, licensing requirements and exams. ↩︎↩︎
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator, institutional accreditation and program listings for the schools named. ↩︎
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)
