Here are the best schools in Mountain Home. Use this guide to compare accredited programs near you, see program lengths and specialties, and understand Idaho licensing. Skilled trades like electrician, HVAC, welding, and plumbing remain in demand with solid pay and steady job growth1.
Compare Trade Schools Near Mountain Home, Idaho
Most hands-on programs are in the Boise metro or Twin Falls, an easy drive from Mountain Home. All schools below are accredited institutions listed in U.S. Department of Education resources2. Specialized career schools note their national accreditation where applicable3.
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.
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 Idaho.
Schools closest to the main population center in Idaho are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Idaho 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 - Mountain Home, ID'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 Mountain Home, ID
Trade
Median annual wage
Culinary workers
$52,000
Construction trades workers
$46,940
Dental assistants
$45,880
Veterinary technicians
$42,120
Veterinary assistants
$37,530
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Mountain Home, Idaho (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 Mountain Home, Idaho (2026 Guide)
School
Median graduate earnings
Carrington College-Boise
$57,082
College of Western Idaho
$47,903
Boise Barber College
$30,941
Oliver Finley Academy of Cosmetology
$30,231
Aveda Institute-Boise
$26,105
Paul Mitchell the School-Boise
$24,959
Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Mountain Home
Among the Mountain Home, ID area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $37,530 to $52,000 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025); the chart above compares the five with the largest local workforces. Typical culinary worker training runs 1-2 years (culinary school or apprenticeship) (TradeCareerPath program data).
Electrician
Electricians install and maintain electrical systems in homes, businesses, and industry. Many start as paid apprentices while completing evening classes. National median pay is strong, and demand remains steady across construction and maintenance1. Learn more: Electrician career path.
HVAC/R Technician
HVAC technicians service heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Work is year-round in Idaho’s hot summers and cold winters. Modern systems require comfort with electrical controls and refrigerants. National job outlook is steady with solid median wages1. Explore training and licensing: HVAC.
Welder and Fabricator
Welders work in fabrication shops, construction, manufacturing, and energy. You can train fast, then build experience and certs on specific processes (SMAW, GMAW, GTAW). National demand spans many industries, with opportunities to specialize for higher pay1. Start here: Welding.
Plumber
Plumbers install and repair piping systems, fixtures, and gas lines. Apprenticeships offer paid training and benefits as you log hours toward journeyman. Wages and outlook are strong nationwide1. See steps and programs: Plumbing.
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.
Idaho licenses electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work at the state level through the Division of Building Safety (DBS). Plan your pathway before enrolling to make sure your training aligns with requirements4.
Electrician (DBS)
Register as an Electrical Apprentice with DBS and work under a licensed contractor.
Complete 4 years of apprenticeship (typically 8,000 hours OJT) plus approved classroom training.
Pass the Idaho Journeyman Electrician exam.
For Electrical Contractor: hold a journeyman license, meet required experience as a supervising journeyman, pass the contractor exam, and provide required bond/insurance.
Plumber (DBS)
Register as a Plumbing Apprentice with DBS.
Complete 4 years of apprenticeship (about 8,000 hours) and related instruction.
Pass the Idaho Journeyman Plumber exam.
For Plumbing Contractor: meet experience requirements as a journeyman, pass the contractor exam, and provide bond/insurance.
HVAC (DBS)
Register as an HVAC Apprentice with DBS.
Complete an approved HVAC apprenticeship program (commonly 4 years with OJT and classroom hours).
Pass the Idaho HVAC Journeyman exam.
For HVAC Contractor: meet journeyman experience requirements, pass the contractor exam, and provide bond/insurance.
Note: Some limited or specialty HVAC licenses exist. Confirm the correct license for the scope of work with DBS.
Welding
No state license is required in Idaho for general welding.
Employers and job sites may require process-specific certifications and weld tests. Many programs prepare you for common industry credentials.
Helpful tip: If your goal is journeyman status, choose a program that is part of a registered apprenticeship or offers direct entry to one. Colleges like CWI, CSI, and CEI provide the classroom piece that pairs with employer-sponsored on-the-job training.
Online & Flexible Options
Hybrid classroom for apprenticeships: Colleges in Boise, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls often schedule apprenticeship classes in the evening so you can work full-time. Some lecture content may be delivered online with labs on campus.
Short upskilling courses: OSHA-10/30, blueprint reading, basic electricity, brazing, and refrigerant handling theory are often available in accelerated or online formats through college workforce divisions.
Health and beauty programs: Allied health and cosmetology schools in Boise may offer day, evening, or blended schedules with externships for hands-on experience.
Test prep and CE: Journeyman exam prep and continuing education can be taken online through approved providers. Always confirm Idaho acceptance before enrolling4.
If you are ready to visit campuses, start with College of Western Idaho for core trades near Mountain Home, and Northwest Lineman College for linework. Ask each school about apprenticeship connections, evening schedules, certifications earned, and career support.
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
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook profiles for Electricians, HVAC/R Technicians, Plumbers, and Welders. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎↩︎
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), Directory of Accredited Institutions - Northwest Lineman College. https://www.accsc.org/↩︎
Idaho Division of Building Safety (DBS), Licensing for Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC. https://dbs.idaho.gov/↩︎↩︎
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)
