Best Trade Schools in Boone, Iowa (2026)

Updated June 20, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Start here to compare accredited trade schools near Boone. This guide links to programs, state licensing steps, and related career paths so you can get job-ready quickly in Iowa.

How to Get Started in Boone

  • Compare schools and program lengths above
  • Check your state licensing steps: Iowa
  • Explore careers: Skilled trades hub
  • Ask each school about tuition, schedules, and embedded certifications (EPA 608, NCCER, ASE)

Compare Trade Schools Near Boone, Iowa

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. 10 of them carry a score.

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.

#1

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 12.1 miles away BOC Score 76.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 26
  • Annual completions: 1515
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $68,277 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 33.3 miles away BOC Score 72.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 75.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 178
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $65,232 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Aveda Institute-Des Moines

West Des Moines, IA 34.1 miles away BOC Score 65.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 6905 Mills Civic Pkwy Suite 120 West Des Moines, IA 50266
  • (513) 576-9333
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 92.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 310
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $34,296 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Mercy College of Health Sciences

Des Moines, IA 34.3 miles away BOC Score 58.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 10
  • Annual completions: 218
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $68,691 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 33.0 miles away BOC Score 51.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 54.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 9
  • Annual completions: 85
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,521 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 27.5 miles away BOC Score 50.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 36.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 79
  • Annual completions: 6334
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,817 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

PCI Academy-Ames

Ames, IA 13.5 miles away BOC Score 48.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 68.5%
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 237
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $37,914 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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 Iowa.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
165.3Contact school for pricing$34,29693%—34 mi
254.3Contact school for pricing$29,151Not reported—28 mi
350.0Contact school for pricing$51,81737%Yes*28 mi
448.2Contact school for pricing$37,91468%—14 mi
547.5Contact school for pricing$27,778Not reported—34 mi
6Not ratedContact school for pricingNot reportedNot reported—30 mi

Schools closest to the main population center in Iowa are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Iowa 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 Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Boone, Iowa (2026)
Median graduate earnings by school, Best Trade Schools in Boone, Iowa (2026) (College Scorecard)Des Moines Area Community College $51817; PCI Academy-Ames $37914; Aveda Institute-Des Moines $34296; La James International College-Johnston $29151; La James International College-Ft Dodge $27778.Des Moines Area Community Co...$51,817PCI Academy-Ames$37,914Aveda Institute-Des Moines$34,296La James International Colle...$29,151La James International Colle...$27,778
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 Boone, Iowa (2026)
SchoolMedian graduate earnings
Des Moines Area Community College$51,817
PCI Academy-Ames$37,914
Aveda Institute-Des Moines$34,296
La James International College-Johnston$29,151
La James International College-Ft Dodge$27,778

Iowa Trade Career Outlook

Building & Construction Trades

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Plumber4.5%
Carpenter4.5%
Welder2.2%
Flooring Installer9.5%
Construction Worker7.3%

Construction Management & Inspection

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Construction Manager8.7%
Home Inspector-0.8%

Electrical & Energy Systems

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Lineworker6.6%
Wind Turbine Technician49.9%
Electrician9.5%
HVAC Technician8.1%
Solar Installer42.1%
Tower Technician8.6%

Mechanical, Automotive & Transportation

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Aircraft Mechanic (A&P)4.0%
Heavy Equipment Operator3.6%
Diesel Technician2.4%
Truck Driver (CDL)4.0%
CNC Machinist0.0%
Maintenance Technician3.8%
Auto Mechanic4.2%
Automotive Technician4.2%
Gunsmith2.0%

Healthcare: Nursing & Patient Care

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)2.6%
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)2.6%
Hemodialysis Technician5.2%
Medical Assistant12.5%
Mental Health Technician20.0%
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)2.3%
Patient Care Technician2.3%
Home Health Aide17.0%

Healthcare: Allied Health & Diagnostics

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer13.0%
EKG Technician3.0%
Radiologic Technologist4.3%
Surgical Technologist4.5%
Dental Assistant6.4%
Pharmacy Technician6.4%
Optician2.9%
Sterile Processing Technician10.0%
Phlebotomy Technician5.6%

Healthcare: Administration & Office Support

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Medical Billing & Coding Specialist7.1%
Medical Office Administrator4.2%

Therapy, Rehab & Fitness

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Occupational Therapy Assistant19.2%
Massage Therapist15.4%
Personal Trainer11.9%
Physical Therapy Aide2.8%

Animal Care & Training

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Veterinary Technician9.1%
Dog Trainer5.1%
Veterinary Assistant8.7%

Beauty & Personal Care

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Esthetician6.7%
Beauty Professional5.6%
Cosmetologist5.6%

Culinary & Hospitality Careers

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Culinary Chef7.1%
Pastry Chef7.1%

Business & Legal Support

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Digital Court Reporter-0.3%
Paralegal0.2%
Bookkeeper-5.8%

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.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections (2024-2034). Projected U.S. change shown for each trade.

Next Steps

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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)