Best Trade Schools in Murray, Kentucky

Updated June 20, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

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

How to Get Started in Murray

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

Compare Trade Schools Near Murray, Kentucky

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.

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.

#1

Murray State University

Murray, KY 0.1 miles away BOC Score 58.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 60.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 18
  • Annual completions: 435
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,487 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

West Kentucky Community and Technical College

Paducah, KY 35.8 miles away BOC Score 56.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 49.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 59
  • Annual completions: 3263
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $43,110 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Madisonville Community College

Madisonville, KY 68.6 miles away BOC Score 55.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 51.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 43
  • Annual completions: 2086
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,485 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Henderson Community College

Henderson, KY 89.6 miles away BOC Score 53.7
Tuition $4,728 - $13,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 40.5%
  • Programs offered: 15
  • Annual completions: 541
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,202 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Hopkinsville Community College

Hopkinsville, KY 49.4 miles away BOC Score 50.6
Tuition $4,728 - $14,469
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 41.0%
  • Programs offered: 42
  • Annual completions: 1628
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,788 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Kentucky Wesleyan College

Owensboro, KY 102.5 miles away BOC Score 40.9
Tuition $34,673 - $46,203
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 71.6%
  • Graduation rate: 49.3%
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 26
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $45,592 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Ross Medical Education Center-Owensboro

Owensboro, KY 101.0 miles away BOC Score 32.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 61.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 19
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $31,944 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Ross College-Hopkinsville

Hopkinsville, KY 49.3 miles away BOC Score 29.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 52.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 53
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $34,405 (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 Kentucky.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
156.9Contact school for pricing$43,11049%Yes*36 mi
255.9Contact school for pricing$54,48552%Yes*69 mi
353.7$4,728 - $13,540$50,20240%Yes*90 mi
450.6$4,728 - $14,469$46,78841%Yes*49 mi
532.3Contact school for pricing$31,94461%—101 mi
629.4Contact school for pricing$34,40553%—49 mi

Schools closest to the main population center in Kentucky are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Kentucky 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 - Murray, KY's most-employed trades
Median annual wage by trade in Murray, KY, BLS OEWS May 2025Plumbers $64160; HVAC technicians $58620; Culinary workers $48070; Dental assistants $47730; Medical assistants $39270.Plumbers$64,160HVAC technicians$58,620Culinary workers$48,070Dental assistants$47,730Medical assistants$39,270
Trades 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 Murray, KY
TradeMedian annual wage
Plumbers$64,160
HVAC technicians$58,620
Culinary workers$48,070
Dental assistants$47,730
Medical assistants$39,270
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Trade Schools in Murray, Kentucky
Median graduate earnings by school, Best Trade Schools in Murray, Kentucky (College Scorecard)Madisonville Community College $54485; Henderson Community College $50202; Hopkinsville Community College $46788; West Kentucky Community and Technical College $43110; Ross College-Hopkinsville $34405; Ross Medical Education Center-Owensboro $31944.Madisonville Community College$54,485Henderson Community College$50,202Hopkinsville Community College$46,788West Kentucky Community and ...$43,110Ross College-Hopkinsville$34,405Ross Medical Education Cente...$31,944
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 Murray, Kentucky
SchoolMedian graduate earnings
Madisonville Community College$54,485
Henderson Community College$50,202
Hopkinsville Community College$46,788
West Kentucky Community and Technical College$43,110
Ross College-Hopkinsville$34,405
Ross Medical Education Center-Owensboro$31,944

Cost, Earnings, and Program Length in Murray

Among the Murray, KY area’s most-employed trades (BLS QCEW 2024), median annual pay ranges from $39,270 to $64,160 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 Murray ranges from $4,728 to $14,469 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).

Trade Schools in Nearby Cities

Kentucky 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%
Gunsmith2.0%
CNC Machinist0.0%
Heavy Equipment Operator3.6%
Truck Driver (CDL)4.0%
Diesel Technician2.4%
Maintenance Technician3.8%
Auto Mechanic4.2%
Automotive Technician4.2%

Healthcare: Nursing & Patient Care

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)2.6%
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)2.6%
Hemodialysis Technician5.2%
Mental Health Technician20.0%
Medical Assistant12.5%
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%
Radiologic Technologist4.3%
EKG Technician3.0%
Surgical Technologist4.5%
Dental Assistant6.4%
Sterile Processing Technician10.0%
Optician2.9%
Phlebotomy Technician5.6%
Pharmacy Technician6.4%

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%
Veterinary Assistant8.7%
Dog Trainer5.1%

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)
Paralegal0.2%
Digital Court Reporter-0.3%
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)