Missouri’s economy is fueled by growth in construction, transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare. From Kansas City to St. Louis and across rural communities, trade schools in Missouri offer affordable, practical training for high-demand careers.
Most programs take less than two years and offer hands-on experience with direct career support.
Best Trade Schools In Missouri
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.
State Technical College of Missouri is one of the top-ranked schools for HVAC, welding, and heavy equipment. OTC and MCC-KC are also excellent with strong career placement records.
Are Missouri community colleges considered trade schools?
Yes. Schools like St. Louis CC, MCC, and Ozarks Tech offer accredited programs that meet licensing and workforce credential requirements.
Yes. Most accredited trade schools in Missouri accept federal and state financial aid, as well as employer tuition reimbursement programs.
What trades are in demand in Missouri in 2025?
According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC):
Electricians
HVAC Technicians
Diesel Mechanics
Medical Assistants
Welders
Heavy Equipment Operators
Plumbers
Missouri trade schools offer practical, fast-track training for secure careers in high-growth industries. Whether you’re rewiring a building, welding pipelines, or assisting in a clinic, the path starts here.
Trade Schools by City in Missouri
Compare accredited trade schools in 76 Missouri cities. Each city page lists the closest local schools with tuition, median graduate earnings, and the trades hiring nearby.
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)
