Best Trade Schools in West Plains, Missouri (2026)

Updated June 20, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

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

How to Get Started in West Plains

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

Compare Trade Schools Near West Plains, 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.

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

College of the Ozarks

Point Lookout, MO 76.5 miles away BOC Score 55.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 62.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 10
  • Annual completions: 64
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $44,258 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Bryan University

Springfield, MO 81.1 miles away BOC Score 48.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 61.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 7
  • Annual completions: 42
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $37,432 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri

Springfield, MO 81.7 miles away BOC Score 46.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 3600 South Glenstone Outer Road Springfield, MO 65804-4414
  • (417) 227-4950
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 75.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 16
  • Annual completions: 922
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $36,025 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Waynesville Career Center

Waynesville, MO 76.6 miles away BOC Score 45.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 26
  • Annual completions: 25
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,909 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Three Rivers College

Poplar Bluff, MO 79.6 miles away BOC Score 40.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 36
  • Annual completions: 342
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $42,322 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Central College of Cosmetology

Saint Robert, MO 76.6 miles away BOC Score 37.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 36
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $21,553 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Academy of Hair Design-Springfield

Springfield, MO 82.8 miles away BOC Score 33.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 62.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 246
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $26,713 (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 Missouri.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
153.5Contact school for pricing$40,421Not reported—0 mi
248.4Contact school for pricing$37,43261%Yes*81 mi
346.2Contact school for pricing$36,02576%—82 mi
445.4Contact school for pricing$51,909Not reported—77 mi
541.4Contact school for pricingNot reported66%—84 mi
640.9Contact school for pricing$42,322Not reportedYes*80 mi
737.7Contact school for pricing$21,553Not reported—77 mi
833.5Contact school for pricing$26,71362%—83 mi
9Not ratedContact school for pricingNot reportedNot reported—79 mi

Schools closest to the main population center in Missouri are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Missouri 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 West Plains, Missouri (2026)
Median graduate earnings by school, Best Trade Schools in West Plains, Missouri (2026) (College Scorecard)Waynesville Career Center $51909; Three Rivers College $42322; Southern Missouri Technical Institute $40421; Bryan University $37432; Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri $36025; Academy of Hair Design-Springfield $26713.Waynesville Career Center$51,909Three Rivers College$42,322Southern Missouri Technical ...$40,421Bryan University$37,432Midwest Technical Institute-...$36,025Academy of Hair Design-Sprin...$26,713
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 West Plains, Missouri (2026)
SchoolMedian graduate earnings
Waynesville Career Center$51,909
Three Rivers College$42,322
Southern Missouri Technical Institute$40,421
Bryan University$37,432
Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri$36,025
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield$26,713

Missouri Trade Career Outlook

Building & Construction Trades

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

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%
Electrician9.5%
Wind Turbine Technician49.9%
HVAC Technician8.1%
Solar Installer42.1%
Tower Technician8.6%

Mechanical, Automotive & Transportation

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

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%
EKG Technician3.0%
Radiologic Technologist4.3%
Surgical Technologist4.5%
Dental Assistant6.4%
Sterile Processing Technician10.0%
Phlebotomy Technician5.6%
Pharmacy Technician6.4%
Optician2.9%

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)
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)