Best Trade Schools in San Marcos, Texas (2025 Guide)

Updated September 14, 2025 | Brad Fishbein

Disclaimer: This article is for education only, not professional advice. Always verify details with official sources. Some links, forms, or listings are sponsored or paid, which may affect their placement. We may earn from them. Read our full Disclaimer.

Here are the best schools in San Marcos. This guide compares accredited programs near you, explains Texas licensing, and highlights in-demand trades with solid wages and job stability¹. Use it to choose a hands-on program that fits your timeline and schedule.

Top Trade Schools in San Marcos

Below are accredited options in San Marcos and nearby Austin–San Antonio. Program lengths are typical; check each school’s catalog for campus availability.

Name	Program Length	Highlights
Austin Community College (ACC) – Hays Campus (Kyle)	6–24 months for certificates; 2 years for AAS	SACSCOC accredited. HVAC, Welding, Automotive, Advanced Manufacturing. Day/evening options; strong employer ties².
Central Texas Technology Center (CTTC) – New Braunfels (Alamo Colleges)	6–12 months (workforce certificates)	SACSCOC accredited through Alamo Colleges. Welding, Machining, HVAC, Industrial Maintenance. Convenient for San Marcos commuters².
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) – Hutto	~9–24 months for certificates/AAS	SACSCOC accredited. HVAC Technology, Welding, Precision Machining, Robotics/Automation. Career-focused labs and placement support².
Universal Technical Institute (UTI) – Austin	~36–51 weeks	ACCSC accredited. Automotive, Diesel, and Welding at select locations. Manufacturer-specific training and career services³.
Southern Careers Institute (SCI) – Austin North	~7–10 months	ACCSC accredited. HVAC Technician and skilled trades prep. Flexible scheduling and certification coaching³.
Austin Career Institute (ACI) – Austin	~36–48 weeks	ACCSC accredited. HVAC/R Technician with EPA 608 prep, evening/weekend options; small cohorts³.
St. Philip’s College (Alamo Colleges) – San Antonio (SW Campus)	1–2 years	SACSCOC accredited. Welding Technology, Air Conditioning & Heating, Automotive and Diesel labs. Strong industry partnerships².

Tip: For union apprenticeships in the Austin–San Antonio corridor, compare college certificates with registered apprenticeship openings. Many students stack a Level 1 certificate with on-the-job training for paid experience while finishing advanced credentials.

Skilled Trades in Demand

Electrician

Steady job growth across Central Texas with ongoing residential and commercial builds along I‑35. Apprentices start while training and can reach journeyman status with higher pay after meeting hours and passing exams¹.
Common credentials: TDLR Apprentice, Residential Wireman or Journeyman Electrician; OSHA 10; NCCER modules for construction safety and wiring¹⁴.

HVAC/R

Texas heat keeps HVAC technicians busy year-round. Employers value grads who are job-ready and EPA 608 certified for refrigerants¹⁵.
Work includes installs, diagnostics, and energy-efficient retrofits in homes and light commercial settings.

Welding

Fabrication, pipeline, manufacturing, and construction shops in Hays, Comal, and Travis counties hire entry-level welders who can read blueprints and pass bend tests. AWS and NCCER credentials help you move up¹⁴⁶.

Plumbing

New construction and service work are strong in the corridor. Apprentices earn while they learn and can progress to Tradesman and Journeyman licenses with solid overtime potential¹.

These trades offer practical paths from classroom to paycheck, with clear ladders to higher licenses and pay.

Licensing Requirements in Texas

Electricians (Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation – TDLR)⁷

Register as an Electrical Apprentice before you start work.
Residential Wireman: 4,000 hours supervised + exam.
Journeyman Electrician: 8,000 hours supervised + exam.
Master Electrician: 12,000 hours (including journeyman experience) + exam.
Annual renewal with continuing education.

HVAC/Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (TDLR)⁵

Individuals: Register as an ACR Technician to work under a licensed contractor; many employers require this.
Contractors: 4 years of practical experience (or equivalent), pass exam, hold insurance, and maintain license.
EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification required to handle refrigerants⁵.

Plumbers (Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners – TSBPE)⁸

Register as a Plumber’s Apprentice.
Tradesman Limited: 4,000 hours + exam (residential).
Journeyman: 8,000 hours + exam; work on residential and commercial.
Master: 1 year as Journeyman + exam.
Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) required to operate a plumbing company.

Welders

No state license. Employers often require industry credentials such as:
- AWS D1.1 structural, D17.1 aerospace, or process-specific quals⁶.
- NCCER Welding and OSHA 10/30 for jobsite safety⁴.

Note: Many trades require state registration before you begin paid work. Schools listed above can help you file the correct forms and prepare for exams.

Online & Flexible Options

Hybrid programs: Local colleges and career schools offer online theory with in-person labs for HVAC, welding, electrical, and manufacturing. Expect hands-on lab time each week for safety, tools, and troubleshooting.
Evening/weekend cohorts: ACC, ACI, and SCI often run nights and weekends so you can keep working while training.
Short online certifications: EPA 608 exam prep, OSHA 10/30, basic electrical theory, and blueprint reading can be completed online, then verified with in-person testing where required⁵.
Accelerated bootcamps: UTI and TSTC offer intensive schedules that compress hands-on hours into 9–12 months for faster entry into the workforce.

If you need maximum flexibility, ask each school:

Are there HyFlex options for lectures?
How many in-person lab hours per week?
Can I co-enroll in an apprenticeship or paid internship?

Next Steps

Compare programs and locations: Visit the Texas hub for more schools and statewide requirements: Trade Schools in Texas.
Explore trades: See career paths, certifications, and salaries at the Trades Hub.
Deep-dive by trade:
Planning your path: Check our Guides for financial aid, apprenticeships, and fast-track training tips.
Ready to act? Shortlist two or three schools above, visit labs, and ask about placement rates, cert pass rates, and night/weekend availability.

San Marcos sits between Austin and San Antonio, giving you access to strong training networks and employers. Pick a program with the right accreditation, hands-on hours, and a clear path to your Texas license.

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Outlook and employment data for construction and extraction; installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
U.S. Department of Education, College Navigator – institutional accreditation and program listings. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) – accredited institution directory. ↩ ↩ ↩
NCCER – construction craft credentials and standards. ↩ ↩ ↩
TDLR – Air Conditioning & Refrigeration licensing; EPA Section 608 requirements (U.S. EPA). ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
American Welding Society (AWS) – welder performance qualifications and codes. ↩ ↩
Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) – Electricians licensing. ↩
Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) – plumbing licenses and exams. ↩

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Meet the author: Brad Fishbein is a Florida Licensed Mold Assessor and council-certified Microbial Investigator. He’s the founder of TradeCareerPath.com and has completed over 5,000 mold inspections since 2009. Brad now helps homeowners and tradespeople make smart decisions about mold, licensing, and skilled career paths.