Best Trade Schools in Norton, Virginia (2026)

Updated June 20, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

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

How to Get Started in Norton

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

Compare Trade Schools Near Norton, Virginia

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

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA 122.8 miles away BOC Score 80.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 210 Burruss Hall, 800 Drillfield Dr. Blacksburg, VA 24061-0131
  • (540) 231-6994
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 86.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 24
  • Annual completions: 895
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $85,647 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Radford University

Radford, VA 115.4 miles away BOC Score 60.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 17
  • Annual completions: 404
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,832 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Wytheville Community College

Wytheville, VA 85.9 miles away BOC Score 54.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 46.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 37
  • Annual completions: 621
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $41,816 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

New River Community College

Dublin, VA 107.7 miles away BOC Score 53.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 47.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 34
  • Annual completions: 865
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,197 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Roanoke College

Salem, VA 143.8 miles away BOC Score 51.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 22
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,840 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Mountain Empire Community College

Big Stone Gap, VA 9.1 miles away BOC Score 49.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 50.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 34
  • Annual completions: 616
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $43,703 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Southwest Virginia Community College

Cedar Bluff, VA 49.0 miles away BOC Score 48.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 369 College Road US Rt. 19, 6 Miles S. Claypool Hill Cedar Bluff, VA 24609
  • (276) 964-2555
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44
  • Annual completions: 466
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $43,371 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Virginia Highlands Community College

Abingdon, VA 38.2 miles away BOC Score 47.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 40.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 35
  • Annual completions: 564
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $45,129 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Emory & Henry University

Emory, VA 45.4 miles away BOC Score 45.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 55.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 79
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $47,079 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Bluefield University

Bluefield, VA 79.0 miles away BOC Score 35.5
Tuition $26,770 - $42,539
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 59.3%
  • Graduation rate: 22.3%
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 51
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $53,206 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

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 Virginia.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
154.3Contact school for pricing$41,81646%Yes*86 mi
253.9Contact school for pricing$49,19747%Yes*108 mi
349.2Contact school for pricing$43,70351%Yes*9 mi
448.9Contact school for pricing$43,371Not reportedYes*49 mi
547.3Contact school for pricing$45,12941%Yes*38 mi

Schools closest to the main population center in Virginia are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in Virginia 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 Norton, Virginia (2026)
Median graduate earnings by school, Best Trade Schools in Norton, Virginia (2026) (College Scorecard)New River Community College $49197; Virginia Highlands Community College $45129; Mountain Empire Community College $43703; Southwest Virginia Community College $43371; Wytheville Community College $41816.New River Community College$49,197Virginia Highlands Community...$45,129Mountain Empire Community Co...$43,703Southwest Virginia Community...$43,371Wytheville Community College$41,816
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 Norton, Virginia (2026)
SchoolMedian graduate earnings
New River Community College$49,197
Virginia Highlands Community College$45,129
Mountain Empire Community College$43,703
Southwest Virginia Community College$43,371
Wytheville Community College$41,816

Virginia Trade Career Outlook

Building & Construction Trades

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Plumber4.5%
Welder2.2%
Carpenter4.5%
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%
Tower Technician8.6%
Wind Turbine Technician49.9%
Electrician9.5%
HVAC Technician8.1%
Solar Installer42.1%

Mechanical, Automotive & Transportation

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

Healthcare: Nursing & Patient Care

TradeJob Growth (2024-2034, US)
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)2.6%
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)2.6%
Mental Health Technician20.0%
Hemodialysis Technician5.2%
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%
Optician2.9%
Dental Assistant6.4%
Sterile Processing Technician10.0%
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)
Dog Trainer5.1%
Veterinary Technician9.1%
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)
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)