Best Trade Schools in Smithfield, Virginia (2026)

Updated June 20, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Start here to compare accredited trade schools near Smithfield. 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 Smithfield

  • 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 Smithfield, 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

Riverside College of Health Careers

Newport News, VA 9.8 miles away BOC Score 67.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 10
  • Annual completions: 108
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $67,735 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA 18.0 miles away BOC Score 57.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 45.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 25
  • Annual completions: 1428
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $64,472 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Hampton University

Hampton, VA 15.9 miles away BOC Score 55.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 56.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 13
  • Annual completions: 122
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $61,865 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Virginia Peninsula Community College

Hampton, VA 12.5 miles away BOC Score 39.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 34.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 38
  • Annual completions: 410
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $47,856 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Centura College-Newport News

Newport News, VA 12.6 miles away BOC Score 36.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 7
  • Annual completions: 521
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $37,316 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Empire Beauty School-Newport News

Newport News, VA 11.5 miles away BOC Score 15.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 41.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 44
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $27,559 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Luckes Beauty Academy LLC

Newport News, VA 11.5 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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  • 888 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard Newport News, VA 23601-1303
  • (757) 599-0534
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 12
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $15,102 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Asher Institute of Hampton

Hampton, VA 11.1 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 46.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 75
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $21,925 (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 Virginia.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
167.6Contact school for pricing$67,735Not reportedYes*10 mi
239.2Contact school for pricing$47,85634%Yes*12 mi
336.3Contact school for pricing$37,316Not reported—13 mi
427.1Contact school for pricingNot reported46%—12 mi
515.8Contact school for pricing$27,55942%—12 mi
6Not ratedContact school for pricing$15,102Not reported—12 mi
7Not ratedContact school for pricing$21,92546%—11 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 Smithfield, Virginia (2026)
Median graduate earnings by school, Best Trade Schools in Smithfield, Virginia (2026) (College Scorecard)Riverside College of Health Careers $67735; Virginia Peninsula Community College $47856; Centura College-Newport News $37316; Empire Beauty School-Newport News $27559; Asher Institute of Hampton $21925; Luckes Beauty Academy LLC $15102.Riverside College of Health ...$67,735Virginia Peninsula Community...$47,856Centura College-Newport News$37,316Empire Beauty School-Newport...$27,559Asher Institute of Hampton$21,925Luckes Beauty Academy LLC$15,102
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 Smithfield, Virginia (2026)
SchoolMedian graduate earnings
Riverside College of Health Careers$67,735
Virginia Peninsula Community College$47,856
Centura College-Newport News$37,316
Empire Beauty School-Newport News$27,559
Asher Institute of Hampton$21,925
Luckes Beauty Academy LLC$15,102

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)