Most of the schools we profile in Palm Beach County and on the Treasure Coast are private nursing and health colleges, from West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach to Delray Beach and Port St. Lucie. For the trades, Hands On HVAC teaches a 100-hour HVAC course in Riviera Beach, Southeastern College a 12-month HVAC diploma in Boynton Beach, and SAGE trains truck drivers in Fort Pierce. This page compares the 9 schools, what they cost and which license each career leads to.
Palm Beach and Treasure Coast at a glance
- Schools listed
- 9: 2 trade and truck-driving schools, 1 beauty school, 6 nursing and healthcare schools
- Where
- West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce
- Short entry courses
- HVAC/R in 100 hours; EMT in 16 weeks; Class A truck driving in about 4 to 5 weeks; facial specialist in 220 hours
- Federal aid at
- 6 of the 9; Hands On HVAC and SAGE take none, and we could not confirm AmHealth’s
- Nursing results
- 2025 NCLEX-RN pass rates from 47.62% (Southeastern Boynton Beach) to 85.71% (HCI West Palm Beach)
Facts checked October 2026. Sources are linked in each section and in each school’s profile.
Palm Beach and Treasure Coast Trade Schools and Career Colleges
Listed alphabetically within each group, not ranked. Each card links to a full profile with programs, outcomes and sources. Pick a trade to filter the list; each trade’s pay, length and license are in Trades and licensing.
Trade and truck-driving schools (2)
Hands On HVAC School (West Palm Beach)
Hands On HVAC teaches one 100-hour HVAC/R course, about half classroom and half lab, over 12 or 16 weeks, ending with the EPA Section 608 exam; one voucher is included. It is far shorter than a college HVAC diploma, so it is a starting point for an entry-level job, and it has no externship.
- Length
- 100 hours over 12 or 16 weeks
- Accredited
- Not accredited; licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education
- Federal aid
- No; interest-free weekly payment plan
Cost: $3,350, including a $150 non-refundable registration fee (2026-27 catalog)
View school profile →SAGE Truck Driving Schools (Fort Pierce)
SAGE teaches a 160-hour Class A course in Florida, about 4 to 5 weeks full-time, plus Class B, a Class B-to-A upgrade and a refresher. It is not accredited, takes no federal aid and publishes no CDL pass, completion or placement rates.
- Length
- 160 hours (Class A), about 4 to 5 weeks
- Accredited
- Not accredited; licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education
- Federal aid
- No; installment contracts and WIOA funding
Cost: $5,450 for Class A, including physical, drug screen and road test, in SAGE’s Florida catalog (July 2024 to June 2025); confirm Fort Pierce’s current price
View school profile →Beauty school (1)
Empire Beauty School (West Palm Beach)
West Palm Beach teaches Florida’s 1,200-hour cosmetology program and Empire’s only Facial Specialist course, 220 hours, for Florida facial specialist registration. Empire reports NACCAS rates by group of campuses; West Palm Beach’s group reported 69.86% graduation, 70.23% placement and 84.06% licensure.
- Length
- 220 hours (facial specialist); 1,200 hours (cosmetology)
- Accredited
- NACCAS
- Federal aid
- Yes; Pell Grants and Direct Loans
Cost: $4,496 (facial specialist); $19,388 to $19,429 for cosmetology at Empire’s Florida campuses (September 2026)
View school profile →Nursing and healthcare schools (6)
American Healthcare Institute (AmHealth)
AmHealth teaches a hybrid nursing degree, practical nursing, medical assisting, a 16-week EMT course and cardiac and vascular ultrasound on campus, and billing and coding online. It became an ACCSC-accredited branch of a Dallas school in April 2026, publishes no completion, placement or pass-rate results, and its catalog gives conflicting prices for the nursing degree.
- Length
- 16 weeks (EMT) to about 24 months (nursing degree)
- Accredited
- ACCSC, as a branch of PCI Health Training Center (April 2026); no ACEN or CAAHEP accreditation
- Federal aid
- The catalog says yes, but we could not confirm it; ask the school
Cost: $3,150 (EMT), $13,150 (medical assisting), $20,700 (practical nursing), $29,150 (each ultrasound diploma), from 12 July 2026; get a written quote for the nursing degree
View school profile →Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology (Delray Beach)
Delray Beach teaches the ASN, practical nursing, phlebotomy and blended associate degrees in sonography, radiologic technology and radiation therapy. Its ASN graduates passed the NCLEX-RN at 61.19% in 2025, down from 100% in 2023 and under the school’s 80% target, and phlebotomy placement was 27% in 2024-25.
- Length
- 11 weeks (phlebotomy) to 90 or 105 weeks (associate degrees)
- Accredited
- ABHES; ACEN (ASN); CAAHEP (sonography); practical nursing an ACEN candidate
- Federal aid
- Yes; Pell Grants and Direct Loans
Cost: $1,980 (phlebotomy), $27,600 (practical nursing), $50,589 to $61,446 (imaging degrees), $54,978 (ASN), April 2026
View school profile →Fortis College (Port St. Lucie)
Port St. Lucie teaches the associate degree in nursing and practical nursing. In 2025 its graduates passed the NCLEX at 81.25% (ADN, 48 tested) and 85.71% (practical nursing, 42 tested); the ADN holds ACEN “Continuing Accreditation with Conditions”.
- Length
- About 60 weeks (practical nursing) to 96 weeks (ADN) in Fortis’s Orange Park catalog
- Accredited
- ABHES; ACEN with conditions (ADN)
- Federal aid
- Yes; federal grants and loans
Cost: $29,182 to $29,520 (practical nursing), $54,877 to $56,269 (ADN), across campuses, 2026-27
View school profile →HCI College (West Palm Beach)
HCI’s main campus teaches the associate degree in nursing, practical nursing, and medical and veterinary assisting, which mix online and campus days. Its nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-RN at 85.71% in 2025 and 94% in 2024, by the college’s own figures, but only 13% of 2023 nursing starters finished on time.
- Length
- 10 months (diplomas) to 24 months (nursing degree)
- Accredited
- ACCSC; ACEN initial accreditation (nursing degree, from May 2023)
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $56,835 (nursing degree), $22,540 (practical nursing), $18,000 (medical assisting), $19,000 (veterinary assisting), effective 1 September 2026
View school profile →Keiser University (West Palm Beach Flagship, West Palm Beach and Port St. Lucie)
The Flagship is Keiser’s only residential campus, with dorms, meal plans, NAIA sports and the Golf Management degree; Port St. Lucie is the only campus teaching Biotechnology and Crime Scene Technology. Like most Keiser campuses, all three offer associate degrees in health, IT and billing and coding, one four-week class at a time; Physical Therapist Assistant at West Palm Beach was on probation in 2023, so ask about its current status.
- Length
- Associate degrees about 16 to 28 months
- Accredited
- SACSCOC; program accreditation varies by campus
- Federal aid
- Yes; GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon
Cost: $12,408 per full-time semester plus fees (Fall 2025); $19,080 at the Flagship, plus $2,272 to $5,949 a semester for housing
View school profile →Southeastern College (Boynton Beach and Royal Palm Beach)
Boynton Beach teaches the college’s only HVAC diploma (12 months, with EPA 608 and OSHA 10), CAAHEP-accredited sonography, radiologic and surgical technology, nursing and medical assisting; Royal Palm Beach teaches only sonography, practical nursing and early childhood education. Boynton Beach’s RN program, an ACEN candidate, is on Board of Nursing probation with a 47.62% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in 2025; its practical nursing rate was 62.86%.
- Length
- 8 months (certificates) to about 25 months (nursing AS)
- Accredited
- ACCSC; CAAHEP (sonography); RN program on Florida Board of Nursing probation (2025 disclosure)
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $12,576 per 16-week semester plus fees (2026-27)
View school profile →No schools on this page match. Try another trade, see Fort Lauderdale and Broward trade schools, or see all Florida trade schools.
Nova Southeastern University’s Palm Beach Gardens campus teaches its first-professional B.S. in Respiratory Therapy, two years full-time and 64 credits with more than 1,200 clinical hours, for $28,690 a year.
We have not yet profiled Palm Beach State College, Indian River State College or the area’s union apprenticeships, and no school on this page teaches electrical, plumbing or welding. For those trades, see the Fort Lauderdale and Broward trade schools page.
- A short course is not a full program. Hands On HVAC’s 100-hour course prepares you for the EPA 608 exam and an entry-level job; Southeastern’s HVAC diploma takes 12 months.
- Check a nursing program’s standing with the Florida Board of Nursing. Southeastern Boynton Beach’s RN program is on probation, with a 47.62% first-time pass rate in 2025, and Cambridge Delray Beach’s fell to 61.19%.
- Ask for completion rates as well as pass rates. Only 13% of HCI West Palm Beach’s 2023 nursing starters finished on time.
- Get the price in writing. AmHealth’s catalog gives two different prices for its nursing degree and publishes no results, and we could not confirm its federal aid.
More in Florida: Fort Lauderdale and Broward trade schools · All Florida trade schools
Where to start, by goal
| Your goal | Schools to consider | Why they may fit |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC | Hands On HVAC (100 hours, $3,350); Southeastern College Boynton Beach (12-month diploma) | EPA 608 certification is needed to handle refrigerant; Southeastern’s diploma adds OSHA 10 |
| Truck driver (CDL) | SAGE Fort Pierce (160 hours, $5,450) | Class A CDL from the state after the knowledge and skills tests; no federal aid |
| Registered nurse | HCI West Palm Beach (85.71% NCLEX-RN in 2025); Fortis Port St. Lucie (81.25%); Cambridge Delray Beach (61.19%); Southeastern Boynton Beach (47.62%, on probation); AmHealth; Keiser | Private nursing degrees cost about $55,000; compare each program’s latest Board of Nursing results |
| Practical nurse (LPN) | Fortis Port St. Lucie (85.71% NCLEX-PN); Southeastern (62.86%; Boynton Beach and Royal Palm Beach); AmHealth ($20,700); HCI ($22,540); Cambridge ($27,600) | NCLEX-PN after a Board of Nursing-approved program |
| Medical or veterinary assisting | AmHealth (medical, $13,150); HCI (medical $18,000; veterinary $19,000); Southeastern | No state license; ask which certification exams graduates can take |
| Imaging or surgical technology | Southeastern Boynton Beach (CAAHEP-accredited sonography, radiologic and surgical technology, Basic X-Ray); Cambridge Delray Beach (sonography, radiologic technology, radiation therapy); AmHealth (cardiac and vascular ultrasound) | Check programmatic accreditation (JRCERT, CAAHEP) for your program; AmHealth claims none |
| EMT | AmHealth (16 weeks, $3,150) | Florida EMT certification after the NREMT exam |
| Cosmetology or skin care | Empire West Palm Beach (cosmetology $19,388 to $19,429; facial specialist $4,496) | Florida cosmetology license after 1,200 hours; facial specialist registration after 220 |
| IT, billing or coding | Keiser; AmHealth (online billing and coding, $15,185); Southeastern (online billing and coding) | Industry certifications such as CompTIA, AAPC CPC and NHA CBCS |
These match goals to published program features. They are not rankings.
Costs and financial aid
These are the prices each school published, with the date. They exclude tools, uniforms, and exam and license fees unless noted.
| Route | Example | Cost | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short trade courses | Hands On HVAC; SAGE Class A (with physical, drug screen and road test) | $3,350; $5,450 | 2026-27; 2024-25 |
| EMT | AmHealth | $3,150 | From 12 July 2026 |
| Beauty | Empire facial specialist; cosmetology | $4,496; $19,388 to $19,429 | September 2026 |
| Medical and veterinary assisting | AmHealth medical assistant; HCI medical assisting; HCI veterinary assisting | $13,150; $18,000; $19,000 | July 2026; September 2026 |
| Practical nursing | AmHealth; HCI; Cambridge; Fortis | $20,700; $22,540; $27,600; $29,182 to $29,520 | July 2026; September 2026; April 2026; 2026-27 |
| Registered nursing | Fortis ADN; Cambridge ASN; HCI nursing degree | $54,877 to $56,269; $54,978; $56,835 | 2026-27; April 2026; September 2026 |
| Imaging | AmHealth cardiac or vascular ultrasound; Cambridge imaging degrees | $29,150 each; $50,589 to $61,446 | July 2026; April 2026 |
| Per-semester schools | Keiser; Keiser Flagship; Southeastern | $12,408; $19,080 plus $2,272 to $5,949 for housing; $12,576 per full-time semester | Fall 2025; Fall 2025; 2026-27 |
AmHealth’s catalog lists its nursing degree at both $29,900 and $46,770 in tuition, so get a written quote. SAGE’s price is from its 2024-25 Florida catalog; confirm the current Fort Pierce price.
Paying for training
- Federal aid: 6 of the 9 schools listed take Pell Grants or federal loans through the FAFSA. Hands On HVAC and SAGE do not, and AmHealth says it does, but we could not confirm it.
- Payment plans and workforce funding: Hands On HVAC offers an interest-free weekly payment plan and a 10% discount for current and former military; SAGE takes installment contracts and WIOA funding; AmHealth advertises TFC tuition financing.
- Florida aid and scholarships: HCI lists Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid, and pays $1,000 to nursing graduates who pass the NCLEX-RN on the first try; Keiser’s Flagship campus gives merit scholarships of $5,000 to $19,000 a year.
- Veterans: Keiser accepts the GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon and Tuition Assistance; ask the other schools before you rely on VA benefits.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each career works here, how long training takes, what it pays and which license you need. Pay is the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine).
HVAC
Florida licenses air-conditioning, plumbing and other building contractors, not individual technicians. A state-certified contractor needs four years of experience, at least one of them as a foreman, and up to three years of college credit can count toward it, under the rules of the Construction Industry Licensing Board (s. 489.111). Technicians who handle refrigerant need federal EPA 608 certification. Florida does not license welders; employers test them.
- Length
- 100 hours over 12 or 16 weeks (Hands On HVAC); 12 months, or 24 part-time (Southeastern diploma)
- West Palm Beach area median pay
- $58,040 HVAC mechanics
- License
- Air-conditioning contractor license from the Construction Industry Licensing Board (s. 489.111); EPA 608 for refrigerant
Schools on this page: Hands On HVAC (Riviera Beach) and Southeastern College (Boynton Beach, its only HVAC program).
Hands On HVAC is not accredited, has no externship and includes one EPA 608 voucher. No school on this page teaches electrical, plumbing or welding. Sources: Construction Industry Licensing Board (s. 489.111); our school profiles.
Truck driving
Truck drivers need a Class A CDL from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, after federal entry-level driver training and the state knowledge and skills tests.
- Length
- 160 hours (Class A), about 4 to 5 weeks
- West Palm Beach area median pay
- $51,580 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- License
- Florida Class A CDL
Schools on this page: SAGE Truck Driving Schools in Fort Pierce, which also teaches Class B, a Class B-to-A upgrade and a refresher.
SAGE is not accredited, takes no federal aid and publishes no CDL pass, completion or placement rates. Sources: our school profiles.
Nursing and healthcare
Florida nurses take the NCLEX after a program approved by the Florida Board of Nursing. Nursing assistants are certified after a state exam given by Prometric; finishing an approved training program is one of three routes to the exam. Florida does not license dental assistants, but Board of Dentistry-approved programs train them in expanded duties and X-rays. Radiologic technologists and pharmacy technicians need Florida credentials, and most other allied-health jobs use national exams.
- Length
- 16 weeks (AmHealth EMT) and 8 months (certificates) to about 25 months (nursing degrees)
- West Palm Beach area median pay
- $91,380 RN; $62,610 LPN; $44,930 medical assistant; $38,340 veterinary assistant; $78,890 radiologic technologist; $86,250 sonographer; $65,520 surgical technologist
- License
- NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN; Florida radiographer or Basic X-Ray license; national exams for other roles
Schools on this page: Nursing at AmHealth, Cambridge, Fortis, HCI, Keiser and Southeastern; assisting and allied health at most of them.
Southeastern Boynton Beach’s RN program is on Board of Nursing probation (2025 disclosure), Fortis Port St. Lucie’s ADN holds ACEN “Continuing Accreditation with Conditions”, and AmHealth’s nursing degree and ultrasound programs claim no ACEN or CAAHEP accreditation. Sources: Florida Board of Nursing; our school profiles.
EMT
Florida EMTs and paramedics are certified by the Florida Department of Health after a state-approved course and the national NREMT exam.
- Length
- 16 weeks, 300 contact hours (AmHealth, hybrid)
- West Palm Beach area median pay
- $40,100 EMTs
- License
- NREMT exam and Florida EMT certification
Schools on this page: AmHealth (EMT diploma, $3,150).
AmHealth publishes no completion or pass-rate results. Sources: Florida Department of Health; our school profiles.
Cosmetology and skin care
Florida requires 1,200 hours of school for a cosmetology license, 220 hours for a facial specialist and 180 hours for a nail specialist, and the Board of Cosmetology licenses graduates after the state exam. Barbers need at least 900 hours of training (s. 476.114). Massage therapists need 500 or more hours at a board-approved school and the MBLEx exam, licensed by the Board of Massage Therapy.
- Length
- 220 hours (facial specialist); 1,200 hours (cosmetology)
- West Palm Beach area median pay
- $29,790 hairstylists and cosmetologists; $44,220 skincare specialists
- License
- Florida cosmetology license; facial specialist registration
Schools on this page: Empire Beauty School, West Palm Beach, the only Empire campus that teaches the Facial Specialist course.
Empire reports NACCAS rates by group of campuses; West Palm Beach’s group reported 69.86% graduation, 70.23% placement and 84.06% licensure. Sources: Board of Cosmetology; our school profiles.
IT, billing and media
No state license is needed for IT support, networking, medical billing or media work; employers look for industry certifications such as CompTIA A+ and Network+ or AAPC and NHA coding credentials.
- Length
- 58 weeks (AmHealth billing and coding, online); 8 months (Southeastern billing and coding, online); associate degrees about 16 to 28 months (Keiser)
- West Palm Beach area median pay
- $49,010 medical records specialists; $60,500 computer support specialists
- Certification
- Industry certifications; none required by the state
Schools on this page: Keiser (IT, billing and coding, and Cinematic Arts at the Flagship), AmHealth and Southeastern (online billing and coding).
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest trade school in West Palm Beach?
Among the schools we profile, the lowest published prices are AmHealth’s 16-week EMT course ($3,150, from July 2026), Hands On HVAC’s 100-hour HVAC/R course in Riviera Beach ($3,350) and SAGE’s Class A truck-driving course in Fort Pierce ($5,450 in its 2024-25 Florida catalog). We have not yet profiled Palm Beach State College, so compare its prices too.
Where can I study nursing in Palm Beach County?
HCI College in West Palm Beach, Southeastern College in Boynton Beach and Royal Palm Beach, Cambridge in Delray Beach, AmHealth and Keiser teach nursing, and Fortis teaches it in Port St. Lucie. 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates were 85.71% at HCI West Palm Beach, 81.25% at Fortis Port St. Lucie, 61.19% at Cambridge Delray Beach and 47.62% at Southeastern Boynton Beach, whose RN program is on Board of Nursing probation.
Where can I train for HVAC in West Palm Beach?
Hands On HVAC teaches a 100-hour HVAC/R course in Riviera Beach for $3,350, ending with the EPA 608 exam, and Southeastern College teaches a 12-month HVAC diploma with EPA 608 and OSHA 10 at its Boynton Beach campus. Technicians need EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant.
Where can I get a CDL near West Palm Beach?
SAGE Truck Driving Schools in Fort Pierce teaches a 160-hour Class A course in about 4 to 5 weeks; its 2024-25 Florida catalog lists $5,450 including the physical, drug screen and road test. SAGE takes no federal aid but accepts WIOA funding.
Are there trade schools in Port St. Lucie?
Yes. Keiser University’s Port St. Lucie campus is the only Keiser campus teaching Biotechnology and Crime Scene Technology, alongside health and IT degrees, and Fortis College teaches the associate degree in nursing and practical nursing there. SAGE trains truck drivers in nearby Fort Pierce.
Facts checked October 2026. School facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked. Pay figures are Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro median annual wages from BLS 2025 data, via O*NET OnLine. Licensing requirements are from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Florida Statutes, the Florida Board of Nursing, the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.