The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) is the main route into a trade: all 16 of its colleges charge Kentucky residents $198 a credit in 2026-27 and teach nursing, welding and electrical technology, and most teach HVAC, automotive and truck driving. Union and contractor apprenticeships, builders’ evening schools and private colleges add paid electrical training, HVAC and plumbing classes for working apprentices, welding, nursing, medical assisting and beauty. This page sorts the 20 Kentucky schools we profile by region, links to our Louisville and Lexington guides, and lists every school elsewhere in the state in full.
Kentucky at a glance
- Schools profiled
- 20 with Kentucky campuses, in 7 regions, including KCTCS and its 16 colleges as one system; 9 on the Louisville page and 8 on the Lexington page
- City guides
- Louisville · Lexington
- Lowest-cost routes
- KCTCS colleges at $198 a credit; the IBEW electrical apprenticeship in Louisville and Lexington charges no tuition and pays apprentices
- Short entry courses
- Class A CDL in 4 weeks ($4,200 to $5,000 at three KCTCS colleges); EKG in 5 weeks ($1,265); welding certificates in 11 to 26 weeks
- Licensed trades
- The state licenses electricians, plumbers, HVAC mechanics, nurses, EMTs, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, barbers and massage therapists
- Statewide median pay
- Electricians $59,720; plumbers $64,160; HVAC mechanics $58,620; LPNs $60,460 (BLS 2025)
Facts checked October 2026. Sources are linked in each section and in each school’s profile.
Kentucky Trade Schools by Region
Pick a region. The Louisville and Lexington guides compare every school in those areas in detail; for the rest of the state, each campus is listed here in full, followed by the region’s KCTCS colleges. Empire, Ross, ABC and the Medical Institute of Kentucky appear in more than one region, with the programs taught at each campus.
Louisville area
Louisville has Jefferson Community and Technical College, the IBEW and ABC apprenticeships, an evening HVAC school, nursing and allied health at ATA College and Sullivan University, and two beauty school groups.
The 9 schools on the Louisville page
- Jefferson Community and Technical College (KCTCS) · Louisville (Downtown Campus, E. Broadway), with a nursing site in Shelbyville
- Sullivan University (Louisville) · Louisville (Bardstown Rd main campus and Dupont Circle)
- ATA College (Louisville) · Louisville (Linn Station Rd), its main campus
- American National University (Louisville) · Louisville (Timberwood Circle), the main campus of American National University of Kentucky
- ABC Indiana/Kentucky (Louisville) · Louisville (Taylor Ave)
- Louisville Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 369 and NECA) · Louisville (Preston Hwy) training center
- Building Institute of Greater Louisville · Louisville (N. Hurstbourne Pkwy)
- Empire Beauty School (Louisville-Chenoweth and Louisville-Dixie) · Louisville (Chenoweth Ln and Dixie Hwy)
- Paul Mitchell The School Louisville · Louisville (N. Hurstbourne Pkwy)
Lexington and the Bluegrass
Lexington has Bluegrass Community and Technical College, with campuses in Georgetown, Winchester, Danville and Lawrenceburg, the IBEW and ABC apprenticeships, an evening HVAC, plumbing and electrical school, the College for Technical Education and Sullivan University.
The 8 schools on the Lexington page
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington (Newtown and Leestown campuses), plus Georgetown, Winchester, Danville and Lawrenceburg
- Sullivan University (Lexington) · Lexington (Harrodsburg Rd)
- College for Technical Education · Lexington (Centre Pkwy), with cosmetology campuses in Winchester and Nicholasville
- The Medical Institute of Kentucky (Lexington) · Lexington (Old Rosebud Rd on its website; the BBB lists Christian Rd)
- ABC Indiana/Kentucky (Lexington) · Lexington (Venture Ct)
- Louisville Electrical JATC, Central Kentucky Campus · Lexington (Buck Place) training center, opened in 2015
- Building Institute of Central Kentucky · Lexington (Kennedy Rd)
- Paul Mitchell The School Lexington · Lexington (Boston Rd)
Northern Kentucky
Across the river from Cincinnati, Enzweiler Building Institute teaches evening trade classes in Erlanger and Covington, ICT teaches HVAC in Newport, and Florence and Erlanger have short health courses and a beauty school. Gateway Community and Technical College is the region’s KCTCS college.
Enzweiler Building Institute
Founded in 1967, Enzweiler teaches electric (four years), HVAC and plumbing (two years), and carpentry, facilities maintenance, welding and masonry (one or two years) two evenings a week, 26 weeks a year, to people working in the trade by day; Covington also runs a 13-week afternoon program. Its electric, HVAC and plumbing programs are approved by the state as an educational provider, and Gateway Community and Technical College gives transfer credit to licensed electric and HVAC graduates. It publishes no completion, placement or pass rates.
- Length
- 1 to 4 years of evening classes, 26 weeks a year; 13 weeks (Covington afternoon program)
- Accredited
- None; licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education through 30 June 2027
- Federal aid
- No; KEES, WIOA (Kentucky and Ohio), VA benefits and employer tuition assistance
Cost: $3,000 tuition a year for every evening program; $3,750 (electric) to $5,225 (welding) a year with fees (2026-27)
View school profile →Interactive College of Technology (Newport)
ICT’s only Kentucky campus teaches the HVAC Residential diploma, which prepares for the EPA 608 exam and ends with a 135-hour externship, alongside accounting, business, HR management and medical office administration programs, in day or evening classes. ICT does not publish its tuition, and federal data put graduation within 150% of normal time below half at its campuses, so ask for your program’s completion rate.
- Length
- Diplomas; AS degrees of 72 semester credits over at least five semesters
- Accredited
- Council on Occupational Education (COE); reaffirmation in progress
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: Tuition schedule not published; federal data on Niche list $10,970 a year
View school profile →Larock Healthcare Academy (Florence)
The Florence campus teaches four short in-person courses, medical assistant (a bundle of certificates), patient care technician, phlebotomy and EKG, in four-hour day or evening blocks with monthly starts. The school’s own 2025 placement rates for Florence were 41% (medical assisting) and 19% (phlebotomy), and it names no certification exam for its medical assistant program.
- Length
- 5 weeks (EKG) to 20 to 24 weeks (medical assistant)
- Accredited
- None; licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
- Federal aid
- No; WIOA, vocational rehabilitation and MyCAA
Cost: EKG $1,265; phlebotomy $1,565; patient care technician $3,365; medical assistant $3,665 (2026-27 catalog)
View school profile →Empire Beauty School (Florence-Cincinnati)
The Florence campus teaches 1,500-hour cosmetology, 750-hour esthetics and 750-hour educator training, on full-time weekday or part-time evening schedules. It reported 73.27% graduation, 82.98% placement and 100% licensure in Empire’s 2024 NACCAS disclosure.
- Length
- Cosmetology 1,500 hours (about 43 weeks full-time); esthetics and educator training 750 hours
- Accredited
- NACCAS
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: Cosmetology $20,935; esthetics $11,674; educator training $7,890 (September 2026)
Ross Medical Education Center (Erlanger)
Ross Erlanger teaches medical assisting, dental assisting and veterinary assisting, and is Ross’s only Kentucky campus with the veterinary program. Each diploma ends in a six-week externship; veterinary students take NAVTA’s Approved Veterinary Assistant exam on campus at Ross’s expense, and Ross reimburses the RMA exam fee for medical assistants.
- Length
- 30 weeks (medical assisting by day) to 36 weeks (evening, dental and veterinary assisting)
- Accredited
- ABHES
- Federal aid
- Yes; also GI Bill, MyCAA and WIOA
Cost: $15,990 plus a $307 technology fee for medical or dental assisting; $14,200 plus $307 for veterinary assisting (2023-24, the latest published)
View school profile →| KCTCS college | Programs to note | First-time NCLEX-RN, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Community and Technical College (Florence and Edgewood) | Northern Kentucky’s only community and technical college; massage therapy, paralegal studies, health information technology, supply chain management and truck driving; in-state tuition for four Ohio and four Indiana border counties (not Ohio ADN students) | 77.6% (90 of 116, Edgewood) |
All 16 KCTCS colleges charge $198 a credit for Kentucky residents in 2026-27 and teach the associate degree in nursing, welding, electrical technology, IT and business. Pass rates are from the Kentucky Board of Nursing; see our KCTCS profile for every college.
Bowling Green and south-central Kentucky
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College teaches trades and health in Bowling Green, Glasgow and Franklin, ABC runs apprenticeship classes in Bowling Green, and Ross and the Medical Institute of Kentucky teach short health courses. Somerset Community College serves the Lake Cumberland area.
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
Allied health and practical nursing are taught on the Bowling Green main campus, the RN degree alternates between Bowling Green (odd years) and Glasgow (even years), manufacturing is at the Transpark Center, and a four-week Class A CDL course runs in Franklin. Bowling Green’s RN graduates passed the NCLEX-RN at 100% (60 of 60) in 2025 and Glasgow’s practical nurses at 98% (49 of 50), though medical laboratory technician graduates passed their certification exam at 64% (7 of 11).
- Length
- Four weeks (CDL) to two years (associate degrees)
- Accredited
- The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC); ACEN, JRCERT, NAACLS, CoARC, CAAHEP, IFSAC, HVAC Excellence and NATEF for programs
- Federal aid
- Yes; Work Ready Kentucky can cover tuition for eligible residents
Cost: $198 a credit for Kentucky residents, $270 for non-residents, plus $8 a credit (2026-27); CDL $4,200 plus about $150 in permit and license fees
View school profile →ABC Indiana/Kentucky (Bowling Green)
Bowling Green is one of the chapter’s three Kentucky training sites and hosts one of its Kentucky graduation ceremonies. Apprentices work about 8,000 paid hours over four years for a contractor, usually an ABC member, plus a weekly three-hour evening class and online study. An undated listing names electrical classes here, so confirm the trades and costs with the chapter.
- Length
- Four years in most trades
- Accredited
- None (an apprenticeship sponsor); registered with the U.S. Department of Labor; NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor
- Federal aid
- No; employers often pay much of the cost
Cost: No Kentucky price published; ask the chapter
View school profile →Ross Medical Education Center (Bowling Green)
Ross Bowling Green teaches medical assisting only: a diploma of 30 weeks by day or 36 in the evening that ends in a six-week externship and prepares for the AMT RMA exam, whose fee Ross reimburses. Students who want dental assisting would need Ross’s Owensboro or Erlanger campus.
- Length
- 30 weeks (day) or 36 weeks (evening)
- Accredited
- ABHES
- Federal aid
- Yes; also GI Bill, MyCAA and WIOA
Cost: $15,990 plus a $307 technology fee (2023-24, the latest published)
View school profile →The Medical Institute of Kentucky (Bowling Green)
Kentucky’s October 2024 KEES list approved clinical medical assistant, dental assistant, pharmacy technician and phlebotomy here, with coursework online and skills sessions on campus. The campus is not on the state’s 2025-26 license list, which shows only Lexington, and the BBB rates the school D-, so confirm with the school that this campus is still teaching before you enroll.
- Length
- About 14 to 24 weeks
- Accredited
- None; licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
- Federal aid
- No federal aid found; scholarships of up to $2,000, payment plans, private lenders, WIOA and KEES
Cost: Not published; the 2020 online catalog listed $2,500 to $5,000
View school profile →| KCTCS college | Programs to note | First-time NCLEX-RN, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset Community College | Lineman Tech Center (non-credit lineworker training) and a utility construction systems program; physical therapist assistant, pharmacy technology and sonography | 93.8% at Somerset; 94.7% London; 85.7% Manchester; 91.7% Whitley City |
All 16 KCTCS colleges charge $198 a credit for Kentucky residents in 2026-27 and teach the associate degree in nursing, welding, electrical technology, IT and business. Pass rates are from the Kentucky Board of Nursing; see our KCTCS profile for every college.
Western Kentucky
West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah and Mayfield is the region’s largest trade school; Ross teaches health programs in Owensboro and Hopkinsville, including its only occupational therapy assistant degree still enrolling. Four more KCTCS colleges cover Owensboro, Hopkinsville, Henderson and Madisonville.
West Kentucky Community and Technical College
The Paducah campus teaches nursing, practical nursing, dental assisting, sonography, radiography, surgical technology, physical therapist assistant and cosmetology. Welding, HVAC and automotive also run at the Skilled Craft Training Center near Mayfield, ASE-accredited diesel and a four-week CDL course at Mayfield’s Purchase Area Training Center, and aviation maintenance at Barkley Regional Airport. All 20 practical nursing testers passed the NCLEX-PN in 2025 and 91 of 105 RN graduates (86.7%) the NCLEX-RN, but the PTA program’s first-time NPTE pass rate averaged 55% over 2023 and 2024.
- Length
- Four weeks (CDL); two semesters (dental assisting); three (practical nursing); two years (most associate degrees)
- Accredited
- The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC); ACEN, CODA, CAAHEP, JRCERT, NAACLS, CAPTE, ASE and NCCER for programs
- Federal aid
- Yes; Work Ready Kentucky can cover tuition for eligible residents
Cost: $198 a credit for Kentucky residents and six Illinois reciprocity counties, $270 for other non-residents, plus $8 a credit (2026-27); CDL $4,500 (2026)
View school profile →Ross Medical Education Center (Owensboro) and Ross College (Hopkinsville)
Owensboro teaches medical and dental assisting, each ending in a six-week externship. Hopkinsville teaches medical assisting, business management and Ross’s only occupational therapy assistant degree still enrolling: 92 weeks with two eight-week fieldwork rotations, on ACOTE probation since March 2024, with an 88% graduation rate for its 29 students in 2022-2024. Ross accepts GI Bill benefits and MyCAA funding for military spouses.
- Length
- 30 to 36 weeks (assisting diplomas); 92 weeks (OTA degree)
- Accredited
- ABHES; the OTA degree is on ACOTE probation
- Federal aid
- Yes; also GI Bill, MyCAA and WIOA
Cost: $15,990 plus $307 for medical or dental assisting; $14,796 plus $475 in books for OTA (2023-24, the latest published)
View school profile →The Medical Institute of Kentucky (Hopkinsville)
Kentucky’s October 2024 KEES list approved dental assistant, pharmacy technician and phlebotomy technician here; clinical medical assisting was not listed. Hopkinsville is not on the state’s 2025-26 license list and the BBB rates the school D-, so ask whether this campus is open before you enroll.
- Length
- About 14 to 22 weeks
- Accredited
- None; licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
- Federal aid
- No federal aid found; scholarships of up to $2,000, payment plans, private lenders, WIOA and KEES
Cost: Not published; the 2020 online catalog listed $2,900 to $4,000 for these programs
View school profile →| KCTCS college | Programs to note | First-time NCLEX-RN, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Owensboro Community and Technical College | The only KCTCS veterinary technology program; pharmacy technology, logistics; no practical nursing | 86.9% (53 of 61) |
| Hopkinsville Community College | A campus at Fort Campbell; massage therapy and surgical technology; no automotive program | 95.2% (40 of 42) |
| Henderson Community College | Agriculture, medical laboratory technician, electrical and industrial maintenance; the only KCTCS college without HVAC | 60.0% (30 of 50), the lowest in KCTCS |
| Madisonville Community College | The only KCTCS helicopter flight training, plus fixed-wing flight and aviation maintenance; occupational therapy assistant | 90.0% (63 of 70) |
All 16 KCTCS colleges charge $198 a credit for Kentucky residents in 2026-27 and teach the associate degree in nursing, welding, electrical technology, IT and business. Pass rates are from the Kentucky Board of Nursing; see our KCTCS profile for every college.
Elizabethtown and Fort Knox
Elizabethtown has a KCTCS college, an Empire beauty school and a Medical Institute of Kentucky campus whose status you should confirm.
Empire Beauty School (Elizabethtown-Fort Knox)
The campus teaches 1,500-hour cosmetology, 750-hour esthetics and 750-hour educator training; at $22,135, its cosmetology total is the highest of Empire’s four Kentucky campuses. Its 2024 NACCAS rates were 61.90% graduation, 82.35% placement and 100% licensure.
- Length
- Cosmetology 1,500 hours (about 43 weeks full-time); esthetics and educator training 750 hours
- Accredited
- NACCAS
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: Cosmetology $22,135; esthetics $11,674; educator training $7,890 (September 2026)
The Medical Institute of Kentucky (Elizabethtown)
Kentucky’s October 2024 KEES list approved clinical medical assistant, dental assistant and medical billing and coding here. The campus still appears on the school’s website, but not on the state’s 2025-26 license list or among the BBB’s locations, so check that classes still meet here before you enroll.
- Length
- About 16 to 22 weeks
- Accredited
- None; licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
- Federal aid
- No federal aid found; scholarships of up to $2,000, payment plans, private lenders, WIOA and KEES
Cost: Not published; the 2020 online catalog listed $2,500 to $4,000 for these programs
View school profile →| KCTCS college | Programs to note | First-time NCLEX-RN, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | Sonography, radiography, respiratory care, unmanned systems (drones), real estate and robotics and automation | 76.2% (48 of 63) |
All 16 KCTCS colleges charge $198 a credit for Kentucky residents in 2026-27 and teach the associate degree in nursing, welding, electrical technology, IT and business. Pass rates are from the Kentucky Board of Nursing; see our KCTCS profile for every college.
Eastern Kentucky
Kentucky Welding Institute in Flemingsburg trains welders full time, American National University teaches nursing and imaging in Pikeville, and five KCTCS colleges teach trades, health and, at three of them, lineworker courses.
American National University (Pikeville)
Pikeville teaches the Kentucky ASN (Kentucky residents only), radiologic technology (mostly night classes), medical laboratory technology and a blended medical assisting certificate. Its NCLEX-RN pass rate fell to 34.9% in 2025, against a Kentucky associate-degree average of 82.5%, and the Board of Nursing has required quarterly progress reports since October 2024; the imaging and lab program pages do not mention JRCERT or NAACLS accreditation.
- Length
- Medical assisting certificate in as little as 8 months; ASN 119 credits; radiologic technology 92 credits
- Accredited
- ABHES (institution); no JRCERT or NAACLS accreditation stated
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: ASN $46,291 to $51,348; radiologic technology $38,640; medical assisting certificate $17,424 (all-inclusive, October 2026)
View school profile →Kentucky Welding Institute
KWI teaches only welding, in three full-time certificate programs that build on each other: Fabricator, Structural and Pipe Welder, with AWS D1.1 plate tests, NCCER Core and OSHA 30, and ASME Section IX pipe tests in the shop, an AWS Accredited Testing Facility. Students train 40 hours a week on one of three 8-hour shifts, and optional school housing costs $2,250 to $4,050 per six-month term. Its outcome figures come from a 2019 audit or the school’s own claims, and full tuition is due on orientation day unless an agency pays.
- Length
- 11 or 12 weeks (Fabricator) to 26 weeks (Pipe Welder)
- Accredited
- ACCET (reaccredited December 2025)
- Federal aid
- Yes (school code 043101); also WIOA, GI Bill, KEES and Work Ready Kentucky
Cost: $17,900 (Fabricator), $21,500 (Structural) or $25,500 (Pipe Welder), with gear, metal and first-attempt tests (2026-27)
View school profile →| KCTCS college | Programs to note | First-time NCLEX-RN, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland Community and Technical College | Cosmetology, radiography, respiratory care, surgical technology and truck driver training; in-state tuition for some West Virginia and Ohio border counties | 92.0% (46 of 50) |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College (Prestonsburg) | Dental hygiene and dental assisting, fixed-wing flight training, plumbing and a 12-week lineworker course with Class A CDL training | 88.5% (23 of 26) |
| Hazard Community and Technical College | Physical therapist assistant, nuclear medicine imaging, surveying, heavy equipment and a lineworker Utility Technician Certificate (288 hours plus 160 hours of CDL) | 86.7% (39 of 45) |
| Maysville Community and Technical College | Physical therapist assistant, aviation maintenance and a lineworker course at its Rowan Campus ($7,000 with the CDL in 2024) | 100% (19 of 19, Maysville campus) |
| Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (Cumberland) | Mining technology, fixed-wing flight training, physical therapist assistant and telehealth | 80.0% at Cumberland; 73.0% at Middlesboro |
All 16 KCTCS colleges charge $198 a credit for Kentucky residents in 2026-27 and teach the associate degree in nursing, welding, electrical technology, IT and business. Pass rates are from the Kentucky Board of Nursing; see our KCTCS profile for every college.
Trade Tech sells online continuing-education courses ($20 for two hours) and $100 practice exams for people who already hold a Kentucky HVAC, plumbing or electrical license, from a Lexington mailing address. Kentucky requires 6 hours of approved continuing education a year to renew those licenses.
We have not yet profiled Kentucky’s public universities, union apprenticeships for trades other than electrical, private CDL schools, or most private healthcare, massage and beauty schools. KCTCS colleges are described in our KCTCS profile rather than in separate profiles; the old version of this page linked a “West Kentucky College” page that no longer exists.
Costs and financial aid
These are prices the schools on this page published, with the date. They exclude tools, uniforms, and exam and license fees unless noted.
| Route | Example | Cost | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community colleges | All 16 KCTCS colleges | $198 a credit for residents, $270 for non-residents, plus $8 a credit in fees | 2026-27 |
| Truck driving | SKYCTC (Franklin); WKCTC (Mayfield); BCTC (Lexington) | $4,200 + about $150; $4,500; $5,000 + about $125 | 2026 |
| Lineworker | Maysville Community and Technical College | $7,000 including Class A CDL training | 2024 |
| Evening trade schools | Enzweiler (Erlanger, Covington); Building Institute of Greater Louisville; Building Institute of Central Kentucky | $3,750 to $5,225 a year; $6,000 (HVAC); $8,000 to $12,000 a program | 2026-27; undated |
| Welding | Kentucky Welding Institute | $17,900 to $25,500 with gear, metal and tests | 2026-27 |
| Short health courses | Larock (Florence); Ross medical assisting; ATA medical assisting diploma | $1,265 to $3,665; $15,990 + $307; $17,727 | 2026-27; 2023-24; July 2026 |
| Nursing | ATA practical nursing; ATA ADN; ANU Pikeville ASN | $35,647; $42,750; $46,291 to $51,348 | July 2026; October 2026 |
| Beauty | Empire cosmetology (four Kentucky campuses); CTE cosmetology | $20,185 to $22,135; $20,995 | September 2026; January 2025 |
| Flight training | CTE Professional Aviation Certificate (Lexington) | $69,058.10, or $84,000 with instructor ratings | October 2026 |
Apprentices are paid for their work, and the IBEW electrical apprenticeship charges no tuition. Ask any school for the current total in writing before you sign.
Paying for training
- Federal aid: 12 of the 20 schools on this page take Pell Grants or federal loans through the FAFSA: the KCTCS colleges, American National University, ATA, the College for Technical Education, Empire, ICT, Kentucky Welding Institute, Ross and Sullivan. Paul Mitchell schools take federal aid under their own codes, so confirm the Louisville and Lexington schools’. The apprenticeship sponsors, builders’ evening schools, Larock and the Medical Institute of Kentucky do not.
- Work Ready Kentucky: the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship pays tuition and fees left after other grants, for up to 60 credit hours, for Kentucky residents without an associate degree in eligible healthcare, manufacturing and logistics, construction, education and technical programs. KCTCS colleges and Kentucky Welding Institute accept it.
- KEES: Kentucky students who earned KEES money in high school may use it at approved workforce programs, including Enzweiler, the Building Institute of Central Kentucky and Kentucky Welding Institute; KHEAA keeps the list.
- Workforce funding (WIOA): the KCTCS CDL courses, Enzweiler, Kentucky Welding Institute, Larock, ATA and Ross accept WIOA or similar workforce funding.
- Veterans: Kentucky Welding Institute and Ross accept the GI Bill, Enzweiler lists VA education benefits, ICT says its HVAC programs are VA-approved, and Hopkinsville Community College runs a campus at Fort Campbell.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each trade works in Kentucky, where to train, what it pays and which license you need. Pay is the Kentucky median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine); the Louisville and Lexington guides show metro pay.
Electrical and lineworker
Kentucky licenses electricians statewide through the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction: an electrician license takes 8,000 hours of verifiable experience in the trade and a state exam. An approved training course, two years of a four-year apprenticeship course, or a KCTCS electrical diploma or associate degree can stand in for 4,000 of those hours (KRS 227A.060).
- Length
- 4 years (apprenticeships, about 8,000 work hours plus classes); 2 to 4 years of evening classes; KCTCS lineworker courses about 12 weeks
- License
- Kentucky electrician license (8,000 hours plus a state exam); no state license for lineworkers
Where to train:
- Paid apprenticeships: the Louisville Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 369 and NECA; Louisville and Lexington training centers) and ABC Indiana/Kentucky (Louisville, Lexington and Bowling Green)
- Evening schools for people working in the trade: Enzweiler Building Institute (four-year electric program, Erlanger and Covington) and the Building Institute of Central Kentucky (two years, Lexington)
- Electrical technology at every KCTCS college, including Jefferson, Bluegrass, Southcentral and West Kentucky
- Lineworkers: non-credit lineworker courses at Big Sandy, Hazard, Maysville and Somerset (KCTCS), some with Class A CDL training
The IBEW apprenticeship takes applications only in short windows (the last closed on 14 September 2026). KCTCS lineworker courses can require a CDL permit, DOT physical and drug screen before the first day. Sources: KRS 227A.060; Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction; our school profiles.
HVAC, plumbing, welding and construction
Kentucky also licenses plumbers and HVAC mechanics statewide. A journeyman plumber needs two consecutive years as an apprentice, or a department-approved course plus one year, then must score at least 75% on each part of the exam (815 KAR 20:030). A journeyman HVAC mechanic needs two years of HVAC work, each at least 1,500 hours in 12 months (815 KAR 8:010); a year in an approved program can count for one of them, then a state exam. Technicians who handle refrigerant also need federal EPA 608 certification. Kentucky does not license welders; employers test them.
- Length
- One school year (Louisville and Lexington evening HVAC); 2 years of evenings (Enzweiler HVAC and plumbing); 11 to 26 weeks full time (Kentucky Welding Institute)
- License
- Kentucky journeyman HVAC or plumber license; EPA 608 for refrigerant; none for welders
Step-by-step guides: HVAC Schools in Kentucky · Plumbing Schools in Kentucky · Welding Schools in Kentucky
Where to train:
- HVAC: the Building Institute of Greater Louisville, the Building Institute of Central Kentucky (Lexington), Enzweiler, ICT (Newport), CTE’s Building Trades certificate, and air conditioning technology at 15 of the 16 KCTCS colleges
- Plumbing: the Building Institute of Central Kentucky, Enzweiler, and plumbing at Jefferson and Big Sandy (KCTCS)
- Welding: Kentucky Welding Institute (Flemingsburg), Enzweiler (one or two years of evenings) and every KCTCS college
- Carpentry, masonry and facilities maintenance: Enzweiler; construction technology at Bluegrass and West Kentucky
An evening course alone does not make you a journeyman: Kentucky also requires work experience, so most students work in the trade by day. Kentucky Welding Institute’s prices cover first test attempts only. Sources: 815 KAR 20:030; 815 KAR 8:010; our school profiles.
Automotive, diesel, truck driving and aviation
Kentucky does not license auto or diesel mechanics; employers look for ASE certification and manufacturer training. Aircraft mechanics need the FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificates. Truck drivers need a CDL after federal entry-level driver training; the CDL is issued through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
- Length
- 4 weeks (KCTCS CDL courses); 18 months (BCTC diesel diploma); about 2 years for most associate degrees
- Kentucky median pay
- $44,890 auto technicians; $55,480 diesel mechanics; $56,340 truck drivers; $67,920 aircraft mechanics
- License
- None for auto or diesel work; Class A or B CDL; FAA pilot and mechanic certificates
Where to train:
- Automotive and diesel: automotive technology at 14 KCTCS colleges and diesel at 13, including Bluegrass (diesel at Lawrenceburg), Southcentral and West Kentucky (ASE-accredited diesel in Mayfield)
- Truck driving: four-week Class A courses at Bluegrass (Lexington), Southcentral (Franklin) and West Kentucky (Mayfield); truck driver training at 12 KCTCS colleges
- Aviation: aviation maintenance at Jefferson, Madisonville, Maysville, Somerset and West Kentucky; flight training at Madisonville (fixed-wing and helicopter), Big Sandy and Southeast (KCTCS) and through CTE in Lexington
Ask a KCTCS college for the full cost of flight training, including flight time; our sources give only the credit rate. CTE’s flight training sits outside its accreditation and federal aid. Sources: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; our school profiles.
Nursing and healthcare
Kentucky nurses take the NCLEX after a program approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing, which publishes every program’s first-time pass rates; in 2025 the Kentucky averages were 82.5% for associate-degree RN programs and 88.3% for practical nursing. Nurse aide courses lead to the state nurse aide registry, and medical assistants, phlebotomists and pharmacy technicians train for national certifications.
- Length
- 5 weeks to 6 months (short health courses); about 10 months (assisting diplomas); under a year to 15 months (practical nursing); about 2 years (RN)
- Kentucky median pay
- $81,040 RN; $60,460 LPN; $39,270 medical assistants; $47,730 dental assistants; $69,670 radiologic technologists; $60,490 surgical technologists; $42,480 phlebotomists
- License
- NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN and a Kentucky nursing license; state nurse aide registry; national certifications for assistants
Where to train:
- Nursing: the associate degree at all 16 KCTCS colleges and practical nursing at 13; ATA College and Sullivan in Louisville; Sullivan in Lexington; American National University in Pikeville
- Imaging, therapy and lab: radiography, respiratory care, surgical technology and sonography at several KCTCS colleges, including Bluegrass, Southcentral and West Kentucky; sonography at ATA; occupational therapy assisting at Ross Hopkinsville
- Short courses and assisting: Larock (Florence), Ross (Erlanger, Bowling Green, Owensboro and Hopkinsville), the Medical Institute of Kentucky (confirm the campus) and the Louisville and Lexington colleges
First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates in 2025 ranged from 34.9% at American National University in Pikeville and about 51% at Sullivan to 100% at Southcentral’s Bowling Green site; the Kentucky associate-degree average was 82.5%. Check the rate for the site you would attend. Sources: Kentucky Board of Nursing; our school profiles.
EMT, paramedic and fire
Kentucky certifies EMTs and paramedics through the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services after an approved course and the National Registry (NREMT) exams; firefighters train in state fire commission and IFSAC-accredited courses.
- Length
- One semester to about six months (EMT); one year (paramedic certificate)
- License
- NREMT and Kentucky EMT or paramedic certification
Where to train:
- EMT at 14 KCTCS colleges and paramedic at 11, including Bluegrass (81% first-attempt NREMT paramedic pass rate in 2024-25), Southcentral (IFSAC-accredited fire/rescue) and West Kentucky (EMT and fire science at its Marine Way Training Center, mostly evenings and weekends)
Cosmetology, barbering and massage
The Kentucky Board of Cosmetology licenses cosmetologists after 1,500 hours at a licensed school, estheticians after 750 and nail technicians after 450, plus state exams; instructors train another 750 hours. Massage therapists need at least 600 hours at a board-approved program and an exam such as the MBLEx, licensed by the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy. Barbers are licensed separately, by the Kentucky Board of Barbering.
- Length
- 1,500 hours (cosmetology, about 43 to 46 weeks full-time); 750 hours (esthetics, instructor); 450 hours (nails); 600 hours (massage)
- Kentucky median pay
- $29,840 hairstylists and cosmetologists; $38,580 skincare specialists; $59,790 massage therapists
- License
- Kentucky cosmetologist, esthetician, nail technician, instructor or massage therapist license
Where to train:
- Cosmetology: Empire (two Louisville campuses, Florence and Elizabethtown), Paul Mitchell (Louisville and Lexington), CTE (Winchester and Nicholasville) and KCTCS cosmetology at colleges including Bluegrass, Ashland and West Kentucky
- Esthetics: Empire Florence and Elizabethtown, Paul Mitchell Louisville and CTE; nails: CTE
- Massage therapy: Gateway and Hopkinsville (KCTCS)
Empire’s Louisville campuses and Paul Mitchell Lexington do not teach esthetics. We have not profiled a barber school in Kentucky yet. Sources: Kentucky Board of Cosmetology; Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy; our school profiles.
IT, business and medical office
No state license is needed for IT support, networking or cybersecurity work; employers look for industry certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+.
- Length
- Certificates of a few months to two-year associate degrees
- Kentucky median pay
- $57,850 computer support specialists; $103,630 information security analysts; $48,410 medical records specialists
- Certification
- CompTIA, Cisco, AAPC and NHA exams; no license
Where to train:
- IT, cybersecurity and business at every KCTCS college, many fully online; Sullivan (cybersecurity and IT); ICT (accounting, business and medical office, Newport); online coding at ATA; real estate at Elizabethtown (KCTCS)
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to go to trade school in Kentucky?
Start with a KCTCS college. All 16 charge Kentucky residents $198 a credit in 2026-27, plus an $8 fee a credit, so a 24-credit year costs $4,752 in tuition before aid, and the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship can cover tuition for residents without an associate degree in eligible programs. The IBEW electrical apprenticeship in Louisville and Lexington charges no tuition and pays apprentices from $22.13 an hour.
How do you become a licensed electrician in Kentucky?
Kentucky licenses electricians statewide through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. You need 8,000 hours of verifiable experience in the trade and a passing score on the state exam. An approved training course, two years of a four-year apprenticeship, or a KCTCS electrical diploma or associate degree can count for 4,000 of those hours.
How do I become a plumber or HVAC technician in Kentucky?
Both are licensed statewide. A journeyman plumber needs two consecutive years as an apprentice, or a department-approved course plus one year, then at least 75% on each part of the exam. A journeyman HVAC mechanic needs two years of HVAC work of at least 1,500 hours each, and a year in an approved program can count for one. Evening schools in Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky and most KCTCS colleges teach the classes.
Where can I get a CDL in Kentucky?
Three KCTCS colleges run four-week Class A courses: Southcentral in Franklin ($4,200 plus about $150 in fees), West Kentucky in Mayfield ($4,500) and Bluegrass in Lexington ($5,000 plus about $125), and 12 KCTCS colleges list truck driver training. Some KCTCS lineworker courses also include Class A CDL training.
How many hours do you need for a cosmetology license in Kentucky?
The Kentucky Board of Cosmetology requires 1,500 hours at a licensed school for a cosmetologist, 750 for an esthetician and 450 for a nail technician, plus state exams; instructors train another 750 hours. Massage therapists need at least 600 hours at a board-approved program and an exam such as the MBLEx.
Which Kentucky nursing programs have the best pass rates?
In 2025 the Kentucky Board of Nursing reported 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates at Southcentral’s Bowling Green site, Maysville and Jefferson’s Shelbyville site, and 96.2% at Jefferson in Louisville, against a state associate-degree average of 82.5%. The lowest were American National University in Pikeville (34.9%), Sullivan (about 51%) and Henderson (60.0%).
Facts checked October 2026. School facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked. Pay figures are Kentucky median annual wages from BLS 2025 data, via O*NET OnLine. Licensing requirements are from Kentucky statutes and regulations, the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, the Kentucky Board of Nursing, the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services, the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology, the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Massage Therapy, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the FAA.