In Louisville, Jefferson Community and Technical College is the lowest-cost route into most trades: Kentucky residents pay $198 a credit in 2026-27 for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, welding, automotive, aviation maintenance, nursing and therapy programs. The IBEW electrical apprenticeship charges no tuition and pays apprentices from $22.13 an hour, ABC sponsors contractor apprenticeships, and private colleges add nursing, imaging, medical assisting, culinary and beauty training. This page compares the 9 schools and programs we profile in Louisville, what they cost and which license each trade leads to.
Louisville at a glance
- Schools listed
- 9: 4 colleges and nursing schools, 3 apprenticeship and evening trade programs and 2 beauty schools
- Where
- Louisville and Jefferson County, with a Jefferson nursing site in Shelbyville
- Lowest-cost routes
- Jefferson Community and Technical College at $198 a credit; the IBEW electrical apprenticeship has no tuition and pays you while you train
- Shorter programs
- Evening HVAC in one school year ($6,000); dental or medical assisting diplomas in about 10 months; practical nursing in 15 months
- Federal aid at
- 5 of the 9: Jefferson, Sullivan, ATA, American National University and Empire
- More in Kentucky
- All Kentucky trade schools
Facts checked October 2026. Sources are linked in each section and in each school’s profile.
Louisville 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.
Colleges and nursing schools (4)
Jefferson Community and Technical College (KCTCS)
Jefferson has the widest program range of Kentucky’s 16 community and technical colleges, including occupational and physical therapist assistant, pharmacy technology, aviation maintenance, health information technology and plumbing, alongside electrical, welding, air conditioning, automotive, IT and nursing programs. Its enrollment grew 12.3% in fall 2025, the most of any KCTCS college. In 2025 its Louisville nursing site passed 75 of 78 first-time NCLEX-RN testers (96.2%) and Shelbyville 12 of 12; practical nursing at Louisville passed 11 of 14 (78.6%).
- Length
- Certificates, diplomas and associate degrees; ask the college for each program’s length
- Accredited
- SACSCOC (now the Commission on Colleges and Universities), college by college
- Federal aid
- Yes; Work Ready Kentucky can cover tuition for eligible residents
Cost: $198 a credit for Kentucky residents, $270 for non-residents, plus an $8 fee a credit (2026-27): $4,752 tuition and $192 in fees for a resident’s 24-credit year
View school profile →Sullivan University (Louisville)
The Bardstown Road campus teaches practical nursing, the ASN, pharmacy technician, business, IT and Sullivan’s culinary and baking programs; the College of Allied Health at Dupont Circle teaches CAAHEP-accredited surgical technology, JRCERT-accredited radiologic technology and medical assisting (online coursework, a one-week campus bootcamp and clinicals). About half of its 2025 first-time nursing testers passed: 51.5% (50 of 97) for the Louisville ASN and 53.3% (8 of 15) for practical nursing, and the nursing programs are candidates for ACEN accreditation, not yet accredited.
- Length
- Practical nursing 15 months; ASN 21 months; surgical technology 18 to 21 months; radiologic technology 24 months
- Accredited
- The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC); CAAHEP, JRCERT and ASHP/ACPE for some programs
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $290 to $585 a quarter credit by program, plus $37.50 a credit from fall 2026; tuition totals of $26,660 (practical nursing) and $42,230 (ASN) before that fee
View school profile →ATA College (Louisville)
ATA’s main campus teaches practical nursing, the associate degree in nursing, an LPN to RN bridge, sonography, dental and medical assisting, and limited medical radiography with medical assisting, in blended day classes (Monday to Saturday) or evening classes, and it runs online coding programs for Kentucky, Ohio and Florida residents. First-time NCLEX pass rates in 2025 were 94.4% for the ADN, which is still on initial Board of Nursing approval after 33.3% in 2023, and 89.5% for practical nursing.
- Length
- About 10 months (dental and medical assisting diplomas); 15 months (practical nursing); 18 to 19 months (sonography, ADN)
- Accredited
- ABHES (since 2005)
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: Dental assisting $15,650; medical assisting diploma $17,727; practical nursing $35,647; sonography $42,093; ADN $42,750 (tuition sheet revised July 2026)
View school profile →American National University (Louisville)
Most students at the Louisville campus are international master’s students on F-1 visas, studying for the MBA or an MS in cybersecurity, IT, computer science and engineering, or software development. Its career program here is the blended 96-credit medical assisting associate degree, which ANU says holds ABHES programmatic accreditation. ANU’s online programs are run by its separate Virginia institution, which reports low graduation rates for several of them.
- Length
- Medical assisting AS, 96 credits; master’s degrees 49 to 56 credits
- Accredited
- ABHES (American National University of Kentucky)
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $30,816 all-inclusive for the medical assisting AS; $21,560 for the MS in Software Development (October 2026)
View school profile →Apprenticeships and evening trade schools (3)
ABC Indiana/Kentucky (Louisville)
The chapter sponsors U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeships for people employed by a contractor, usually an ABC member: about 8,000 hours of paid work over four years, plus one three-hour evening class and three hours of online study a week, with classes starting in late August. It lists 22 trades, including electrical, HVAC, plumbing and carpentry, but does not say which meet in Louisville or what Kentucky apprentices pay, so ask before you count on one.
- 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 →Louisville Electrical JATC (IBEW Local 369 and NECA)
Apprentices are dispatched to union contractors, work full-time for pay and attend class one 8-hour day every other week from August to June for four years, covering residential, commercial and industrial wiring, motor controls, PLCs, solar and EV charging. Pay starts at 50% of the $44.26 journeyman rate, $22.13 an hour, with health and pension benefits. Applications open only in short windows; the last ran from 1 to 14 September 2026, and applicants need a C or better in a full credit of high school algebra.
- Length
- 4 years
- Accredited
- None (an apprenticeship); registered with the state and federal Departments of Labor
- Federal aid
- Not needed: no tuition, and books are covered
Cost: No tuition; $55 application fee, plus your own tools, work clothes, boots and a computer
View school profile →Building Institute of Greater Louisville
The school teaches one program, HVAC: 300 hours from September to April, Monday to Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, with two of the four nights held online at set times after an initial period, taught by a Louisville HVAC contractor. Students are expected to work in the trade by day; the school gives them a list of member employers. It says the state approves its training so students can get their HVAC license sooner; its first class of six graduated in April 2023, and it publishes no completion or pass rates.
- Length
- 300 hours over one school year (21 September 2026 to 16 April 2027); one start a year
- Accredited
- None; licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
- Federal aid
- No; employer payment plans or reimbursement
Cost: $6,000 ($3,000 a semester, 2026-27)
View school profile →Beauty schools (2)
Empire Beauty School (Louisville-Chenoweth and Louisville-Dixie)
Both campuses teach 1,500-hour cosmetology and 750-hour educator training; neither teaches esthetics, which Empire teaches in Kentucky at Elizabethtown and Florence. Full-time students attend weekdays from 9:00 to 4:30 for about 43 weeks, and part-time evening students take about twice as long. In Empire’s 2024 NACCAS disclosures, Chenoweth reported 60.00% graduation, 73.08% placement and 100% licensure, and Dixie Highway 65.08%, 76.92% and 100%.
- Length
- Cosmetology 1,500 hours (about 43 weeks full-time); educator training 750 hours
- Accredited
- NACCAS
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: Cosmetology $20,185 (Chenoweth) or $21,385 (Dixie Highway); educator training $7,890 (September 2026)
Paul Mitchell The School Louisville
The school teaches 1,500-hour cosmetology, 750-hour esthetics and a 750-hour apprentice instructor program; it is one of two Paul Mitchell schools in Kentucky, with Lexington. Each Paul Mitchell school is an independently owned franchise with its own prices and results, so ask this one for its catalog and outcome rates.
- Length
- Cosmetology 1,500 hours; esthetics 750; instructor 750
- Accredited
- NACCAS, school by school
- Federal aid
- Paul Mitchell schools take Pell Grants and federal loans under their own FAFSA codes; confirm this school’s
Cost: No Louisville price published; ask for the total in writing
No schools on this page match. Try another trade, or see all Kentucky trade schools.
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. It does not train new entrants and has no classroom.
We have not yet profiled the University of Louisville, the Louisville area’s other union apprenticeship programs, CDL schools, or other private healthcare, massage and beauty schools.
- Price Jefferson first. At $198 a credit, a resident’s full year costs $4,752 in tuition, against $35,647 for ATA’s practical nursing program or $42,230 for Sullivan’s ASN.
- Check nursing results. Jefferson’s Louisville RN site passed 96.2% on the NCLEX-RN in 2025 and ATA’s ADN 94.4%, but Sullivan’s Louisville ASN passed 51.5% and its practical nursing 53.3%.
- Apprenticeships need a job or a selection. The IBEW apprenticeship takes applications only in short windows and places you from a ranking list; ABC apprentices must already work for a contractor.
- A course is not a license. Kentucky licenses electricians after 8,000 hours of experience and an exam, and journeyman plumbers and HVAC mechanics after work experience and a state exam.
More in Kentucky: All Kentucky trade schools
Where to start, by goal
| Your goal | Schools to consider | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest-cost route | Jefferson Community and Technical College; Louisville Electrical JATC | $198 a credit for Kentucky residents; the electrical apprenticeship charges no tuition and pays from $22.13 an hour |
| Electrician | Louisville Electrical JATC (paid union apprenticeship, 4 years); ABC Indiana/Kentucky (ask which trades meet in Louisville); electrical technology at Jefferson | Kentucky electrician license after 8,000 hours of experience and a state exam; a KCTCS electrical diploma or degree can count for 4,000 of those hours |
| HVAC | Building Institute of Greater Louisville (evenings, one school year, $6,000); air conditioning technology at Jefferson | Kentucky journeyman HVAC license after two years of HVAC work and a state exam; a year in an approved program can count for one |
| Plumbing or welding | Plumbing and welding at Jefferson | Journeyman plumber license after two years as an apprentice, or an approved course plus one year; Kentucky does not license welders |
| Automotive or aircraft mechanic | Automotive technology and aviation maintenance at Jefferson | ASE certifications for auto technicians; FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificates for aircraft mechanics |
| Registered nurse | Jefferson (96.2% NCLEX-RN in 2025); ATA College (ADN, 94.4%, $42,750; LPN to RN bridge); Sullivan (ASN, 51.5%) | NCLEX-RN after a Kentucky Board of Nursing-approved program |
| Practical nurse (LPN) | ATA College (89.5%, $35,647); Jefferson (78.6%); Sullivan (53.3%; $26,660 tuition) | NCLEX-PN |
| Imaging or surgical technology | ATA College (sonography $42,093; limited radiography with medical assisting $33,248); Sullivan (CAAHEP surgical technology; JRCERT radiologic technology) | ARRT, ARDMS or CST exams; Kentucky also licenses radiographers |
| Therapy or pharmacy | Occupational and physical therapist assistant and pharmacy technology at Jefferson; pharmacy technician at Sullivan | NBCOT or NPTE exams for therapy assistants; PTCE for pharmacy technicians |
| Medical or dental assisting | ATA College (about 10 months; dental $15,650, medical $17,727); Sullivan (online with a campus bootcamp); American National University (AS, $30,816) | National certifications such as the CMA, RMA or CCMA |
| Cosmetology or esthetics | Empire (cosmetology $20,185 or $21,385); Paul Mitchell Louisville (also esthetics) | Kentucky license after 1,500 hours (cosmetology) or 750 (esthetics) |
| IT, business or culinary | Jefferson (IT and business); Sullivan (cybersecurity, IT, culinary and baking); American National University (master’s degrees) | CompTIA and other industry certifications; no license |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public college | Jefferson Community and Technical College | $198 a credit for residents, $270 for non-residents, plus $8 a credit in fees | 2026-27 |
| Union apprenticeship | Louisville Electrical JATC | No tuition; $55 application fee; apprentices buy their own tools | October 2026 |
| Evening HVAC | Building Institute of Greater Louisville | $6,000 for the 300-hour program | 2026-27 |
| Medical and dental assisting | ATA College; American National University | Dental $15,650, medical diploma $17,727; medical assisting AS $30,816 | July 2026; October 2026 |
| Practical nursing | ATA College; Sullivan | $35,647; $26,660 tuition | July 2026; spring 2025 rates |
| Registered nursing | ATA College ADN; Sullivan ASN | $42,750; $42,230 tuition | July 2026; spring 2025 rates |
| Imaging and surgical | ATA sonography; Sullivan radiologic technology; Sullivan surgical technology | $42,093; $47,530; $45,080 | July 2026; spring 2025 rates |
| Beauty | Empire Chenoweth; Empire Dixie Highway; Empire educator training | $20,185; $21,385; $7,890 | September 2026 |
Sullivan’s totals are tuition before a new $37.50-a-credit academic support fee that started in fall 2026, which adds roughly $3,000 to $4,000 to a degree. We found no Louisville prices to quote for Paul Mitchell or for ABC’s Kentucky apprenticeships, so ask each for the total in writing.
Paying for training
- Federal aid: 5 of the 9 schools listed take Pell Grants or federal loans through the FAFSA: Jefferson, Sullivan, ATA, American National University and Empire. Paul Mitchell schools also take federal aid under their own codes, so confirm the Louisville school’s. The apprenticeship sponsors and the Building Institute do not.
- Work Ready Kentucky: the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship pays tuition left after other grants, for up to 60 credit hours, for Kentucky residents without an associate degree in eligible healthcare, manufacturing, construction, education and technical programs at colleges such as Jefferson.
- KEES and state grants: ATA and American National University list Kentucky’s College Access Program grants and KEES awards, administered by KHEAA.
- Workforce and employer funding: ATA lists WIOA funding, American National University gives WIOA-funded students up to $1,500 a term, and the Building Institute and ABC say employers often pay or reimburse tuition.
- Veterans: ATA and American National University accept veterans’ education benefits, Sullivan charges active-duty and reserve students $165 a credit in most programs, and the IBEW apprenticeship says veterans can use their benefits.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each trade works in Louisville, how long training takes, what it pays and which license you need. Pay is the Louisville/Jefferson County metro median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine).
Electrical
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 (union apprenticeship, about 8,000 work hours plus classes); KCTCS electrical diplomas and degrees vary
- License
- Kentucky electrician license (8,000 hours plus a state exam)
Schools on this page: Paid apprenticeships with the Louisville Electrical JATC and ABC Indiana/Kentucky; electrical technology at Jefferson.
The JATC takes applications only in short windows (the last closed on 14 September 2026) and places applicants from a ranking list as contractors need them. Finishing an apprenticeship covers the hours but not the exam. Sources: KRS 227A.060; Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction; our school profiles.
HVAC, plumbing and welding
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 of evenings (Building Institute HVAC); two years of work for a journeyman HVAC or plumber license
- License
- Kentucky journeyman HVAC or plumber license; EPA 608 for refrigerant; none for welders
Schools on this page: HVAC at the Building Institute of Greater Louisville and Jefferson; plumbing and welding at Jefferson. Guides: HVAC Schools in Kentucky · Plumbing Schools in Kentucky · Welding Schools in Kentucky.
The Building Institute’s site does not mention EPA 608 training, so ask whether it is covered. Its course alone does not make you a journeyman: Kentucky also requires HVAC work experience. Sources: 815 KAR 20:030; 815 KAR 8:010; our school profiles.
Automotive and aviation maintenance
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
- Certificates to associate degrees; ask Jefferson for each program
- License
- None for auto work; FAA certificates for aircraft mechanics; CDL for truck drivers
Schools on this page: Automotive technology and aviation maintenance at Jefferson.
We have not yet profiled a CDL school in Louisville. Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington runs a four-week Class A course; see our Lexington page. Sources: 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
- About 10 months (assisting diplomas); 15 months (practical nursing); 18 to 24 months (sonography, surgical and radiologic technology); about 2 years (RN)
- Louisville median pay
- $84,850 RN; $64,460 LPN; $44,450 medical assistants; $49,100 dental assistants; $76,860 radiologic technologists; $97,700 sonographers; $63,590 surgical technologists; $42,880 pharmacy technicians
- License
- NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN and a Kentucky nursing license; national certifications for assistants and technologists
Schools on this page: Nursing at Jefferson, ATA College and Sullivan; sonography and limited radiography at ATA; surgical and radiologic technology at Sullivan; therapy assisting and pharmacy technology at Jefferson; medical and dental assisting at ATA, Sullivan and American National University.
ATA’s ADN is still on initial Board of Nursing approval, and Sullivan’s nursing programs are ACEN candidates. Sullivan’s 2024 first-attempt ARRT pass rate at Louisville was 56%. Sources: Kentucky Board of Nursing; our school profiles.
Cosmetology and esthetics
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 weeks full-time); 750 hours (esthetics and instructor training)
- License
- Kentucky cosmetologist, esthetician or instructor license
Schools on this page: Cosmetology and educator training at Empire (both Louisville campuses); cosmetology, esthetics and instructor training at Paul Mitchell Louisville.
Empire’s Louisville campuses do not teach esthetics. Each Paul Mitchell school sets its own prices, so get the total in writing. Sources: Kentucky Board of Cosmetology; our school profiles.
IT, business and culinary arts
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 9 to 12 months to associate and bachelor’s degrees; ATA’s online coding diploma 12 months
- Louisville median pay
- $57,620 computer support specialists; $106,760 information security analysts; $53,460 medical records specialists
- Certification
- CompTIA, Cisco and AAPC CPC exams; no license
Schools on this page: IT and business at Jefferson; cybersecurity, IT, culinary arts and baking at Sullivan; online medical coding at ATA College; master’s degrees at American National University.
Sullivan’s culinary and baking programs cost $585 a quarter credit, its highest rate, and have no American Culinary Federation accreditation. ATA reported 25% placement for its Kentucky coding associate in 2024-25. Sources: our school profiles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest trade school in Louisville?
Jefferson Community and Technical College. Kentucky residents pay $198 a credit in 2026-27, plus an $8 fee a credit, so a full 24-credit year costs $4,752 in tuition and $192 in fees before aid. The IBEW electrical apprenticeship charges no tuition at all and pays apprentices from $22.13 an hour.
How do I become an electrician in Louisville?
Kentucky licenses electricians statewide after 8,000 hours of verifiable experience and a state exam. In Louisville you can apply to the IBEW Local 369 and NECA apprenticeship during its application window, join an ABC apprenticeship through a contractor, or take electrical technology at Jefferson; a KCTCS electrical diploma or degree can count for 4,000 of the hours.
Where can I train for HVAC in Louisville?
The Building Institute of Greater Louisville runs a 300-hour evening HVAC program from September to April for $6,000, and Jefferson teaches air conditioning technology. A journeyman HVAC license also needs two years of HVAC work, each at least 1,500 hours, and a state exam; a year in an approved program can count for one of them.
Where can I study nursing in Louisville?
Jefferson teaches the associate degree in nursing (96.2% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at its Louisville site in 2025) and practical nursing. ATA College teaches practical nursing, an ADN (94.4% in 2025) and an LPN to RN bridge, and Sullivan University teaches practical nursing and the ASN, whose 2025 pass rates were about 51% to 53%.
Which beauty schools are in Louisville?
Empire Beauty School has two Louisville campuses, on Chenoweth Lane ($20,185 for 1,500-hour cosmetology) and Dixie Highway ($21,385), and Paul Mitchell The School Louisville teaches cosmetology, esthetics and instructor training. Kentucky requires 1,500 hours for a cosmetology license and 750 for esthetics.
Facts checked October 2026. School facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked. Pay figures are Louisville/Jefferson County metro 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 Cosmetology and the FAA.