Most trade training in Nebraska happens at its six community colleges, where residents pay about $118 to $133 a credit hour with fees in 2026-27, so a full-time year of 30 credits costs about $3,500 to $4,000 in tuition and fees. This page covers all six, plus the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis and 5 private schools in Omaha for short courses in health care, massage and truck driving. Electricians are licensed by the state after four years of work, and the online section shows what you can study from home.
Nebraska at a glance
- Schools on this page
- 7 public colleges (all six community colleges and NCTA) and 5 private schools in Omaha
- Lowest-cost routes
- Paid apprenticeships; community colleges at $118 to $133 a credit hour with fees; SCC truck driving for an estimated $889 in tuition
- Short courses
- Phlebotomy in 48 to 120 hours ($850 to $925); nurse aide in 5 weeks ($350 plus books); CDL in 4 to 15 weeks
- Licensed trades
- The state licenses electricians, nurses, nurse aides, EMTs, cosmetologists, barbers and massage therapists and registers pharmacy technicians; cities license plumbers
- Statewide median pay
- Electricians $60,820; plumbers $60,970; line installers $92,150; truck drivers $58,390 (BLS 2025)
Facts checked October 2026 from each college’s published tuition and program pages and our Omaha school profiles.
Nebraska Trade Schools by Region
Every part of Nebraska has a community college, but the programs differ: aviation maintenance is in Sidney, line work in Beatrice, Norfolk and Alliance, veterinary technology in Curtis and Norfolk, and Omaha has the most short private courses. Pick the program first, then the campus.
Online options for Nebraska students
Nebraska’s community colleges teach several career programs online at in-state prices, and national online schools add more choices. Online study cannot replace the hands-on hours Nebraska requires for licensed trades. Each card shows what you can study online, what still happens in person and where to look. The linked profiles have prices and full details for the national schools.
Medical billing, coding and health information
- Online
- Northeast CC lists its Health Information Management Systems certificate, diploma and AAS online, and Western Nebraska CC its Health Information Technology program. Mid-Plains CC teaches medical administrative assistant online. National schools teach billing and coding online.
- In person
- Nothing required by Nebraska, which has no license for this work. None of the national online programs we profile requires an externship.
- Before you enroll
- Employers look for a national credential such as the AAPC CPC or NHA CBCS. The community colleges and Ultimate Medical Academy take federal aid; the other national schools sell payment plans.
Explore: Northeast CC · Western Nebraska CC · Mid-Plains CC · Penn Foster · U.S. Career Institute · Ultimate Medical Academy
Pharmacy technician
- Online
- The coursework. Southeast CC lists its pharmacy technician program for Lincoln or online.
- In person
- It depends on the program: some national schools require an externship at a pharmacy and one makes it optional. See the details below.
- Before you enroll
- Nebraska requires pharmacy technicians to be 18 or older and registered with DHHS before they start work, and to be certified by a board-approved body within a year of registering. Ask who arranges any externship.
Externship by program
- Penn Foster: required, at least 130 hours at a community pharmacy, placed by a coordinator
- Blackstone: required, 160 hours at a CVS or Walgreens near you, depending on availability
- WTI: its 2025-26 handbook lists a 200-hour externship at a site you arrange
- U.S. Career Institute: optional 80-hour Walgreens externship for eligible graduates
Explore: Southeast CC · Penn Foster · Blackstone · U.S. Career Institute · Fulton Homes (in-person exam prep, Omaha)
IT and cybersecurity
- Online
- Western Nebraska CC lists its Information Technology and Cybersecurity associate degrees online, and Mid-Plains CC its Information Technology programs.
- In person
- Nothing required; labs are done online.
- Before you enroll
- No state license is needed; employers look for industry certifications such as CompTIA. Ask whether the program prepares you for them.
Explore: Western Nebraska CC · Mid-Plains CC · Metropolitan CC (in Omaha)
HVAC
- Online
- Theory and EPA 608 exam prep.
- In person
- Penn Foster and USCI have no hands-on training, so you learn on the job. Pinnacle ends with a required 10-day, 80-hour boot camp in Kansas City, Missouri. Five Nebraska community colleges teach HVAC in person.
- Before you enroll
- Handling refrigerant needs federal EPA 608 certification. HVAC and plumbing work is licensed by cities, so check with your city’s building department.
Explore: Pinnacle Career Institute · Penn Foster · U.S. Career Institute · Metropolitan CC · Southeast CC · Central CC
Trades that need in-person training
- Electrician: a Nebraska journeyman license needs four years (8,000 hours) of electrical work. Metropolitan CC, Southeast CC (with the Lincoln Electrical JATC) and Northeast CC teach classes for apprentices.
- Cosmetology, barbering and massage: Nebraska requires 1,800 school hours for cosmetology and for barbering, 600 for esthetics, 300 for nails and 1,000 for massage therapy.
- Nurse aide and nursing: nurse aides need at least 75 hours of state-approved training and state exams, and nursing programs include clinical hours. Every community college teaches nursing.
- Shop trades: welding, diesel, automotive, construction, line work and aircraft maintenance are learned in a shop at the community colleges.
- CDL: federal rules require behind-the-wheel training. Southeast CC, Central CC, Northeast CC, Metropolitan CC and Roadmaster in Omaha teach it.
Nebraska Schools by Region
Each card is a short overview. Omaha schools link to their full profiles on this site; the community colleges link to their own sites. College prices are tuition and mandatory fees per credit hour unless noted.
Omaha metro
Metropolitan Community College teaches most trades and health programs in the Omaha area. Five private schools offer short, single-subject courses: nurse aide and other health certificates, dental assisting, phlebotomy, massage therapy and CDL. None of the private schools takes federal aid.
Metropolitan Community College
Omaha’s public community college, with 18,251 credit students in fall 2025. Trade training includes evening electrical and plumbing apprenticeship degrees that do not require an employer, HVAC, welding, ASE-accredited automotive, collision and diesel programs and CDL-A. Nursing runs from practical nursing to the RN, plus respiratory therapy, EMT and paramedicine.
- Length
- Nurse aide 94 hours; certificates to 2-year AAS degrees; apprenticeship degrees 4 years of evenings
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $72 per quarter credit hour for Nebraska residents, plus a $5 facility fee (2026-27); non-credit CDL-A $5,351
View school profile →Fulton Homes Education Center
Short in-person courses, most on weekends: nurse aide, medication aide, phlebotomy, EKG and pharmacy technician exam prep, plus a 6-month medical assistant program. Its nurse aide course is a Nebraska DHHS-approved training site.
- Length
- 40 to 120 clock hours; medical assistant about 6 months
- Accredited
- None
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: Nurse aide $350 plus $40 books; medication aide $320; phlebotomy $850; EKG $950; pharmacy technician prep $700 (October 2026)
View school profile →Dental Assistant Education Center
One program: a dental assisting certificate taught one evening or Saturday a week for 15 weeks, in classes of up to five, then a 225-hour clinic externship. The certificate is not a Nebraska dental assistant license on its own, and the school’s state license is listed to 30 June 2026 with approval marked pending, so confirm with the Nebraska Department of Education.
- Length
- 15 weeks of classes, then 225 externship hours
- Accredited
- None
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: $5,500 total, or $5,225 if paid in full (2026-27)
View school profile →Phlebotomy Training Specialists
A 48-hour in-person phlebotomy course of 12 four-hour modules with at least 30 blood draws, ending in a national certification exam included in the fee. The May 2026 day class took about three weeks.
- Length
- 48 hours, about 3 weeks
- Accredited
- None
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: $925 all-in for classes starting through December 2026; $995 from January 2027
View school profile →Universal College of Healing Arts
One advertised program: a 1,000-clock-hour massage therapy diploma over 12 months, mixing online coursework with 15 weekends on campus and preparing for the MBLEx and the Nebraska license. The school says it is no longer eligible for federal student aid.
- Length
- 12 months, 1,000 clock hours
- Accredited
- Not claimed
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: $9,000 paid in full, or $9,300 to $10,440 on payment plans (2026-27)
View school profile →Roadmaster Drivers School
A full-time Class A CDL course of about four weeks, taught in Omaha under the Roadmaster name since January 2022. Applicants need ELDT theory on the federal Training Provider Registry before they start. Partner carriers such as Werner offer tuition reimbursement paid monthly while employed.
- Length
- About 4 weeks, full time
- Accredited
- None
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: No Omaha price published; $7,495 plus fees in its Florida and California catalogs (2025-26)
View school profile →Lincoln and southeast Nebraska
Southeast Community College splits its programs by campus: Milford for most trades, Lincoln for welding and health care, and Beatrice for line work. Lincoln electrical apprentices take their classes at the Lincoln Electrical JATC Training Center through SCC.
Southeast Community College
Southeast Nebraska’s community college. Milford is the trades campus, with HVAC, plumbing, diesel, John Deere, collision repair, building construction and truck driving; Lincoln teaches welding and most health programs; Beatrice runs the utility lineworker degree. Its electrician apprenticeship degree is taught with the Lincoln Electrical JATC.
- Length
- Truck driving 10 weeks; diplomas 2 to 3 terms; AAS degrees 4 terms; electrician apprenticeship 4 years
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $105 a credit hour plus $22 in fees for Nebraska residents (2026-27); for example $3,810 for the plumbing diploma and $8,382 for the welding AAS
Visit the college’s site →Central Nebraska
Central Community College serves Grand Island, Hastings, Columbus and Kearney. Most shop programs are in Hastings, which has on-campus housing, as does Columbus.
Central Community College
Central Nebraska’s community college. Hastings is the main trades campus, with HVAC, diesel, automotive, auto body, construction, heavy equipment, truck driving and dental programs. Welding is taught in Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings, electrical in Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney, and nursing in Columbus, Grand Island and Kearney.
- Length
- Certificates of 1 semester; diplomas up to 1 year; AAS degrees 2 years; truck driving 240 hours
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $102 a credit hour plus $16 in fees, the same for residents and non-residents (2026-27)
Visit the college’s site →Northeast Nebraska
Northeast Community College teaches its trade and health programs in Norfolk, with welding and truck driving also in South Sioux City and nurse aide classes in O’Neill, South Sioux City and West Point.
Northeast Community College
Northeast Nebraska’s community college, with most trade programs in Norfolk: electrical construction and an electrician apprenticeship, HVAC, plumbing, utility line, wind energy, diesel, automotive, building construction and welding. It also teaches nursing, paramedic, physical therapist assistant and veterinary technology, and welding and truck driving in South Sioux City too.
- Length
- Short training and certificates; diplomas; 2-year AAS degrees
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $112 a credit hour plus $21 in fees for Nebraska and border-state residents (2026-27)
Visit the college’s site →Western Nebraska
Two community colleges cover western Nebraska: Mid-Plains in North Platte, McCook and four smaller towns, and Western Nebraska in the Panhandle. The University of Nebraska’s two-year agricultural college is in Curtis.
Mid-Plains Community College
West-central Nebraska’s community college. Its North Platte North Campus teaches auto body, automotive, building construction, diesel, electrical, HVAC and classic car restoration, and welding is taught there and in McCook. Health programs include practical and registered nursing, dental assisting, medical laboratory technician and paramedic.
- Length
- Certificates and diplomas; 2-year AAS degrees
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $114 a credit hour plus $16 in fees for Nebraska and border-state residents (2026-27)
Visit the college’s site →Western Nebraska Community College
The Panhandle’s community college. Scottsbluff teaches automotive, diesel, truck and heavy equipment, welding, EMS and paramedicine and surgical technology; Sidney runs an FAA-approved aviation maintenance program; Alliance runs powerline construction and maintenance. Practical and registered nursing are taught on all three campuses.
- Length
- Certificates and diplomas; 2-year associate degrees; aviation maintenance at least 1,900 clock hours; powerline about 15 months
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $111.50 a credit hour plus $18.50 in fees for Nebraska residents (2026-27)
Visit the college’s site →Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture
A small agricultural college with associate degrees and certificates in agribusiness, agronomy, livestock and equine management, agricultural mechanics and veterinary technology. Its veterinary technology program has been AVMA-accredited since the early 1970s, and ag mechanics students can earn AWS welding certification.
- Length
- Certificates and 2-year associate degrees
- Accredited
- Higher Learning Commission
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: $163 a credit hour for all students, resident or not, plus a $24 per-credit student fee (2026-27)
Visit the college’s site →Nebraska also has private cosmetology, barber and career schools we have not yet reviewed. Before you enroll at one, check that it is licensed by the Nebraska Department of Education or approved by the licensing board for your trade.
Costs and financial aid
Prices the schools published, with the year. College rates are tuition plus mandatory fees for Nebraska residents; the yearly figure is 30 credits at that rate and excludes program fees, books and tools.
| College | Nebraska residents | 30 credits | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central CC | $118 a credit hour | About $3,540 | 2026-27 |
| Southeast CC | $127 a credit hour | About $3,810 | 2026-27 |
| Mid-Plains CC | $130 a credit hour | About $3,900 | 2026-27 |
| Western Nebraska CC | $130 a credit hour | About $3,900 | 2026-27 |
| Northeast CC | $133 a credit hour | About $3,990 | 2026-27 |
| NCTA (Curtis) | $187 a credit hour ($163 tuition plus $24 fee), same for non-residents | About $5,610 | 2026-27 |
| Metropolitan CC (Omaha) | $72 per quarter credit hour plus a $5 facility fee | Depends on quarter credits taken | 2026-27 |
Short courses cost less: phlebotomy is $850 at Fulton Homes and $925 at Phlebotomy Training Specialists, a nurse aide course $350 plus books at Fulton Homes, and SCC estimates $889 in tuition for its 10-week truck driving certificate. Massage therapy at Universal College of Healing Arts costs $9,000 and dental assisting at Dental Assistant Education Center $5,500. Living costs are often the bigger expense: Central CC’s 2026-27 cost of attendance for a resident is $16,922 a year, including $3,540 in tuition and fees.
Sources: CCC, SCC, Mid-Plains, WNCC, Northeast, NCTA tuition pages; Omaha prices from our school profiles.
Paying for training
- Federal aid: all 7 public colleges on this page take Pell Grants and federal loans through the FAFSA. The five private Omaha schools do not.
- Nebraska Opportunity Grant: a state grant for Nebraska residents at Nebraska colleges, based on the FAFSA and awarded through your school.
- Community College Gap Assistance Program: pays tuition, books, fees, equipment and exam fees for short community college programs that Pell Grants do not cover, in fields such as health care, construction and transportation. You must be a Nebraska resident and U.S. citizen with family income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines.
- Apprenticeships and employers: apprentices are paid while they train. Roadmaster’s partner carriers, including Werner, repay tuition monthly while you drive for them.
- Veterans: check with the VA that your program is approved for the GI Bill before you enroll.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each trade works in Nebraska, where to train and which license you need. Pay is the Nebraska median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine).
Electrical and line work
The Nebraska State Electrical Division licenses electricians statewide. A journeyman electrician needs at least four years (8,000 hours) of verifiable electrical experience, and a two-year electrical associate degree counts for one of those years. The division registers apprentices with no exam, and a residential journeyman wireman needs three years.
- Length
- About 4 years of work for a journeyman license; a 2-year electrical degree counts for one year
- License
- Nebraska journeyman electrician or residential journeyman wireman, after an exam
Where to train:
- Metropolitan CC: a 4-year evening Electrical Apprenticeship AAS that does not require an employer
- Southeast CC: Electrician Construction apprenticeship with the Lincoln Electrical JATC, 720 classroom hours and 8,000 hours on the job over four years ($7,747 for the AAS)
- Central CC: Electrical Technology certificates to AAS in Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney; Northeast CC: Electrical Construction and Control AAS and an Electrician Apprenticeship in Norfolk; Mid-Plains CC: Electrical Technology in North Platte
- Line work: Southeast CC Utility Lineworker AAS in Beatrice, Northeast CC Utility Line AAS in Norfolk and Western Nebraska CC Powerline Construction and Maintenance in Alliance
Online option: None for the license hours; classroom work happens alongside paid work. See online options
If fewer than 4,000 of your hours were worked in Nebraska, the license is restricted and cannot be used for reciprocity in other states. Source: Nebraska State Electrical Division.
Plumbing, HVAC, welding and construction
Plumbing and HVAC licenses are issued by cities rather than the state: Omaha’s journeyman plumbing license, for example, needs four years of on-the-job training. Technicians who handle refrigerant need federal EPA 608 certification, and employers look for AWS welding certifications.
- Length
- 1 term (welding certificates) to 2 years (AAS degrees); plumbing apprenticeship degree 4 years of evenings
- License
- Local plumbing licenses; EPA 608 for refrigerant work
Where to train:
- Plumbing: Metropolitan CC (evening Plumbing Apprenticeship AAS), Southeast CC in Milford (Plumbing Technology diploma, 2 terms, $3,810; Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning AAS) and Northeast CC (Plumbing Technology diploma)
- HVAC: Metropolitan CC, Southeast CC (Milford), Central CC (Hastings), Northeast CC (Norfolk) and Mid-Plains CC (North Platte)
- Welding: at every community college, including Southeast CC in Lincoln, Central CC in Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings and Western Nebraska CC in Scottsbluff; NCTA teaches agricultural welding with AWS certification
- Construction: building construction at Southeast CC, Central CC, Northeast CC and Mid-Plains CC; heavy equipment at Central CC
Online option: HVAC theory and EPA 608 prep can be studied online; welding and plumbing cannot. See online options
Diesel, automotive, CDL and aviation
Nebraska does not license auto or diesel mechanics; employers look for ASE certification and manufacturer training. Truck drivers need a commercial driver’s license after federal entry-level training, and aircraft mechanics need the FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificates.
- Length
- CDL 4 to 15 weeks; certificates 1 term; AAS degrees 2 years; aviation maintenance at least 1,900 clock hours
- Nebraska median pay
- $59,140 diesel mechanics; $50,560 auto technicians; $58,390 truck drivers; $64,020 aircraft mechanics
- License
- Nebraska CDL; FAA mechanic certificates; none for auto or diesel work
Where to train:
- Diesel: Southeast CC in Milford (also John Deere programs), Central CC in Hastings, Northeast CC, Mid-Plains CC, Western Nebraska CC and Metropolitan CC
- Automotive and collision: Metropolitan CC (ASE-accredited), Southeast CC, Central CC, Northeast CC, Mid-Plains CC and Western Nebraska CC
- CDL: Southeast CC (10 weeks, Milford), Central CC (240 hours, Hastings), Northeast CC (Norfolk and South Sioux City), Metropolitan CC (8 to 15 weeks, $5,351 non-credit) and Roadmaster (about 4 weeks, Omaha)
- Aviation: Western Nebraska CC in Sidney, FAA-approved for airframe and powerplant exams
Online option: None we would recommend; these trades are learned in a shop or a truck. See online options
Nursing and healthcare
Nebraska nurses take the NCLEX after an approved program and are licensed by Nebraska DHHS. Nurse aides need at least 75 hours of state-approved training, one hour of abuse and neglect training and state exams to join the Nebraska nurse aide registry, and medication aides take a 40-hour course for the medication aide registry. Pharmacy technicians register with DHHS and must be certified within a year.
- Length
- Phlebotomy 48 to 120 hours; nurse aide 75 hours or more; practical nursing 2 terms; RN degrees about 2 years
- Nebraska median pay
- $84,730 RN; $62,660 LPN; $40,000 nursing assistants; $47,370 medical assistants; $46,660 dental assistants
- License
- NCLEX and a Nebraska nursing license; nurse aide and medication aide registries; pharmacy technician registration
Where to train:
- Omaha: Metropolitan CC (practical nursing, then the RN; respiratory therapy; medical assisting), Fulton Homes (nurse aide, medication aide, phlebotomy, EKG), Phlebotomy Training Specialists and Dental Assistant Education Center
- Lincoln and southeast: Southeast CC (practical nursing diploma $4,890; RN; dental assisting; radiologic, respiratory and surgical technology; medical assisting; pharmacy technician)
- Central: Central CC (nursing in Columbus, Grand Island and Kearney; dental assisting and dental hygiene in Hastings; medical assisting and pharmacy technician in Grand Island)
- Northeast and west: Northeast CC (nursing, physical therapist assistant, nurse aide in four towns), Mid-Plains CC (practical and registered nursing, dental assisting, medical lab technician) and Western Nebraska CC (nursing on all three campuses, surgical technology)
Online option: Health information and pharmacy technician coursework can be studied online; nursing and nurse aide training cannot. See online options
Dental assisting certificates are not a Nebraska dental assistant license on their own, and taking X-rays needs a state-approved radiography course. The Dental Assistant Education Center profile explains the rules.
EMT and paramedic
EMTs and paramedics are licensed by Nebraska DHHS after an approved course.
- Length
- EMT two quarters at Metropolitan CC; paramedic diplomas about 3 terms, AAS degrees about 2 years
- License
- Nebraska EMT or paramedic license
Where to train:
- Metropolitan CC: EMT over two quarters, then paramedicine for licensed Nebraska EMTs
- Southeast CC: paramedic diploma ($5,842) or AAS ($7,874) in Lincoln
- Central CC (Grand Island), Northeast CC (Norfolk), Mid-Plains CC (accelerated paramedic in McCook) and Western Nebraska CC (Scottsbluff)
Online option: None; EMT training needs hands-on skills and clinical time. See online options
Cosmetology, barbering and massage
Nebraska licenses beauty workers after school hours and an exam: under the Nebraska cosmetology statutes, 1,800 hours for a cosmetologist, 600 for an esthetician and 300 for a nail technician, at a school or an apprentice salon, licensed by Nebraska DHHS. The Nebraska Board of Barber Examiners requires 1,800 hours at an approved barber school. Massage therapists need 1,000 hours at an approved school, the MBLEx and a state jurisprudence exam, licensed by DHHS.
- Length
- 300 hours (nails) to 1,800 hours (cosmetology or barbering); massage 1,000 hours
- Nebraska median pay
- $34,320 hairdressers and cosmetologists; $39,090 barbers; $53,950 massage therapists
- License
- Nebraska cosmetologist, esthetician, nail technician, barber and massage therapist licenses
Where to train:
- Universal College of Healing Arts: 1,000-hour massage therapy diploma in Omaha, mostly weekends ($9,000)
- Cosmetology and barber schools: Nebraska has private schools we have not yet reviewed; the barber board lists approved barber schools on its site
Online option: None; Nebraska requires school hours. UCHA mixes online coursework with campus weekends. See online options
Veterinary, agriculture, IT and other careers
Veterinary technicians train in AVMA-accredited programs, which prepare for the national VTNE exam; IT and agricultural careers need no state license, and employers look for industry certifications.
- Length
- Certificates to 2-year associate degrees
- Nebraska median pay
- $43,680 veterinary technicians; $60,830 computer support specialists; $92,550 information security analysts
- Certification
- AVMA-accredited vet tech programs prepare for the national VTNE; IT certifications
Where to train:
- Veterinary technology: NCTA in Curtis (AVMA-accredited since the early 1970s) and Northeast CC in Norfolk
- Agriculture and ag mechanics: NCTA, Northeast CC and Central CC
- IT and cybersecurity: Metropolitan CC, Western Nebraska CC and Mid-Plains CC (both partly online)
Online option: IT and cybersecurity degrees are offered online by Western Nebraska CC and Mid-Plains CC. See online options
Frequently asked questions
What are the best trade schools in Nebraska?
Nebraska’s main trade schools are its six community colleges: Metropolitan in Omaha, Southeast in Lincoln, Milford and Beatrice, Central in Grand Island, Hastings and Columbus, Northeast in Norfolk, Mid-Plains in North Platte and McCook, and Western Nebraska in Scottsbluff, Sidney and Alliance. The best one depends on the trade: Milford and Hastings for most shop trades, Sidney for aircraft maintenance and Beatrice, Norfolk or Alliance for line work.
What trade schools are in Omaha?
Metropolitan Community College teaches electrical and plumbing apprenticeship degrees, HVAC, welding, automotive, diesel, CDL-A, nursing and EMT for $72 per quarter credit hour for residents in 2026-27. Private Omaha schools teach short courses: Fulton Homes (nurse aide, phlebotomy, EKG), Phlebotomy Training Specialists, Dental Assistant Education Center, Universal College of Healing Arts (massage) and Roadmaster Drivers School (CDL).
How much does trade school cost in Nebraska?
Nebraska’s community colleges charge residents $118 to $133 a credit hour with fees in 2026-27, about $3,500 to $4,000 for a full-time year of 30 credits. Short private courses cost from $320 (medication aide) and $850 to $925 (phlebotomy) to $9,000 for a massage therapy diploma.
What certifications can you earn at a Nebraska trade school?
It depends on the trade. Community colleges prepare you for the NCLEX (nursing), the Nebraska journeyman electrician exam after work experience, CDL tests, FAA airframe and powerplant exams, EPA 608 and AWS welding certifications. Short courses lead to the Nebraska nurse aide and medication aide registries and national phlebotomy, EKG and pharmacy technician exams.
How do you become an electrician in Nebraska?
Register as an apprentice with the Nebraska State Electrical Division, then work at least four years (8,000 hours) under a licensed electrician before taking the journeyman exam. A two-year electrical associate degree counts for one year. Metropolitan CC, Southeast CC with the Lincoln Electrical JATC and Northeast CC teach apprentice classes.
Can I go to trade school online in Nebraska?
For some careers, yes. Northeast CC and Western Nebraska CC teach health information programs online, Western Nebraska CC and Mid-Plains CC teach IT online, and national schools teach billing and coding, pharmacy technician and HVAC theory. Licensed trades such as electrician, cosmetology, nurse aide and nursing need hands-on hours in Nebraska.
Facts checked October 2026. Omaha school facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked; community college facts come from each college’s own program and tuition pages. Pay figures are Nebraska median annual wages from BLS 2025 data, via O*NET OnLine. Licensing requirements are from the Nebraska State Electrical Division, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Board of Barber Examiners and the FAA.