In Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem, the main places to train for a trade are two large community colleges: Guilford Tech (GTCC) and Forsyth Tech, which teach electrical, HVAC, welding, automotive and aviation programs. Private options include a beauty school and a Spanish-language HVAC course center in Greensboro and ECPI’s nursing campus in High Point. This page compares the 4 schools we have profiled in the Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem (Triad) area, plus the public community colleges, with costs, aid and how licensing works in North Carolina.
Greensboro at a glance
- Schools listed
- 4 profiled schools in Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem (Forsyth Tech, a beauty school, an HVAC course center and ECPI), plus Guilford Technical Community College
- Short programs
- Weekend HVAC courses and H-3 contractor exam prep in Spanish (Capacitate); 300-hour manicurist and natural hair courses in about 12 weeks (Millennium Trade Academy); short continuing-education courses at Forsyth Tech and GTCC
- Federal aid at
- Every community college, and 2 of the 4 profiled schools on this page
- Licensed trades
- North Carolina licenses electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors after 1.5 to 4.5 years of experience, not journeymen; cosmetologists need 1,500 hours of training.
- Local median pay
- Electricians $58,380; plumbers $57,510; HVAC mechanics $58,520; licensed practical nurses $63,610 (Greensboro-High Point metro area, BLS 2025)
- More in North Carolina
- All North Carolina trade schools, including Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham
Facts checked October 2026. Sources are linked in each section and in each school’s profile.
Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem Trade Schools
Grouped by type, not ranked. Each profiled school links to a full profile with programs, outcomes and sources; community college cards without a profile link to the college and stay on the list whichever trade you pick, because we have not yet checked their programs trade by trade. Each trade’s pay, length and license are in Trades and licensing.
Community colleges (2)
Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC)
GTCC opened in 1958 and is the third-largest of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges, with more than 80 programs and about 30,000 students a year. Career programs include electrical systems, HVAC, welding, automotive (including Ford ASSET), diesel and heavy equipment, aviation systems technology and aviation manufacturing, cosmetology and nursing aide training. We have not profiled it yet, so check its program list.
- Length
- Short continuing-education courses to 2-year associate degrees
- Accredited
- The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC)
- Federal aid
- Yes, plus the Next NC Scholarship
Cost: $76 a credit for NC residents, capped at $1,216 a semester at 16 or more credits; $268 a credit for non-residents (2026-27 state rate), plus fees
Visit the website →Forsyth Tech
Forsyth Tech teaches more than 180 programs at eight sites in Forsyth and Stokes counties. Trades include welding (AWS-accredited), HVAC, electrical, plumbing and carpentry, automotive (with Toyota and Honda degrees), diesel, an FAA Part 147 aviation program and a lineworker course. It was the first North Carolina college approved for Workforce Pell, for short courses such as nurse aide, lineworker, EMT, fire academy and welding, and it teaches RN and LPN nursing, radiography, dental hygiene and massage.
- Length
- Short continuing-education courses (weeks) to 2-year associate degrees
- Accredited
- The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC), reaffirmed 2023
- Federal aid
- Yes, plus the Next NC Scholarship and Workforce Pell
Cost: $76 a credit for NC residents, capped at $1,216 a semester at 16 or more credits; $268 a credit for non-residents (2026-27 state rate), plus fees; about $138 a semester in fees full-time
View school profile →HVAC and beauty schools (2)
Capacitate HVAC
Capacitate teaches weekend HVAC courses in Spanish: heat pump, gas furnace and controls troubleshooting, an EPA 608 exam session and a two-day prep class for North Carolina’s H-3 HVAC contractor exam. It is not a full technician program, and several course pages still show 2025 dates, so confirm the next class before planning around it.
- Length
- 1 or 2 days per course, on weekends
- Accredited
- None
- Federal aid
- No
Cost: $525 for the November 2026 H-3 exam prep class; other prices not posted
View school profile →Millennium Trade Academy
Millennium Trade Academy trains students for four North Carolina license exams: cosmetology (1,500 hours, or 1,200 on the apprentice route), esthetics (600), manicuring (300) and natural hair care (300), plus instructor courses. Students practise on clients in the school’s own salon, and classes start on the first Tuesday of every month, with evening options for some courses.
- Length
- About 12 weeks (manicurist, natural hair, by day) to about 42 weeks (cosmetology, full time)
- Accredited
- MSA-CESS, according to the school
- Federal aid
- No federal aid listed (in-house payment plans)
Cost: $2,499 to $9,250 per license course, including a $499 non-refundable deposit, plus a kit (October 2026)
View school profile →Nursing and health care (1)
ECPI University
ECPI’s Triad campus moved from Greensboro to High Point. It teaches practical nursing (15 months) for the NCLEX-PN, medical assisting (15 months, ABHES) and cybersecurity and other technology degrees; it has no RN program, so for the ADN look at Charlotte or Raleigh.
- Length
- 15 months (practical nursing, medical assisting) to 2.5 years (bachelor’s)
- Accredited
- SACSCOC (now The Commission on Colleges and Universities)
- Federal aid
- Yes, plus GI Bill
Cost: Per semester (October 2026): $9,991 practical nursing, $8,088 medical assisting, $8,976 technology programs
View school profile →No profiled schools on this page match. Try another trade, or see all North Carolina trade schools.
Other community colleges in the Triad: Davidson-Davie Community College, Randolph Community College, Alamance Community College, Rockingham Community College, Surry Community College. For private trade schools and apprenticeships, see our Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham pages.
Strayer University has an advising campus here, but more than 95% of its students study fully online and it teaches no trade programs in North Carolina, so it is not listed as a school here. We have not yet profiled the Triad’s private trade, barber and truck-driving schools or its apprenticeships. Before you enroll at a private school, check that the NC Community College System’s Office of Proprietary Schools licenses it.
- A school certificate is not a license. North Carolina licenses electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors only after thousands of hours of work experience.
- Capacitate’s courses are short weekend classes in Spanish, not a technician program, and some course pages still show 2025 dates.
- Millennium Trade Academy takes no federal aid; its $499 deposit is non-refundable and kits cost extra.
- ECPI’s High Point campus teaches practical nursing but no RN program.
More in North Carolina: All North Carolina trade schools
Where to start, by goal
| Your goal | Schools to consider | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician | Electrical systems at GTCC and Forsyth Tech | Experience toward an NC electrical contractor license |
| HVAC technician | GTCC and Forsyth Tech; Capacitate HVAC (weekend courses and H-3 exam prep, in Spanish) | EPA 608; an NC heating contractor license with experience |
| Welder | Forsyth Tech (AWS-accredited, day or evening); GTCC | AWS or other code tests |
| Auto, diesel or aviation technician | Forsyth Tech (Toyota and Honda degrees, FAA Part 147 aviation); GTCC (Ford ASSET, aviation systems) | ASE certification or the FAA A&P |
| Lineworker | Forsyth Tech (two 11-week terms, Workforce Pell eligible) | Entry-level line work |
| Nurse (RN or LPN) | Forsyth Tech (RN and LPN); ECPI (practical nursing, High Point) | NCLEX and an NC nursing license |
| Cosmetologist or nail tech | Millennium Trade Academy (1,500, 600 or 300 hours); GTCC and Forsyth Tech | NC cosmetic art license |
These match goals to published program features. They are not rankings. The community colleges teach many of these programs too; check each college’s list.
How much trade school costs in Greensboro
These are the prices each school published, with the date. Community colleges charge the same state rate per credit; most private schools charge one price per program or per semester.
| Route | Example | Cost | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community colleges | GTCC; Forsyth Tech | $76 a credit for NC residents, up to $1,216 a semester; Forsyth Tech fees about $138 a semester full-time; lineworker $381 a term | 2026-27 |
| Beauty school | Millennium Trade Academy | $9,250 (cosmetology), $5,999 (esthetics), $2,499 (manicurist or natural hair), plus a kit | October 2026 |
| HVAC courses | Capacitate HVAC | $525 for the 2-day H-3 contractor exam prep class | November 2026 class |
| Health care | ECPI (High Point) | $9,991 a semester for practical nursing; $8,088 for medical assisting | October 2026 |
Ask any school for the current total, including books, tools, kits and exam fees, in writing before you sign. Prices are from our school profiles.
Paying for training
- Federal aid: every community college and 2 of the 4 profiled schools on this page take Pell Grants and federal loans through the FAFSA. Capacitate and Millennium Trade Academy do not take federal aid; Millennium offers in-house payment plans.
- Next NC Scholarship: North Carolina residents from households with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less who are Pell-eligible get at least $3,000 a year at a community college (at least $5,000 at a UNC System university), enough to cover tuition and fees at most community colleges. You need to take at least 6 credits a semester for a full award; filing the FAFSA is the application, and colleges set priority dates (August 15 at some).
- Community college tuition: all 58 colleges charge the same state rate, $76 a credit for residents, capped at $1,216 a semester (2026-27). High-school students in Career and College Promise pay no tuition for college courses, and short continuing-education courses charge a flat registration fee instead.
- Workforce Pell: federal Pell Grants now cover some short job-training courses. Forsyth Tech was the first North Carolina college approved, for courses such as nurse aide, electrical lineworker, EMT, fire academy and welding.
- Workforce funding: local workforce boards can pay for some short training through WIOA, and carriers reimburse tuition for some truck-driving graduates. Ask the school which funding it accepts.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each trade works in North Carolina, how long training takes, what it pays and which license you need. Pay is the Greensboro-High Point metro area median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine).
Electrical and lineworker
North Carolina licenses electrical contractors, not journeyman electricians. Electricians work under a firm that holds a license from the NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors. To sit the contractor exam you need 3,000 hours of experience for a Limited license (projects up to $60,000), 5,750 for Intermediate (up to $150,000) or 9,000 for Unlimited, most of it as primary (hands-on) experience; toward the rest, school electrical courses count at half their hours and registered-apprenticeship time in full. Most electricians start as apprentices or helpers.
- Length
- Two 11-week terms (Forsyth Tech lineworker) to 2 years (degrees), then years of work
Step-by-step guide: How to become an electrician in North Carolina
Schools on this page: Electrical systems at GTCC and Forsyth Tech, which also runs an electrical lineworker course.
Sources: NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors and 21 NCAC 18B .0201; NC plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler board; NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners; our school profiles.
HVAC, plumbing and welding
Plumbing and HVAC contractors are licensed by the NC plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler board. The plumbing and Heating Group 1, 2 and 3 contractor exams need 2 years (4,000 hours) of full-time experience, and up to half can be technical training in the field; technician licenses need 3,000 hours (Class I) or 2,500 (Class II). HVAC technicians also need EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerants. Welders need no state license; employers test them to AWS or other codes.
- Length
- Weekend courses (Capacitate) to 2 years (degrees)
Step-by-step guides: HVAC schools in North Carolina · How to become a plumber in North Carolina · How to become a welder in North Carolina
Schools on this page: HVAC, plumbing and carpentry at Forsyth Tech; HVAC and welding at GTCC; welding (AWS-accredited) at Forsyth Tech; weekend HVAC courses and H-3 exam prep in Spanish at Capacitate HVAC.
Sources: NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors and 21 NCAC 18B .0201; NC plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler board; NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners; our school profiles.
Automotive and aviation
North Carolina has no license for auto technicians; ASE certification is the usual credential. Truck drivers need a commercial driver’s license from the NC DMV after federal entry-level driver training from a provider on the FMCSA registry, and aircraft mechanics need the FAA’s A&P certificate.
- Length
- About 2 years (degrees); CDL courses are shorter
Schools on this page: Automotive, diesel, collision repair and aviation at Forsyth Tech (FAA Part 147); Ford ASSET, diesel and aviation systems at GTCC.
Sources: our school profiles and GTCC’s program list.
Nursing and health care
Nurses are licensed by the NC Board of Nursing after the NCLEX. Practical nursing programs often require a listing on the NC Nurse Aide I Registry first. Check each program’s board approval, accreditation and pass rates before you apply; medical assistants usually earn national certification such as the CMA.
- Length
- 6 to 8 weeks (nurse aide) to 2 years (RN degree)
Step-by-step guide: How to become an EKG tech in North Carolina
Schools on this page: RN and LPN nursing, medical assisting, radiography and dental hygiene at Forsyth Tech; practical nursing and medical assisting at ECPI (High Point); nurse aide training at GTCC.
Sources: our school profiles.
Cosmetology
The NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners licenses cosmetologists after 1,500 hours of training (1,200 on the apprentice route), estheticians after 600, and manicurists and natural hair care specialists after 300, plus a state exam. Barbers are licensed by a separate barber board, so a cosmetology course is not barber training.
- Length
- About 12 weeks (manicurist) to about 42 weeks (cosmetology, full time)
- Local median pay
- $37,620 hairstylists and cosmetologists
Schools on this page: Millennium Trade Academy (Greensboro); cosmetology at GTCC; massage at Forsyth Tech.
Sources: NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors and 21 NCAC 18B .0201; NC plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler board; NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners; our school profiles.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best trade schools in Greensboro, NC?
For most trades, Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) and Forsyth Tech in Winston-Salem are the main choices, with electrical, HVAC, welding, automotive and aviation programs at $76 a credit for NC residents. Millennium Trade Academy teaches cosmetology and nail courses in Greensboro. We list schools by type, not by rank.
How much does trade school cost in Greensboro?
GTCC and Forsyth Tech charge NC residents $76 a credit, capped at $1,216 a semester (2026-27), and the Next NC Scholarship covers at least $3,000 a year for eligible students. Millennium Trade Academy charges $2,499 to $9,250 per license course, plus a kit.
Can I train for HVAC in Greensboro?
Yes. GTCC and Forsyth Tech teach HVAC programs, and Capacitate HVAC runs weekend troubleshooting courses, an EPA 608 exam session and H-3 contractor exam prep in Spanish. North Carolina’s heating contractor exams need two years of experience, up to half of which can be training.
How long is cosmetology school in North Carolina?
North Carolina requires 1,500 hours of training for a cosmetology license (1,200 on the apprentice route), 600 for esthetics and 300 for manicuring or natural hair care. At Millennium Trade Academy, cosmetology takes about 42 weeks full time.
Facts checked October 2026. School facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked; community college facts are from the colleges’ own sites. Licensing rules are from the NC electrical contractors board (21 NCAC 18B), the NC plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler board and the NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners; the Next NC Scholarship rules are from CFNC. Pay figures are local median annual wages from BLS 2025 data, via O*NET OnLine.