Utah’s main route into a trade is its eight public technical colleges, such as Davis Tech, Mountainland and Dixie Tech, which teach welding, HVAC, CDL, automotive, practical nursing and apprenticeship classes for $95 to $125 a credit hour, with no tuition for high school students. Snow College, Salt Lake Community College and Utah Valley University add degrees, union apprenticeships pay electricians and pipe trades workers while they train, and private colleges in the Salt Lake Valley teach nursing and health programs. This page sorts the 20 Utah schools we profile by region, links every public technical college, compares costs and explains how Utah licenses each trade.
Utah at a glance
- Schools on this page
- 20 profiled schools, including 3 public technical colleges, Snow College and UVU, plus links to the other public technical colleges and community colleges
- City guide
- Salt Lake City (13 schools in the Salt Lake Valley, plus nearby public colleges)
- Help with tuition
- The state’s Technical Education Scholarship for high-demand programs at technical colleges and community colleges; no tuition for high school students at the technical colleges
- Short programs
- Phlebotomy in 3 days (Oquirrh Mountain) or 6 weeks (Utah School of Phlebotomy); Class A CDL in 4 to 7 weeks (MTECH); EMT in about 9 weeks (EMT Utah)
- Licensed trades
- Electricians and plumbers (apprentice, journeyman and master licenses); HVAC and other contractors; cosmetology 1,250 hours; nursing after the NCLEX
- Statewide median pay
- Electricians $62,000; plumbers and pipefitters $61,900; HVAC mechanics $58,730; welders $58,380; LPNs $63,230; registered nurses $84,600 (BLS 2025)
Facts checked October 2026 from our school profiles, the Utah System of Higher Education and the Utah Division of Professional Licensing.
Utah Trade Schools by Region
Pick a region. Schools are grouped by area, not ranked; each profiled school links to a full profile with programs, outcomes and sources. In every region, the local public technical college is usually the lowest-cost place to start.
Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake Valley
Most of Utah’s private schools are in the Salt Lake Valley: nursing colleges in Murray, Sandy and Draper, Fortis and Charter for health and HVAC programs, short phlebotomy and EMT courses, and SAGE for CDL. It is also home to the state’s union apprenticeships for electricians (West Jordan) and plumbers, pipefitters and HVAC workers (Salt Lake City), and UPHCA Academy’s classes for apprentice plumbers. Salt Lake Community College and Tooele Technical College are the public options.
The 13 profiled schools on the Salt Lake City page
- Arizona College of Nursing · BSN nursing college (Murray)
- Charter College · medical assisting, HVAC/R, imaging and respiratory therapy (Sandy)
- Eagle Gate College · nursing and medical assisting (Murray, Layton)
- EMT Utah · EMT and Advanced EMT courses
- Fortis College Salt Lake City · nursing, dental hygiene and HVAC-R
- Grand Canyon University (Accelerated BSN) · Accelerated BSN site (Sandy)
- Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences · nursing university (Draper)
- Oquirrh Mountain Phlebotomy School · phlebotomy, EKG and IV courses (Murray)
- SAGE Truck Driving School · CDL school
- UPHCA Academy · plumbing apprentice classes and HVACR (West Valley City)
- Utah Career Center · union plumbing, pipefitting and HVAC apprenticeships
- Utah Electrical Training Alliance · union electrical apprenticeship (West Jordan)
- Utah School of Phlebotomy · six-week phlebotomy course (Holladay)
Public colleges: Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake County); Tooele Technical College (Tooele).
High school students: Canyons Technical Education Center in Sandy is a free half-day career center for Canyons School District high school students, mostly juniors and seniors; adults cannot enroll. Its courses prepare for exams such as the Utah CNA test, NREMT and Utah cosmetology licensing, and programs are set to move to a new district center in Draper in August 2027.
Davis, Weber and Northern Utah
Davis Tech in Kaysville is the public technical college for Davis County, with a CDL range in Clearfield. Avalon Institute teaches cosmetology in Layton, where Eagle Gate College also has a nursing campus, and EMT Utah runs courses in Clearfield and Logan. Ogden-Weber Tech and Bridgerland Tech cover Weber County and Cache Valley.
Davis Technical College (Davis Tech)
Davis Tech awards certificates, not degrees, in 34 programs, nearly all taught at its Kaysville campus: practical nursing, surgical technology, dental and medical assisting, HVACR, welding, machining, automotive, diesel, cosmetology, culinary arts and IT. Electrical and plumbing apprenticeship classes run in the evenings for people already working in the trade. Practical Nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-PN at 97.66% on the first attempt in 2025.
- Length
- 2 months (nursing assistant, CDL) to 4 years (apprenticeship classes); most programs 10 to 17 months
- Accredited
- Council on Occupational Education; Practical Nursing ACEN
- Federal aid
- Yes, Pell Grants; no tuition for high school students
Cost: $95 a credit hour for all students (2026-27); the college estimates $2,733 (HVACR) to $4,142 (practical nursing) for a whole program, with fees and materials
View school profile →Avalon Institute
Avalon’s Utah campus teaches Cosmetology at 1,250 clock hours under its August 2026 catalog, down from 1,600, and a 1,200-hour Master Esthetics diploma. Utah’s Division of Professional Licensing approves the campus.
- Length
- Cosmetology 43 weeks by day or 68 by evening; Master Esthetics 65 weeks
- Accredited
- NACCAS, according to the school
- Federal aid
- The school posts federal aid disclosures; ask the campus about eligibility
Cost: Latest federal figures (2024-25): $17,650 tuition and fees for the older 1,600-hour cosmetology program; $14,700 tuition for Master Esthetics
View school profile →Public colleges: Davis Technical College (Kaysville; profiled); Ogden-Weber Technical College (Ogden); Bridgerland Technical College (Logan).
Provo, Orem and Utah County
Mountainland Technical College (MTECH) has five campuses in Utah County and one in Heber City, and Utah Valley University in Orem adds degrees, flight training and a police academy. Oquirrh Mountain, Utah School of Phlebotomy and EMT Utah also teach short courses in Orem.
Mountainland Technical College (MTECH)
MTECH awards certificates, not degrees, in 43 programs across Utah County and the Heber Valley: practical nursing, radiography, dental and medical assisting, welding, automotive, diesel, HVACR, CDL, cosmetology, culinary arts and IT, plus four-year electrical and plumbing apprenticeship classes. Its Practical Nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-PN at 100% on the first attempt in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Length
- 4 weeks (CDL) to 4 years (apprenticeships); most programs 2 to 22 months
- Accredited
- Council on Occupational Education; Practical Nursing ACEN
- Federal aid
- Yes, Pell Grants for eligible programs; no tuition for high school students
Cost: $125 a credit hour for all students (2026-27); program totals include CDL $1,820, HVACR $3,415, practical nursing $5,612 and welding $6,601
View school profile →Utah Valley University (UVU)
UVU teaches everything from short certificates to master’s degrees. Its career programs include an RN associate degree, CODA-accredited dental hygiene, respiratory therapy, FAA Part 141 flight training at the Provo Airport, a POST police academy, culinary arts and cybersecurity. It has no electrician, LPN or aircraft maintenance program. Fall 2025 enrollment was a record 48,670.
- Length
- Certificates (police academy, 20 credits) to 2-year associate and 4-year bachelor’s degrees
- Accredited
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Federal aid
- Yes; VA benefits accepted
Cost: $3,436.55 a semester in tuition and fees for Utah residents taking 12 to 18 credits; $9,788.55 for nonresidents (2026-27)
View school profile →Public colleges: Mountainland Technical College (Lehi and five more campuses; profiled); Utah Valley University (Orem; profiled).
Central Utah
Snow College is the public college for central Utah, with most technical programs at its Richfield campus and nursing in Richfield and Ephraim.
Snow College
Snow College serves central Utah. Most of its technical certificates are taught at the Richfield campus, competency-based or face to face: CDL in 4 to 7 weeks, HVACR, welding, automotive, diesel, machining, cosmetology and nail technology. It also runs electrical apprenticeship classes, construction technology and an ACEN-accredited associate degree in nursing.
- Length
- 4 to 7 weeks (CDL) to 2 years (nursing and AAS degrees)
- Accredited
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; ASN ACEN
- Federal aid
- Yes
Cost: Technical courses $85 a credit; academic tuition $2,096 a semester for Utah residents taking 12 to 18 credits (2026-27); course fees extra
View school profile →St. George and Southern Utah
Dixie Tech in St. George teaches the trades and practical nursing for Washington County, and Southwest Technical College serves Cedar City and Iron County.
Dixie Technical College (Dixie Tech)
Southern Utah’s technical college teaches 29 certificate programs, most of them 12 months or less: practical nursing, pharmacy technician, HVACR, welding, automotive, collision repair, diesel, CDL and IT, with evening cohorts in many. Its electrical and plumbing apprenticeship classes (21 to 45 months) require a job in the trade. It is a different school from Utah Tech University, the former Dixie State.
- Length
- About 3 to 6 weeks (CDL) to 45 months (apprenticeship classes); most programs 12 months or less
- Accredited
- Council on Occupational Education; Practical Nursing ACEN
- Federal aid
- Yes, Pell Grants for eligible programs (not CDL, nursing assistant or the electrical and plumbing classes)
Cost: $105 a credit ($305 for CDL) for residents and non-residents (2026-27); with course fees, HVACR $4,112, practical nursing $5,335, welding $6,824
View school profile →Public colleges: Dixie Technical College (St. George; profiled); Southwest Technical College (Cedar City).
Eastern Utah and the Uintah Basin
We have not profiled a school in eastern Utah yet. USU Eastern in Price and Blanding and Uintah Basin Technical College in Roosevelt are the public options for technical training.
Public colleges: USU Eastern (Price and Blanding); Uintah Basin Technical College (Roosevelt).
We have not yet profiled Utah’s other public technical colleges, Salt Lake Community College or most of its private beauty schools. Use the college links above, and check any private school’s state registration before you enroll.
How much trade school costs in Utah
These are prices the schools on this page published, with the date. Public technical colleges charge by the credit hour, with one rate for residents and non-residents; private schools charge by the program.
| Route | Example | Cost | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public technical college | Davis Tech; Dixie Tech; MTECH | $95, $105 and $125 a credit hour; whole programs about $2,000 to $7,000 with fees (for example HVACR $2,733 to $4,112) | 2026-27 |
| Public college | Snow College; UVU | Snow technical courses $85 a credit; UVU $3,436.55 a semester for residents (12 to 18 credits) | 2026-27 |
| Apprenticeship | Utah Career Center; UPHCA; UETA | $638 a semester course (UCC); $1,499 to $1,799 for plumbing level 1 (UPHCA); UETA tuition not published, while you earn from $24.11 an hour | Fall 2026; Oct 2026 |
| Career college | Fortis; Charter | HVAC-R $23,859 (Fortis) or $25,282 (Charter); medical assisting $22,787 to $24,656; respiratory therapy $48,530 (Charter) | 2026-27; 2026 |
| Nursing college | Joyce; Arizona College of Nursing | Joyce ASN $56,340; Arizona College of Nursing BSN $95,880 | Fall 2026; 2026-27 |
| Short courses | Phlebotomy schools; EMT Utah | Phlebotomy $495 to $594; EMT $1,299; Advanced EMT $1,499 | 2026 |
Books, tools, uniforms, course fees and exam fees are often extra. Ask any school for the total in writing before you sign. All school prices are from our school profiles.
Paying for training
- Technical Education Scholarship: the state’s main aid for trade students. It helps recent high school graduates and adults in designated high-demand programs at the eight public technical colleges and in the technical programs at Salt Lake Community College, Snow College and USU Eastern. It pays toward tuition, fees and books for up to three academic years; amounts depend on funding. File the FAFSA and ask the college’s financial aid office.
- High school students: the public technical colleges charge no tuition to high school students, and the First Credential Scholarship gives a one-time award toward tuition, fees and books to seniors who complete a First Credential through career and technical education, concurrent enrollment, a technical college or an apprenticeship.
- Opportunity Scholarship: for Utah high school graduates with a 3.3 GPA and an AP, IB or concurrent enrollment course in each of math, science and language arts, at degree-granting colleges such as SLCC, Snow and UVU (up to $800 a semester for four semesters for the class of 2026). Students who go to a technical college first can defer it.
- Federal aid: the public colleges and most private colleges on this page take Pell Grants through the FAFSA. Davis Tech and MTECH awarded no federal loans in 2023-24; EMT Utah, the phlebotomy schools and SAGE do not take federal aid, and UPHCA mentions none; the union apprenticeships pay you instead.
- Paid apprenticeships: union electrical apprentices at the Utah Electrical Training Alliance start at $24.11 an hour (June to November 2026), and pipe trades apprentices at Utah Career Center work 1,500 paid hours a year. The Utah Department of Workforce Services has a grant for apprentices who struggle with book and tuition costs.
- Veterans: SAGE’s Salt Lake City location is approved for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, UETA apprentices can use the GI Bill and UVU accepts VA benefits; ask any school whether your program is approved.
Trade pathways and licensing
How each trade works in Utah, where to train, what it pays and which license you need. Pay is the Utah median annual wage for all experience levels (BLS 2025, via O*NET OnLine).
Electrical
Utah licenses electricians at every level through Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL). You start with an apprentice electrician license, which your employer sponsors, and work under a licensed journeyman or master. A journeyman electrician license needs a four-year apprenticeship education program (576 classroom hours) plus 8,000 hours of supervised work, or 16,000 hours of work alone, and a written and a practical exam. A residential journeyman license takes two years in an approved training program or four years of experience, and a master license four more years as a journeyman.
- Length
- Four years of apprenticeship classes and 8,000 hours of paid work for journeyman; two years of training for residential journeyman
- Utah median pay
- $62,000 electricians
- License
- Apprentice license, then journeyman (576 classroom hours + 8,000 work hours) and master; electrical contractors must hold a master license
Where to train:
- Paid union apprenticeship: Utah Electrical Training Alliance (West Jordan; inside wireman and telecom).
- Apprenticeship classes while you work for a contractor: Davis Tech, MTECH, Dixie Tech and Snow College (all at public tuition), plus Salt Lake Community College.
A school certificate is not a license. Electrical and plumbing apprenticeship classes at the technical colleges and UPHCA require a job with a licensed contractor and an apprentice license first. Sources: Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) license pages; Utah Code 58-55-302; our school profiles.
Plumbing, HVAC and welding
Plumbers follow the same path: an apprentice plumber license, then a journeyman plumber license after 576 classroom hours and 8,000 hours of supervised work (or 16,000 hours) and a theory and a practical exam; a residential journeyman license takes three years as an apprentice. HVAC contractors need a state contractor license with two years of full-time paid HVAC experience and an exam, and technicians who handle refrigerants need federal EPA 608 certification. Welders need no state license.
- Length
- 9 to 18 months (HVACR and welding certificates) to four years (plumbing apprenticeship classes)
- License
- Apprentice license, then journeyman (576 classroom hours + 8,000 work hours) and master (plumbers); HVAC contractor license with 2 years’ experience
Where to train:
- Plumbing: Utah Career Center (paid union apprenticeship), UPHCA Academy (online classes with labs) and apprenticeship classes at Davis Tech, MTECH and Dixie Tech.
- HVAC: Davis Tech, MTECH, Dixie Tech, Snow College, Fortis, Charter, UPHCA Academy and the HVAC&R apprenticeship at Utah Career Center.
- Welding: Davis Tech, MTECH, Dixie Tech and Snow College; pipe welding in the Utah Career Center apprenticeship.
Fortis and Charter charge about $24,000 to $25,000 for HVAC programs that the public technical colleges teach for under $4,200. Sources: Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) license pages; Utah Code 58-55-302; our school profiles.
Truck driving, automotive and aviation
Utah has no license for auto technicians or welders; ASE and AWS certifications are the usual credentials. Truck drivers need a commercial driver’s license after federal entry-level driver training from a provider on the FMCSA registry, and pilots need FAA certificates.
- Length
- 4 to 7 weeks (Class A CDL) to 12 to 22 months (automotive and diesel certificates)
Where to train:
- Truck driving: MTECH (4 to 7 weeks, $1,820), Davis Tech (Clearfield), Dixie Tech, Snow College and SAGE (Salt Lake City).
- Automotive and diesel: Davis Tech, MTECH, Dixie Tech (including collision repair) and Snow College.
- Aviation: flight training at UVU (Provo Airport); Salt Lake Community College teaches aviation maintenance.
SAGE does not take federal aid and publishes no Utah price. Sources: our school profiles.
Nursing and healthcare
Nurses are licensed by Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) after the NCLEX. Utah’s public technical colleges teach practical nursing for a few thousand dollars, with first-time NCLEX-PN pass rates of 97.66% at Davis Tech (2025) and 100% at MTECH (2023 to 2025); private colleges teach RN degrees and BSNs at much higher prices. Check each program’s accreditation and recent pass rate before you apply.
- Length
- 3 days (phlebotomy) and about 9 weeks (EMT) to about a year (practical nursing), 2 years (ADN or ASN) and 3 years or more (BSN)
Where to train:
- Public: practical nursing at Davis Tech, MTECH and Dixie Tech; RN degrees at Snow College and UVU.
- Private nursing: Arizona College of Nursing, Eagle Gate, Joyce, GCU (Accelerated BSN) and Fortis.
- Assisting and imaging: Charter and Fortis (Salt Lake Valley), and MTECH’s radiography program.
- Short courses: Oquirrh Mountain and Utah School of Phlebotomy (phlebotomy), EMT Utah (EMT, Advanced EMT).
First-time NCLEX-RN results differ: GCU Sandy 100% (17 of 17), Eagle Gate 94.23%, Arizona College of Nursing 90.79% and Fortis 84.78% (all 2025). The short phlebotomy and EMT courses are not accredited and take no federal aid. Sources: our school profiles.
Cosmetology, barbering and esthetics
A 2026 law rewrote Utah’s beauty licenses (Utah’s cosmetology law). A cosmetology license now takes 1,250 hours of training, a master esthetics license 1,200 hours, a master hair design or master barbering license 1,000 hours and a nail technology license 300 hours. Shorter permits cover barbering (130 hours), haircutting (150) and basic esthetics (200). Students who started a 1,600-hour program by 1 January 2026 can still finish for the older cosmetology/barbering license.
- Length
- 300 hours (nail technology) to 1,250 hours (cosmetology); master esthetics 1,200 hours
- Utah median pay
- $35,140 hairstylists and cosmetologists
- License
- Utah license after the required hours and exams; permits for barbering, haircutting and basic esthetics
Where to train:
- Cosmetology and master esthetics: Avalon Institute (Layton) and Davis Tech.
- Cosmetology at public tuition: MTECH (1,250 hours; master hair design and master barber at Heber Valley) and Snow College (cosmetology and nail technology).
Massage therapists need a massage school that meets DOPL standards, or a 1,000-hour apprenticeship, and the MBLEx; no school on this page teaches massage. Sources: Utah’s cosmetology law (sections 58-11a-302.10 to 302.26); our school profiles.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best trade schools in Utah?
It depends on the trade and where you live. For most skilled trades and practical nursing, start with your area’s public technical college, such as Davis Tech, Mountainland (MTECH) or Dixie Tech, the lowest-cost option, or Snow College in central Utah. Electricians and pipe trades workers can earn while they learn in the union apprenticeships in the Salt Lake Valley. We list schools by region, not by rank.
How much does trade school cost in Utah?
Public technical colleges are the cheapest route: tuition is $95 a credit hour at Davis Tech, $105 at Dixie Tech and $125 at Mountainland in 2026-27, one rate for residents and non-residents, so most certificates cost about $2,000 to $7,000 with fees. Snow College charges $85 a credit for technical courses. Private programs cost far more: $22,787 to $25,282 for medical assisting or HVAC at Fortis and Charter, $56,340 for Joyce’s ASN and $95,880 for Arizona College of Nursing’s BSN. Short courses are cheap: phlebotomy from $495 and EMT from $1,299.
Is trade school free in Utah?
For high school students, often: Utah’s public technical colleges charge them no tuition, and the First Credential Scholarship helps seniors who finish a credential. Adults pay tuition, but the state’s Technical Education Scholarship can cover part of tuition, fees and books in high-demand programs, Pell Grants are available at the public colleges, and paid apprenticeships cost little while you earn a wage.
How do you become an electrician in Utah?
Get hired by an electrical contractor, who sponsors your apprentice electrician license, and enroll in an approved apprenticeship program: the union’s Utah Electrical Training Alliance (paid from $24.11 an hour) or the evening apprenticeship classes at a technical college such as Davis Tech, Mountainland or Dixie Tech. After four years, 576 classroom hours and 8,000 hours of supervised work, you take the journeyman written and practical exams from the Utah Division of Professional Licensing.
How many hours is cosmetology school in Utah?
Since a 2026 law, Utah requires 1,250 hours for a cosmetology license, 1,200 hours for master esthetics, 1,000 hours for master hair design or master barbering and 300 hours for nail technology. Avalon Institute in Layton teaches the 1,250-hour cosmetology program, and Davis Tech and Mountainland teach cosmetology at public tuition rates.
Where can I get CDL training in Utah?
Utah’s technical colleges teach Class A CDL at public prices: Mountainland in 4 to 7 weeks ($1,820), Davis Tech in about 2 months at its Clearfield range, Dixie Tech in about 6 weeks and Snow College in 4 to 7 weeks. Privately, SAGE in Salt Lake City teaches Class A in about 4 to 5 weeks full-time; it does not take federal aid but is approved for the GI Bill.
Facts checked October 2026. School facts come from each school’s profile on this site, where the original sources are linked; the public college list from the Utah System of Higher Education. Licensing rules are from the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) license pages and the Utah Code (sections 58-55-302 for construction trades, 58-11a-302 for beauty licenses and 58-47b-302 for massage), read November 2026, with scholarship details from the Utah System of Higher Education. Pay figures are Utah median annual wages from BLS 2025 data, via O*NET OnLine.