Trade school programs in Alabama
128 trade school programs in 18 fields of skilled trades, with costs, results and funding that can make them free
27 schools offer these programs, and Alabama has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 18 fields below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.
Trade school programs teach hands-on work with tools, machines and building systems. That runs from building work like carpentry, plumbing and electrical, through repairing cars, diesel trucks, heating and cooling systems and factory machinery, to welding, sheet metal, masonry, auto body repair, CNC machining, manufacturing and electronics work, solar and wind installation, water treatment, workplace safety, running heavy equipment and cranes, and inspecting homes. Most are certificates; some are two-year degrees or apprenticeships.
All job training programs in Alabama, every line of work
Accredited trade schools in Alabama, each school with its accreditor
Trade school programs by state, to compare Alabama with other states
Compare trade school programs in Alabama: cost, pay and results
Welding classes
37 programs at 18 schools
- Most cost
- $3,500 to $10,595
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $26,400
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 71%
Industrial maintenance technician training
16 programs at 11 schools
- Most cost
- $10,004 to $11,899
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $52,300
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 57%
HVAC training (heating and cooling)
14 programs at 8 schools
- Most cost
- $4,410 to $11,246
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $27,600
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 65%
Electrician training
8 programs at 7 schools
- Most cost
- $9,272 to $11,940
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $27,900
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 62%
Lineman school (power line work)
8 programs at 7 schools
- Most cost
- $4,150 to $5,175
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $46,400
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 89%
Manufacturing technician training
7 programs at 5 schools
- Most cost
- $1,252 to $11,306
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 82%
Auto mechanic classes
6 programs at 4 schools
- Most cost
- $10,594 to $12,852
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 83%
CNC machinist training
6 programs at 6 schools
- Most cost
- $6,109 to $12,065
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 50%
Diesel mechanic training
6 programs at 6 schools
- Most cost
- $8,420 to $11,826
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- 44%
Electronics technician training
6 programs at 6 schools
- Most cost
- $10,650 to $12,400
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- 59%
AutoCAD and drafting courses (computer-aided design)
3 programs at 3 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- Not enough data
Construction training programs
3 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not enough data
Carpentry classes
2 programs at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- Not enough data
Water treatment operator training (water and wastewater)
2 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Left out
- Finished
- Not enough data
Plumbing school
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not enough data
Heavy equipment operator training
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Auto body repair classes
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
OSHA safety training (workplace safety)
1 program at one school
- Most cost
- Left out
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not reported
- Working 6 months later
- Not reported
- Finished
- Not reported
Each figure is the middle program of that field. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools in Alabama may offer more. How these figures are made
Other job training in Alabama, by line of work
- Nursing and patient care programs87
- Medical certification programs78
- Allied health programs44
- Transportation and logistics training39
- IT certification programs22
- All job training in Alabama416
Programs approved in Alabama in each line of work.
Where the Alabama trade school numbers come from
Which Alabama programs are counted?
Programs Alabama approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) in the fields listed above. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).5 They come from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Alabama offers.
What the figures for each field mean
Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).
How reliable are the Alabama figures?
The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Alabama among the states with "known data quality concerns".6 We leave out the share working 6 months later for Alabama: its rates sit far below every other state's.
Sources for the funding facts about trade school programs in Alabama
Show the 6 sourcesHide the sources
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
- US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
- Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
- US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
- US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: search page, note on states with known data quality concerns