10 Best Trade Schools inSpokane, WA

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If you want to start a career without spending four years in post-secondary education, Spokane trade schools offer a variety of post-secondary programs that can be completed in less than two years.

These programs usually focus on hands-on training, and some combine online training with hands-on practice.

Many classes are offered in flexible formats, thus allowing students to keep a full-time job while completing training.

We invite you to read our list and choose the program that best meets your career aspirations, skills, and needs.


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1Northwest HVAC/R

About the School

Northwest HVAC/R is offering offers 900-hours of instruction and an internship.

Each of the topics included in the program is covered by theory and practical work.

The school promotes free enterprise, safe work environments, service installations, and journeyman recruiting.

To be eligible for admission, students have to meet the following requirements:

  • Have a valid driver’s license
  • Hold a high school diploma / GED
  • Pay a registration fee
  • Pass a criminal background check
  • Complete an application or contact the school for more information

The total cost of training is approximately $11,40o, which includes tuition, tool kit fee, books, school fees, and registration fee.

An average grade of 70% or higher per course is required for graduation and all fees must be paid in full.

Graduates receive a Certificate of Completion.

The Northwest HVAC/R Training Center is accredited by the Council of Occupational Education.

Courses Offered

The program includes classes in:

  • HVAC/R math
  • Boilers (Residential)
  • Cooling and Heat Pump Series
  • Gas service
  • Gas Codes and Installation
  • Boilers Residential
  • EPA Certification
  • System Design
  • And more

Contact Information


2Anvil Welding Instruction

About the School

Anvil Welding Instruction is offering classes for those who want to start a career in the welding profession.

Classes are designed for different experience levels: from beginner to pro.

According to the school’s website, their accelerated welding programs are 90% hands-on and cover instruction, techniques, technology, and safety practices.

The school offers an 8:1 student to teacher ratio.

Tuition varies depending on the class.

The GTAW Welding course costs between $1,400-$2,800.

Courses Offered

The following courses are available at the school:

  • Industrial Welding – a class that covers:
    • Shielded Metal Arc Welding
    • Flux Core Arc Welding
    • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
    • Gas Metal Arc Welding
    • Oxy/Acetylene cutting, brazing, and welding
  • TIG (GTAW) Welding – a course that can be completed in 2-4 weeks and covers:
    • Identification of tungsten electrodes and their use
    • Operating a foot control and tig torch
    • Matching the correct filler material with the base metal
    • Tig torch maintenance
  • Introduction to Welding
  • Welding Skill Builder
  • Level 1&2 Combination
  • Pipe Welding
  • Home & Hobby Welding

Contact Information


3NorthWest Phlebotomy School

NorthWest Phlebotomy School offers phlebotomy, EKG, or IV certification training classes.

Admission requirements vary depending on the class.

A high school diploma or GED is usually required.

Tuition for the EKG class is $675.

The IV Certification course costs $250 while the Phlebotomy class is $725.

The school also offers group training for medical students, nurses, EMTs, oral surgeon offices, and more.

Their curriculum is accredited by the National Registry of Allied Health Professionals.

Courses Offered

NorthWest Phlebotomy School is offering courses in:

  • Phlebotomy – a blend of lectures and labs that teach students a variety of venipuncture techniques.
  • IV Certification – a one-day, four-hour workshop that is available to students who have previous medical education.
  • EKG – a 10-hour program that prepares students for a career as an EKG technician
  • National Phlebotomy Certification Exam is offered online by NEAHP.

The Phlebotomy courses cover topics such as:

  • Blood Collection: Anatomy & Physiology, Performing Phlebotomy, and Special Consideration
  • Safety in the Field: Preventing Needlestick Injuries, Infection Control, Preventing Bloodborne Pathogen Transmission
  • Practical Exam: a one-on-one practical exam that takes place on the last day of class.

Contact Information


4Carrington College

About the School

Carrington College provides career training at its Spokane campus.

Most of the programs in its catalog can be completed in as few as nine months.

Carrington College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Courses Offered

The following courses are available in Spokane:

  • Medical Assisting- a program that prepares students that know how to take vital signs, how to prepare specimens for a lab test, and how to perform other tasks.
  • Dental Assistant – a program that teaches students how to sterilize equipment, take x-rays, keep records, and other useful skills
  • Pharmacy Technology- a program that prepares students for certificate and licensure exams
  • Health Studies – a program that leads to an Associate Degree and is designed for those who have previous training in a health-related field
  • Massage Therapy – the program prepares a student for the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.
  • Medical Billing and Coding- a curriculum that teaches students how to code health records, how to submit bills, and more.
  • Phlebotomy Technician – a program that prepares students for careers as phlebotomists in doctors’ offices, laboratories, hospitals, and blood donation centers.
  • Veterinary Assisting- helps students prepare for the duties they have to perform in a veterinary office or clinic.

Contact Information

  • Address: 10102 E. Knox Ave., Suite 200, Spokane WA 99206
  • Phone: (509) 378-3628
  • Website: https://carrington.edu

5Spokane Dental Assistant School

About the School

Spokane Dental Assistant School helps students become dental assistants in just nine weeks.

The school offers online and hybrid courses designed to prepare students for careers in dental offices.

Each week includes a series of pre-recorded lectures, online learning activities, and hands-on lab training.

The lab training sessions take place each Saturday while the lectures and online activities can be completed by the students during the week, at their own pace.

The tuition includes a set of scrubs, supplies, and materials.

A textbook will have to be purchased by the student separately.

Tuition for this class is $3,690 if paid in full.

The school also offers a 40-hour externship program that provides students with real-world experience.

Spokane Dental Assistant School is licensed and regulated by the Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.

Graduates receive a Certificate of completion and BLS Certification.

Courses Offered

The curriculum includes courses such as:

  • Sterilization and Infection Control
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Moisture Control
  • Radiology
  • Proper Oral Hygiene
  • Preventive Care
  • CPR, Pain Management
  • And more topics

Contact Information


6Therapeutic Connections School of Massage

About the School

Therapeutic Connections School of Massage is offering online and in-person training for massage therapists.

The school is located in Manito Park in a shared building with Ashtanga Yoga School.

Students have easy access from downtown Spokane off I-90.

The classes are taught by experienced instructors who are licensed as massage therapists.

Online training is mixed with in-person classes.

The program can be completed in 11 months.

The school also offers a student clinic where students provide massage therapy to people in the community.

Program graduates receive a diploma and are ready to take the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam.

After passing the exam, graduates become licensed massage therapists.

Courses Offered

The curriculum covers topics on:

  • Introduction to Massage Therapy
  • Musculoskeletal
  • Massage Lab
  • Practice and Theory Hands-on
  • Professional Development
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Student Massage Clinic
  • And more

The school also offers continuing education classes, such as:

  • Structural Release of the Low Back
  • Structural Release of the Abdominal Cavity & Psoas
  • Structural Release of the Posterior Pelvis
  • Structural Release of the Spine & Arms
  • And more

Contact Information


7Glendow Academy

About the School

Glendow Academy offers training for future beauty industry professionals since 1969.

The school has been nationally accredited by the National Accreditation Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences since 1970.

Total education costs vary between $4,600-$18,200, depending on the program.

Courses can be completed in 21-45 weeks by full-time students.

Part-time schedules are also available.

Courses Offered

The following courses are available:

  • Cosmetology – a 1,725-hour program that covers shampooing, brushing, chemical waving, hair coloring, safety, first aid, and more.
  • Manicuring – 600-hour program with classes on artificial nail application, repair and removal, manicuring, pedicuring, safety, and many other skills.
  • Esthetics – this 750-hour course covers topics on massages, masks, exfoliation, electrical or mechanical appliances, chemical compounds, sanitation, diseases and disorders of the skin, and more.
  • Master Esthetics – this 1,200-hour program can be completed in 40 weeks and includes a laser education course, as well as body sculpting, and tattoo removal, among other topics.
  • Instructor – this program is 600-hour long and is designed for those who are currently licensed in the subjects they want to teach

Contact Information

  • Address: 309 West Riverside, Spokane, Wash. 99201
  • Phone: 509-624-3244
  • Website: https://glendow.com

8Morgan-Jane Ironworkers Blacksmith School

About the School

Morgan-Jane Ironworkers Blacksmith School offers classes for those who want to learn the blacksmithing trade.

Classes are between 2-4 weeks in length.

Classes are available for different experience levels: from introductory to advanced blacksmithing classes.

Costs vary depending on the duration of the program.

A one-week class costs $5,300 while a four-week class is $9,900.

A one-day class of eight hours costs $300.

Classes include tools such as ribbon burners, forge body, anvil, hammers, hardy tools, and more.

Courses Offered

The classes included in each curriculum depend on the duration of the program.

The one and the two-week curriculum cover topics on:

  • Tools & equipment orientation
  • Maintenance
  • Basic forging techniques
  • Toolmaking
  • Metallurgy
  • Basic welding
  • Fire welding
  • And more

Advanced techniques, basic business setup, organic forge work, jig building, and additional classes are included in the three and four-week courses.

The programs can be modified to suit each student’s experience level and the topics in which they are interested.

If part of the equipment is not needed, this can be deducted from the program’s total cost.

Contact Information


9Horizon Medical Institute

About the School

Horizon Medical Institute is a private vocational school licensed by the Washington Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board.

Tuition costs vary depending on the program.

The total cost for the phlebotomy program is approximately $4,600.

A 52-week Medical Assistant program costs around $11,000, while the Surgical Tech class costs around $13,000.

The above costs include tuition, registration fees, textbooks, uniform, drug screen, background checks, test fees, license fee, CPR class, and TB skin tests.

Courses Offered

The following programs are available at Horizon:

  • Phlebotomy Technician – a 16-week program that covers anatomy & physiology, medical terminology, lab reports, specimen processing, safety standards, and many more topics.
  • IV Therapy Refresher Course
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
  • First Aid Training
  • Medical Assistant – a 52-week program with classes in patient care techniques, surgical procedures, patient assessment, patient education, vital signs, introduction to insurance and coding, first aid, CPR, injections, and many more.
  • Surgical Technologist Program – a 58-week program

The 16-week Phlebotomy Technician program includes a 120-hour externship.

The externship period is 320 hours for the Surgical Tech program and four weeks for the medical assisting program.

Contact Information


10Spokane Community College

About the School

Founded in 1963, Spokane Community College provides allied health, career technical programs, as well as transfer degrees.

The college offers more than 90 areas of study.

Spokane Community College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Applicants need a high school diploma or a certificate of educational competence.

Those who don’t meet these requirements but are over 18 may be granted provisional admission by the college vice president or their designee.

Courses offered

The college offers more than 90 areas of study.

Their catalog includes the programs in the following areas:

  • Culture, Arts and Ideas
  • Business and Office Professionals
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
  • Public Services
  • Hands-on and Building Trades
  • Healthcare
  • The Natural World
  • Food and Personal Services

The hands-on and building trades pathway offers courses in:

  • Architectural Technology
  • Automotive
  • Electronics
  • Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Welding and Fabrication
  • And many more

The Healthcare pathway offers classes in:

  • Dental Assisting
  • Echocardiography
  • EMT
  • Medical Assisting
  • Medical Office Support
  • Nursing
  • And many more

Contact Information


Salary Information for Popular Trade Careers

CareerEmployedAvg. Annual SalaryAvg. Hourly PayTop 10% Annual SalaryBottom 10% Annual Salary
Paralegals and Legal Assistants510$60,900$29.28$89,020$42,740
Medical Records Specialists380$51,300$24.66$69,310$36,760
Nursing Assistants2,500$38,640$18.58$45,940$32,500
Dental Assistants970$44,890$21.58$50,450$36,670
Medical Assistants1,530$44,510$21.4$55,060$37,340
Phlebotomists310$42,490$20.43$49,990$37,590
Electricians1,170$76,040$36.56$109,720$40,570
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters840$67,960$32.67$103,060$36,920
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics1,230$52,340$25.17$73,030$36,160
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers570$58,780$28.26$78,710$39,350
* Salary information based on the May 2022 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metropolitan statistical area, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Final Thoughts

From medical assisting to welding, many professions can be learned through career-ready programs offered at trade schools.

Now that you have read our list of top Spokane trade schools, we invite you to continue with your research before deciding where to apply.

Try to gather as much information as possible about all the relevant factors, including tuition costs, accreditation, schedule, and curriculum.


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