--- title: "Trade Schools in West Virginia: Tuition-Free Aid and Local Pay | CareerDirecting" description: "West Virginia's community and technical colleges, the WV Invests Grant, plumbing and EPA certifications, and an honest look at local pay. Free matching." url: https://careerdirecting.com/trade-schools/west-virginia/ updated: 2026-10-08 site: CareerDirecting --- West Virginia # Trade schools in West Virginia A tuition-free path at nine community and technical colleges, and honest talk about local pay. Free · No college required West Virginia built its community and technical college system around getting people into local jobs, and the WV Invests Grant can make an eligible certificate or associate program tuition-free. If you can train close to home and want to stay, this is one of the strongest setups in the country. - Nine community and technical colleges cover the state, with campuses near most towns. - WV Invests can cover tuition and required fees in eligible programs. - Be honest with yourself about local pay before you choose a trade. In short West Virginians can train at nine public community and technical colleges - including BridgeValley CTC near Charleston, Mountwest CTC in Huntington, and New River CTC in Beckley. The WV Invests Grant can cover tuition and required fees for eligible certificate and associate programs if you live in West Virginia and agree to stay two years afterward. Most programs take about one to two years. One honest note: pay for many trades here runs below the national median, so check local numbers. [Fill out the form](#wv-form) to hear from schools near you. State money**WV Invests Grant (tuition-free eligible programs)** Colleges**9 community and technical colleges** GED**No residency requirement to test** Watch out**Local pay can run below the national medianChecked against West Virginia higher-education and labor sources** Last updated September 30, 2026. Programs and aid rules change. Confirm with the school. **On this page** 1. [Where to train in West Virginia](#wv-where) 2. [What West Virginia will help pay](#wv-pay) 3. [The honest part: local pay](#wv-honest) 4. [Licensing and certification](#wv-license) 5. [Questions from West Virginia](#wv-faq) ## Where to train in West Virginia West Virginia has nine public community and technical colleges with about 20 satellite campuses, so training is usually close to home. These three serve the bigger population centers: Charleston ### BridgeValley Community and Technical College Campus in South Charleston (near Charleston) plus a Montgomery campus. It teaches engineering technology, electrical line worker, nursing and allied health, and hands-on technology programs, alongside certificate and short-term training. A main option for the Kanawha Valley. South CharlestonTech and healthcareCertificates too Beckley ### New River Community and Technical College Based in Beckley with several other campuses across southern West Virginia. It offers associate degrees and short certificates, with industrial maintenance and welding training that fits the region's energy and manufacturing employers. Southern WVIndustrial maintenanceWelding Huntington ### Mountwest Community and Technical College One of the state's nine colleges, serving the Huntington area. Part of the same state system, so the WV Invests Grant rules and transfer agreements apply the same way. Huntington areaWV Invests eligible The other colleges in the system - Blue Ridge, Eastern WV, Pierpont, Southern WV, WV Northern, and WVU Parkersburg - cover the rest of the state. We don't list every school and schools are not ranked. Tell us your ZIP code and what you want to do, and we'll match you with programs near you. ## What West Virginia will help pay ### West Virginia money for training WV Invests Grant A state grant that covers tuition and mandatory fees - and, at two-year colleges, approved program fees - for select certificate and associate-degree programs in high-demand fields. It works as a "last dollar" award, filling the gap after other grants and scholarships. Who qualifies You must be a West Virginia resident for at least a year, a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, a high school graduate or equivalency holder, and not already hold a bachelor's degree. You enroll in at least 6 credit hours and do two hours of community service each term. The obligation You agree to live in West Virginia for two years after you drop below part-time enrollment. Meet that, and the grant does not need to be repaid. How to apply Complete the FAFSA and the WV Invests Grant application every year. There's a priority deadline of April 15 for the coming academic year. Pell Grant Federal money for lower-income students, up to about $7,400 a year, not repaid. File the FAFSA at studentaid.gov - free. GI Bill For veterans, covers most schools, CDL programs, and apprenticeships. Sources: West Virginia Community and Technical College System and CFWV (WV Invests Grant); West Virginia Code §18C-9-5; Federal Student Aid. Amounts and rules change; confirm with the school's financial aid office. ## The honest part: local pay **Free training is only worth it if the job pays enough where you live.** Pay for many trades in West Virginia runs below the national median, even though the cost of living is also lower. Before you commit, ask the school what its graduates earn locally and check the federal wage data for that job in West Virginia. If travel or relocation is an option for you, some trades pay much more in other states. ## Licensing and certification Some trades in West Virginia require a state credential before you can work. Plumbers, for example, must hold one of three state certifications - Master, Journeyman, or Plumber-in-Training - and larger jobs also require a licensed contractor. As in other states, HVAC techs need the federal EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerant. Your school will build the right credentials into the program; ask what you'll graduate with. ## No GED yet? West Virginia's GED has four subjects, and there's no residency requirement to test here - though if you test in West Virginia, that's the state that issues your diploma. You'll need to pass the official practice test before registering, and your adult education instructor will help you schedule. Call the WV Adult Education Hotline at 800-642-2670 for classes and next steps, or see our [GED page](https://careerdirecting.com/ged/). ### Find West Virginia schools that fit you. Tell us what you want to do and where you are. Schools near you that teach it reach out. [Find schools near me](#wv-form) ## Questions from West Virginia ### Is WV Invests really tuition-free? For eligible programs, yes - it covers tuition and mandatory fees as a last-dollar grant after your other aid. You still have to qualify, apply, and agree to live in West Virginia for two years after you leave the program. Confirm with the college that your specific program is on the eligible list. ### Which programs does WV Invests cover? The West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education approves the list each year, giving priority to certificate and associate programs in high-demand fields like healthcare and information technology. Ask the college's financial aid office whether your program qualifies. ### I already have a college degree. Can I still get WV Invests? Generally no - the grant is limited to students who don't already hold a bachelor's degree, with a narrow exception for certain emergency-medical-services programs. Ask the college if your situation fits that exception. ### Can I train while keeping my job? Often yes. You need at least 6 credit hours a term for the grant, and many colleges offer evening and part-time options. It may take longer than the full-time schedule, but the grant still applies. ### What if I can't decide what to train for? Pick "Not sure yet" on the form. The community and technical colleges offer a wide range of programs, and reading two or three of our career pages will help you narrow it down before you commit. ## Nearby - [All states](https://careerdirecting.com/trade-schools/) - [Ohio](https://careerdirecting.com/trade-schools/ohio/) - [Kansas](https://careerdirecting.com/trade-schools/kansas/) - [All careers](https://careerdirecting.com/careers/) - [Paying for school](https://careerdirecting.com/paying-for-school/) - [Getting your GED](https://careerdirecting.com/ged/) --- Canonical page: https://careerdirecting.com/trade-schools/west-virginia/