10 Best Trade Schools inLas Cruces, NM

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If you want to start a rewarding career in an in-demand field without spending four years in post-secondary education, our selection of the best trade schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico, is designed to give you an idea about the training options available in your region.

The programs included in our list are typically less than two years long and combine classroom education with hands-on training.

Our selection also includes apprenticeships that combine on-the-job training with classroom education.

The apprentice works under the supervision of a journeyman during the day and attends classes on weekends or evenings.

Although apprenticeships take up to five years to complete, you will receive a wage for the on-the-job training part.

This salary increases as you advance in your training.

We encourage you to explore all your options and decide what format best meets your learning style and career aspirations.



1Las Cruces Dental Assistant School

About the School

Las Cruces Dental Assistant School offers affiliate programs in partnership with its sister school, Zollege Dental Assistant Schools.

Founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, Zollege Career School offers hands-on, skills-based training programs designed to help students prepare for a future in healthcare.

The school offers accelerated programs in medical and dental assisting to teach students everything they need to know to be career-ready fast.

The programs are designed to fit into the student’s life.

Courses Offered

The following programs are available:

  • Dental Assisting- the program has served thousands of students through convenient weekend classes and a practical, hybrid training model that prepares students for a career in the dental field
  • Medical Assisting- a six-month medical assisting program that provides an accelerated path toward a career in the healthcare field.

Contact Information


2Pinnacle Institute

About the School

Pinnacle Institute provides a variety of cutting-edge training programs.

The institute’s goal is to provide educational pathways that meet the demands of both students and employers.

Courses Offered

The following programs are available at Pinnacle Institute:

  • Dental Assistant program
  • Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
  • Certified Phlebotomy Technician
  • Certified Pharmacy Technician
  • Certified EKG Technician
  • Continuing Education

The Dental Assistant program prepares students to:

  • Assist the dentist during oral care procedures
  • Easing patients’ anxieties
  • Teaching patients the skills to maintain and improve oral health
  • Fulfill administrative responsibilities

The program includes 13 weeks of clinical training.

The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant program covers:

  • Examination techniques
  • Surgical procedures
  • Medical law
  • Hands-on training
  • Read and record vital signs
  • Collect & prepare laboratory specimens
  • Authorize drug refills
  • Draw blood
  • Perform injections
  • And more

Contact Information


3Dona Ana Community College

About the School

Dona Ana Community College is the fourth-largest higher education institution in New Mexico.

The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Courses Offered

The college provides a variety of dual credit programs:

  • Aerospace Technology
  • Automotive Technology
  • Architecture, Drafting, and Design Technologies
  • Business Management
  • Computer and Information Technology
  • Culinary Arts
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Health Sciences
  • Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
  • Water Technology
  • Welding Technology
  • And more

Dual credit programs are also available to help students earn college and high school credit at the same time.

Approved dual credit courses are included in the following programs of study:

  • Aerospace Technology
  • Automation & Manufacturing Technology
  • Building Construction Technology & Environmental and Energy Technology
  • Business Management
  • Culinary Arts
  • Health Information Technology
  • Health Sciences
  • And more

Contact Information


4New Mexico State

About the School

New Mexico State offers more than 180 degree programs.

The programs are designed to help students shape their future and advance their personal and professional goals at NMSU.

The college’s main campus is located in Las Cruces.

Tuition and fees for resident students sum up to $8,458 if they take 15 or more credits per semester.

New Mexico State is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Courses Offered

The following programs are available at the school:

  • Accounting
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Conservation Ecology
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Food Science and Technology
  • Information Systems- program available on-campus and online
  • Public Health- a program available on-campus and online
  • And more

Contact Information

  • Address: PO BOX 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (Mailing Address)
  • Phone: 575-646-3121 | 800-662-6678
  • Website: https://nmsu.edu

5Olympian Academy of Cosmetology

About the School

Olympian Academy of Cosmetology offers day and night programs designed to prepare students for careers as cosmetologists.

Part-time and full-time schedules are available.

Courses Offered

The following programs are available at the academy:

  • Cosmetology
  • Barber
  • Manicuring/Nails
  • A/Esthetics
  • Hair Styling
  • Instructor

The Cosmetology program aims to train students in the basic manipulative skills, safety judgment, proper work habits, and desirable attitudes necessary to pass the State Board exam and qualify for employment in entry-level positions in Cosmetology or a related career field.

The program has 1,600 hours.

The Manicuring program includes 600 hours and teaches an intensive course that includes nail theory, state law, sanitation and sterilization, infectious diseases, ethics, manicuring, pedicuring, and more.

Contact Information


6Massage Therapy Training Institute

The Massage Therapy Training Institute prepares future healthcare professionals.

Courses Offered

The institute provides the following programs:

  • Massage Therapy
  • Advanced Sports & Medical Massage Certification

The Massage Therapy program prepares students for a career as Massage Therapists in as little as six months.

The medical massage program offers a broad and flexible education.

Graduates prepare for work in spas, resorts, or health care and sports environments.

Students graduate after completing assessment, treatment, and charting on 120 clients under the supervision of an instructor.

The Advanced Sports & Medical Massage program teaches students how to work with athletes at the amateur or professional level.

The program offers hands-on experience in hospitals and medical facilities.

Certified Medical Massage Therapists have training in pathologies, pharmacology, acute and chronic conditions, pre and post-operative care, palliative, hospice, and end-stage care.

Contact Information


7Prime Time CDL

About the School

Prime Time CDL helps drivers complete their CLD training and get their CDL license.

According to the school’s website, this process is faster than any CDL school near you in all of Texas and New Mexico.

The comprehensive program available at the school is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed as a commercial truck driver.

The instructor team consists of both English and Spanish-speaking instructors.

The school offers hands-on truck driver training to help students acquire the skills and knowledge they need to pass their CDL exam with flying colors.

The programs are flexible and can be tailored to meet student’s specific needs and goals, whether they’re just starting out or looking to advance their careers.

Trainees learn a variety of skills, including:

  • Learn how to do a well-controlled emergency stop while being in full control
  • Manual or automatic transmissions
  • Learn how to double clutch properly
  • Learn to make turns, follow road regulations, control the truck in case of an emergency
  • And more

Contact Information


8Real Estate Institute Las Cruces

Real Estate Institute Las Cruces offers training programs for aspiring associate brokers and seasoned professionals alike who want to complete the real estate courses required in the state of New Mexico in a friendly and professional environment.

Courses Offered

The institute offers pre-licensing and continuing education programs.

The pre-licensing courses for New Mexico real estate associate brokers include a total of 90 mandatory prelicensing courses:

  • 30 hours of Real Estate Law
  • 30 hours of Real Estate Principles and Practice
  • 30 hours of Broker Basics

In order to become an associate broker in the state of New Mexico you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be 18 years of age or older and a legal United States resident
  • Complete 90 hours of real estate prelicensing courses
  • Obtain a passing score of at least 75 on the Examination and obtain it within 90 days of your first attempt.
  • Submitting appropriate fees, course completion certificates, and fingerprints

Contact Information


9Southern New Mexico Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc.

About the School

Southern New Mexico Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. offers benefits such as apprentice training, leadership development, advice on running your business, and the support of a nationwide network of professionals.

IEC offers a federally recognized electrical apprenticeship program in over 50 chapters across the United States.

The program consists of a minimum of 576 hours of classroom instruction and 8,000 hours of documented on-the-job training with an electrical contracting company.

Trainees get paid while they learn.

IEC’s program is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.

While finishing the four-year training program, students qualify for 46 college credits through the American Council on Education.

Contact Information


10Frost Aviation Services

Frost Aviation Services offers affordable rates, great aircraft, and excellent flight instructors.

Courses Offered

The school offers the following programs:

  • Flight Instructor- $50 per hour
  • Ground Instruction- $50 per hour
  • Instrument Instruction- $55 per hour and $55 per hour for ground instruction
  • And more

The school has aircraft that includes:

  • Piper PA-28-181
  • Piper Pilot 1001
  • PiperPA-28-181
  • And more

Contact Information

  • Address: Las Cruces International Airport 740 Leonard Bryan Aly, Las Cruces NM
  • Phone: (575) 521-8000
  • Website: https://frostaviation.com

Final Thoughts

If you want to start a career in a rewarding profession without spending four years in post-secondary education, the schools included in our list can help you become employment-ready fast.

Now that you have read our list, it’s time to continue the research and apply for the program that best meets your learning style and schedule.


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