Ridge Technical College
Ridge Technical College in Winter Haven, FL, offers practical, skill-based training for various trades, including nursing, automotive, HVAC, and welding. The college emphasizes hands-on learning in programs designed to align with industry standards. Ridge Technical College connects students with potential employers through program advisory councils and job placement assistance.
Programs Analyzed
Avg Grad Earnings
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
Tuition (In-State)
All Programs at Ridge Technical College
6 trade programs at Ridge Tech, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size). Use the “compare” links to see how this school’s programs stack up against others nationally.
| Program | Score | Earnings | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Compare nationwide → Compare in FL → |
74 | $36,556/yr | — |
|
Vehicle Repair Technology
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies Compare nationwide → Compare in FL → |
66 | $33,118/yr | — |
|
Medical Assisting
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services Compare nationwide → Compare in FL → |
59 | $24,621/yr | — |
|
Welding & Metalworking
Precision Metal Working Compare nationwide → Compare in FL → |
53 | $25,228/yr | — |
|
HVAC Technology
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) Compare nationwide → Compare in FL → |
51 | $26,807/yr | — |
|
Cosmetology
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services Compare nationwide → Compare in FL → |
45 | $15,943/yr | — |
Reading the table: Score combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size on a 0–100 scale. Earnings = median first-year salary from College Scorecard. Debt = median federal debt at graduation (blank where Scorecard suppresses small samples). 10yr ROI = projected 10-year earnings ÷ in-state tuition. AI Risk reflects task-level AI exposure across mapped occupations. Job Market = annual openings nationwide for connected occupations.
More Trade Schools in Florida
Top-scored trade schools elsewhere in Florida, ranked by average TradeSchoolOutlook Score across their programs.
Apprenticeship Pathways in Florida
Earn-while-you-learn alternatives in Florida. Registered apprenticeships skip tuition and pay you during training, though training periods are typically longer.
Trade Schools Near Winter Haven
Other cities in Florida with multiple trade schools, sorted by distance from Winter Haven.
About This Data
TradeSchoolOutlook analyzes 6 trade and vocational programs at Ridge Technical College using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034).
The TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100) combines graduate earnings, return on investment, AI resilience, and job market size. AI Risk reflects task-level exposure for the occupations each program feeds into. Job Market shows the size of the national hiring pool. Programs without published debt figures had small reporting samples that the College Scorecard suppresses for privacy.