Long Island Colleges and Trade Schools

Last Updated June 18, 2020

Give your career goals a major boost.

Long Island colleges and career schools are ready to help you gain valuable skills for a new professional life in a reliable industry. With the market-driven programs they offer, you have a great opportunity to receive an education that's practical and fully aligned with the needs of today's economy.

After all, colleges on Long Island are part of a vibrant region in southeastern New York that attracts many innovative employers in prosperous and emerging industries. And it's impossible to overlook the region's charm, beauty, and lifestyle amenities. From the miles of sandy beaches to the many world-class dining establishments, Long Island has plenty to offer students in their free time, as well.

So consider what attending one of these vocational colleges or trade schools on Long Island might mean for your future. Look through their program options, or search for the ones being offered close to home by typing in your zip code right now!

5 Reliable Career Sectors on Long Island With Outstanding Job Outlooks

Featured Schools Near Long Island:

5 Reliable Career Sectors on Long Island With Outstanding Job Outlooks

Long Island is full of opportunity. No matter where you choose to live, work, or go to school in this region, you'll be near a spectacular number of potential employers and places to unwind or have fun. Plus, the communities are very diverse. Whether you reside in one of Nassau County's charming villages such as Garden City or one of Suffolk County's popular suburbs like Melville, you'll be among all kinds of fascinating and enthusiastic people.

In fact, depending on how you define Long Island geographically, you'll be one of over 2.8 million or 7.8 million residents, according to Census Bureau data.

And consider this: Many stats indicate that Long Island is a real place of prosperity. For instance, Nassau County's residents enjoy a per-capita income that is roughly 1.3 times higher than all New York residents as a whole. And the population of Suffolk County is expected to rise by 18 percent from 2005 to 2035. It all means that good job opportunities already exist and many more are likely to be added.

Here are five of the most promising job sectors:

1. Healthcare and Biomedical Technology

With over 8,000 doctors and 13 hospitals in Nassau County alone, Long Island is home to a very large and high-ranking health sector, according to the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (IDA). Plus, the New York State Department of Labor says that employment in the region's healthcare practitioner and technical support occupations is expected to grow by almost 24 percent between 2016 and 2026 to more than 117,900 workers. As well, employment in healthcare support occupations is expected to increase by almost 32 percent.

And the future prospects look great for many kinds of vocational options in this sector. For example, state labor department data shows that between 2016 and 2026, Long Island is expected to have the following average number of yearly openings in each of these health careers:

• Registered nurses—2,430
• Medical assistants—770
• Licensed practical nurses—610
• Medical and health services managers—530
• Pharmacy technicians—260
• Health information technicians and medical records specialists—130
• Diagnostic medical sonographers—90
• Cardiovascular technologists and technicians—60

2. Business, Financial, and Design Services

This broad sector includes a huge variety of possibilities. But to give you an idea of the scale of opportunity, consider these facts from the New York State Department of Labor:

• In 2016, about 62,090 Long Islanders were employed in the area of business and financial operations, and more than 251,240 worked as administrative and support professionals.
• From 2016 to 2026, 630 job openings are projected to become available each year for marketing and market research specialists on Long Island, as well as 2,470 openings for accounting, bookkeeping, and auditing clerks, and 220 openings for graphic designers.

3. Computer and Electronics Technology

In 2016, about 26,090 Long Islanders worked in computer and mathematical occupations, according to the state labor department. Collectively, about 2,130 job openings could be available each year between 2016 and 2026 for applications software developers, programmers, network administrators, systems analysts, and computer information systems managers.

4. Culinary Services

Long Islanders enjoy a high density of great restaurants, which prosper thanks in large part to tourism. With many popular beach towns and famous destinations like the Hamptons, visitors flock to Long Island and spend money in its many culinary establishments. It's a big reason why the state labor department says 1,760 openings are forecast to become available each year from 2016 to 2026 for restaurant cooks in the region.

5. Criminal Justice and Legal Support

Law enforcement has a strong presence on Long Island. For example, the Nassau County IDA points out that a 90,000-square-foot facility in the region is home to major offices of the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police.

And don't overlook the area of legal support. Between 2016 and 2026, 410 openings are anticipated to become available each year for Long Islanders with the skills to be paralegals or legal assistants. That's according to the New York State Department of Labor.