What The Peterson School does

The Peterson School is a private, for-profit vocational trade school founded in 1946 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts. It prepares individuals for state-issued trade licenses across 14 disciplines, including electrical (Basic, Journeyman, Master), plumbing (Basic through Master Prep), HVACR (refrigeration, controls, sheet metal tiers I-IV), oil and gas heat, firemen/engineers, fire alarm systems, hoisting (2A/1C, 1B), facilities maintenance, locksmithing, construction supervisor, OSHA safety, and wastewater treatment. Programs combine classroom theory with hands-on laboratory training approved by the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure, with select courses additionally approved by the Department of Fire Services and the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards.

The business model is tuition-based and direct-to-consumer. Students register online, by phone, or in person and pay one-time fees ranging from roughly $135 for short courses (6-15 hours) up to $8,800 for premium full-time combo programs, with interest-free weekly payment plans available and no federal financial aid participation. Distribution is multi-modal: five Massachusetts campuses (Woburn, Westwood, Worcester, and satellite classrooms in Haverhill and Dartmouth), live Zoom courses, correspondence programs, and off-site corporate training delivered at employer facilities. Continuing-education (CE) courses that satisfy license renewal mandates are a recurring revenue layer on top of initial license-prep programs, while supporting services include a graduate job board and multiple named scholarships aimed at high-school-age entrants.

The school's primary customers are individual students seeking initial licensure, licensed tradespeople satisfying CE requirements, and a smaller segment of employer groups commissioning on-site training. Named employer demand signals (Boston Medical Center, MIT, Phillips Academy, Symmons Industries, Sturdy Health, etc.) are evidence of downstream hiring pull for graduates rather than direct B2B revenue concentration. Marketing is conducted through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, an email newsletter, website content, and high-school career fairs. The school is independently owned, with no disclosed venture or private equity backing, and operates with 51-100 employees.

Name

The Peterson School

Legal name

The Peterson School

Website

https://petersonschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Peterson School is a Massachusetts-based private trade school, founded in 1946, that prepares individuals for state trade licenses across 14 disciplines (electrical, plumbing, HVACR, firemen/engineers, hoisting, facilities, etc.) at five campuses, supplemented by online, correspondence, and off-site corporate training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Trade Education

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH), Firefighter & Fire Service Training (EDAOAMAB), EPA 608 & Refrigerant Handling Compliance Training (EDAOACAN), Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Training (EDAGANAI)

Keywords

• Vocational trade education
• State license exam preparation
• Skilled trades training
• Continuing education courses
• HVAC plumbing electrical

Headquarters

HQ city

Woburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: One-time tuition payments for individual courses ranging from $135 to $8,800 depending on program duration and complexity. Additional fees include book fees and down payments at registration. Payment plans available with weekly payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Peterson School is a private trade school providing state license exam preparation and continuing education across 14 trade disciplines including Electrical, HVACR, Plumbing, Gas Heat, Oil Heat, Firemen/Engineers, Construction Supervisor, Hoisting, Locksmith, Fire Alarm Systems, Facilities Technician, Sheet Metal, OSHA Safety, and Wastewater Treatment. Programs combine theoretical instruction with hands-on laboratory training, delivered through five Massachusetts campuses, online live Zoom sessions, correspondence courses, and off-site corporate training.

Product overview

The Peterson School is a trade school offering a comprehensive portfolio of vocational training programs across 14 trade disciplines. The core offerings include license preparation courses for state certifications (Construction Supervisor, Electrical, HVACR, Plumbing, Gas Heat, Oil Heat, Firemen/Engineers, Hoisting, Locksmith, Fire Alarm Systems, Wastewater Treatment) as well as continuing education for license renewals. Programs are delivered through multiple formats: in-person courses at four Massachusetts campuses (Woburn, Westwood, Worcester, Haverhill), weekend intensives, full-time combo programs (Three Combo A combining HVACR/Oil Heat/Gas Heat, Three Combo B combining HVACR/Oil Heat/Electrical), online/plumbing continuing education sessions, and off-site corporate training. Supporting services include scholarship programs for students and an employer job board for graduates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Construction Supervisor License Prep & Continuing Education License preparation courses and mandatory continuing education for Massachusetts Construction Supervisor licenses, including 12-hour, 10-hour, and 6-hour programs for different license categories, approved by the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards.
• Electrical Programs Comprehensive electrical training including Basic Electricity, Journeyman Electrician I/II Prep, Master Electrician Prep, Systems Technician Class D License Prep, and Three Combo Program B, plus continuing education and weekend exam prep courses for aspiring and licensed electricians.
• Facilities Technician Entry-level program providing broad overview of building systems including basic electricity, HVAC, oil, gas, and preventive maintenance for individuals seeking work in facility maintenance departments.
• Fire Alarm Systems Training program for fire alarm systems installation and maintenance, providing 80 hours of instruction leading to certification.
• Firemen and Engineers Programs License preparation for Second Firemen, First Fireman/Third Engineer, and First Engineer/Second Engineer licenses, along with 30-hour and 6-hour continuing education courses approved by the Department of Fire Services.
• Gas Heat Entry-level gas heat training covering natural gas and L.P. heating equipment, troubleshooting, and preparation for Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician License.
• Hoisting License Programs Weekend preparation courses for Massachusetts Department of Public Safety hoisting licenses including 2A/1C (front loaders, backhoes, forklifts) and 1B (telescoping booms, cranes) licenses.
• HVACR Programs Comprehensive HVACR training including Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Prep (with EPA 608 certification), Electrical Code Prep, Refrigeration Code Prep, Controls and Energy Management, Advanced Refrigeration Theory, Basic Controls, and Sheet Metal tiers I-IV.
• Locksmith Entry-level locksmith training covering commercial, industrial, and domestic locksmithing with hands-on maintenance, repairs, and new installations. Requires CORI background check.
• Oil Heat Technician License Prep Preparation for Massachusetts Oil Burner Technician License covering combustion theory, oil burner construction, electrical circuits, hydronic controls, and hands-on training. Includes EPA 608 certification for refrigerant recovery.
• OSHA Safety Courses OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Course and Hot Work Certification for construction workers, foremen, and supervisors seeking safety credentials.
• Plumbing Programs Comprehensive plumbing training from Basic Plumbing through Plumbing Tiers I-V (Master Prep), plus Gas Fitters Tier 1 Prep. Includes continuing education sessions, online options, and weekend exam prep courses.
• Sheet Metal Programs Sheet Metal training program with Tier I through Tier V preparation and Master Sheet Metal Prep, covering fabrication and installation techniques.
• Wastewater Treatment License preparation and continuing education for wastewater treatment operators, including correspondence courses for license renewal approved by DEP.
• Three Combo Program A Full-time 20-hour/week program combining HVACR Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Prep, Oil Heat Technicians License Prep, and Gas Heat for comprehensive heating and cooling certification.
• Three Combo Program B Full-time 22-hour/week program combining HVACR Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Prep, Oil Heat Technicians License Prep, and Basic Electricity.
• Off-Site Corporate Training Onsite training services where Peterson School instructors travel to company facilities to provide customized license preparation, safety, or continuing education training for employee groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12-month repeat guarantee at no charge if student does not pass state license exam

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Massachusetts State Approving Agency (MASAA)coreOthersThe Peterson School Westwood and Woburn locations are approved to offer training to Veterans and eligible individuals under the GI Bill by the Massachusetts State Approving Agency. Students should contact campuses for approval status of specific programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Ashworth College: Nationwide online career school with vocational and continuing-education programs including trades, locksmith, and facilities-related courses. Overlaps with Peterson's online CE and correspondence delivery channels for license renewal hours.
• Penn Foster: Nationally accredited online career school offering self-paced trade and vocational programs including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical pathways. Comparable to Peterson's online/correspondence CE offerings; competes more on accessibility and price than hands-on lab training.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): Publicly traded nationwide provider of trade education for transportation, HVAC, welding, and other skilled careers. Comparable as a large-scale private-sector trade school with similar hands-on vocational model, but operates nationally and is heavily skewed toward automotive/diesel.
• Lincoln Tech: National for-profit trade school chain offering HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other skilled-trade programs across multiple states. Comparable as a multi-discipline private trade school targeting similar license-prep and career outcomes, but operating at much larger scale and national footprint vs. Peterson's Massachusetts-only presence.
• ECPI University: For-profit university with campuses across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast offering HVAC, electrical, and skilled-trade programs alongside degree options. Comparable as a multi-state private trade/career education provider; broader program mix and geography than Peterson.

Direct peers

• New England Institute of Technology: Rhode Island-based private postsecondary institution offering associate and bachelor's degrees plus trade-focused programs in HVAC, electrical, and related fields. Comparable as a New England private career/trade school with similar program categories, though broader degree-granting scope.
• Porter and Chester Institute: Connecticut-based for-profit trade school offering HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and other trade programs preparing students for state licensure. Directly comparable in model (license exam prep, hands-on labs, continuing education) and regional New England footprint, overlapping with Peterson's market.

Others

• Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure (DOL): State regulator that approves Peterson's programs and licenses its instructors. Not a competitor but a structural stakeholder—any change in DOL pathways (e.g., expanded apprenticeship-only routes) directly affects Peterson's value proposition.

Regional players

• Quinsigamond Community College (workforce training): Public community college in Worcester, MA offering workforce and continuing-education programs including trades. Comparable as a Worcester-area training provider competing for similar students, but as a public institution it can accept federal financial aid Peterson cannot.
• New England Tractor Trailer Training School: Massachusetts-based private vocational school focused on CDL and commercial driving training. Comparable as a long-standing New England private trade school serving working adults with similar tuition-based, non-degree model, though focused on driving rather than building trades.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/school_peterson
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThePetersonSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-peterson-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/thepetersonschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Peterson School