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2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

152 Colleges
$6,011 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$38,184 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Construction Trades School for You

Construction Trades is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 6th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 35,794 degrees and certificates were awarded to students with this major.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Value Construction Trades Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 152 schools in the United States to see which programs offered the best value experiences for construction trades students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the United States

Check out the construction trades programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 15% Best Construction Trades Schools

#1

North Hennepin Community College

Brooklyn Park, MN

Our 2023 rankings named North Hennepin Community College the best value school in the United States for construction trades students. Located in the suburb of Brooklyn Park, North Hennepin Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

North Hennepin Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,882 in tuition and fees each year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Hennepin Community College also is in the top 20% of our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools ranking.

Read full report on Construction Trades at North Hennepin Community College

$3,780 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southeast Community College Area. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools list. Southeast Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the large city of Lincoln.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,780 per year.

Full Construction Trades at Southeast Community College Area Report

#3

Western Technical College

La Crosse, WI

The excellent programs at Western Technical College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best construction trades schools in the United States. Western Technical College is a small public school located in the small city of La Crosse.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Western Technical College are $6,687 a year.

Read More…

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Northwest Iowa Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Construction Trades Schools list. Northwest Iowa Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Sheldon.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Northwest Iowa Community College are $6,840 per year.

Northwest Iowa Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

$4,826 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Iowa Tech Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools list. Located in the small city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Western Iowa Tech Community College are $4,826 a year.

Full Construction Trades at Western Iowa Tech Community College Report

Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value construction trades programs. CVTC is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Eau Claire.

CVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year.

CVTC also claimed a spot on our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

Full Construction Trades at Chippewa Valley Technical College Report

Rochester Community and Technical College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Construction Trades Schools list. Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school located in the midsize city of Rochester.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Rochester Community and Technical College are $5,372 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rochester Community and Technical College also is in the top 15% of our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools ranking.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Rochester Community and Technical College

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Construction Trades Schools ranking. Located in the rural area of Fennimore, Southwest Tech is a public college with a small student population.

Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Southwest Tech also is in the top 15% of our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools ranking.

Full Construction Trades at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Report

$5,010 Average Tuition & Fees

Northeast Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Construction Trades Schools list. Located in the town of Norfolk, Northeast is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Northeast undergraduate students pay an average of $5,010 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Northeast Community College

Raritan Valley Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value construction trades programs. RVCC is a medium-sized public school located in the rural area of Branchburg.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at RVCC are $6,912 per year.

Read More…

$6,631 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #11, Trinidad State Junior College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for construction trades students. Located in the town of Trinidad, Trinidad State Junior College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Trinidad State Junior College are $6,631 per year.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Trinidad State Junior College

#12

Bismarck State College

Bismarck, ND

Bismarck State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for construction trades students. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in the small city of Bismarck, BSC is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BSC are $6,930 per year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, BSC also did well on our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Construction Trades at Bismarck State College Report

#13

Moraine Park Technical College

Fond du Lac, WI

Moraine Park Technical College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value construction trades programs. Located in the city of Fond du Lac, Moraine Park Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Moraine Park Technical College are $6,683 a year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, Moraine Park Technical College also did well on our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Construction Trades at Moraine Park Technical College Report

#14

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

Ivy Tech Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Construction Trades Schools ranking. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 a year.

Ivy Tech Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Ivy Tech Community College

#15

North Georgia Technical College

Clarkesville, GA
$5,422 Average Tuition & Fees

North Georgia Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for construction trades students. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in the rural area of Clarkesville, North Georgia Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

North Georgia Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,422 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

$5,862 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #16, Minnesota State Community and Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for construction trades students. Located in the town of Fergus Falls, M State is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at M State are $5,862 a year.

Read More…

$4,680 Average Tuition & Fees

Metropolitan Community College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Construction Trades Schools ranking. MCC is a large public school located in the city of Omaha.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MCC are $4,680 a year.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Metropolitan Community College

$5,632 Average Tuition & Fees

Augusta Technical College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value construction trades programs. Located in the city of Augusta, Augusta Technical College is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Augusta Technical College are $5,632 a year.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Augusta Technical College

St Cloud Technical and Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Construction Trades Schools ranking. Located in the city of Saint Cloud, St Cloud Technical and Community College is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at St Cloud Technical and Community College are $5,874 a year.

St Cloud Technical and Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools list.

Full Construction Trades at St Cloud Technical and Community College Report

#20

Ridgewater College

Willmar, MN

Ridgewater College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value construction trades programs. Located in the town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ridgewater College are $5,914 per year.

Full Construction Trades at Ridgewater College Report

#21

Mitchell Technical College

Mitchell, SD

With a ranking of #21, Mitchell Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for construction trades students. Mitchell Tech is a small public school located in the rural area of Mitchell.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Mitchell Tech are $7,524 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Mitchell Tech also is in the top 20% of our Best Construction Trades Trade Schools ranking.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Mitchell Technical College

$6,208 Average Tuition & Fees

Dakota County Technical College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value construction trades programs. DCTC is a small public school located in the rural area of Rosemount.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at DCTC are $6,208 per year.

Full Construction Trades at Dakota County Technical College Report

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great value schools for Construction Trades students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Construction Trades Schools award.

Rank College Location
23 Saint Paul College Saint Paul, MN
24 Anoka Technical College Anoka, MN
25 South Louisiana Community College Lafayette, LA
26 Central Louisiana Technical Community College Alexandria, LA
27 Lake Area Technical Institute Watertown, SD
28 Brookdale Community College Lincroft, NJ
29 Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls, MN
30 Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA

Construction Trades by Region

View the Best Value Construction Trades Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Construction Trades Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Electrical & Power Transmission Installers 23,527
Building Management & Inspection 4,511
Carpentry 3,273
Plumbing & Water Supply 2,617
Construction 1,435
Masonry 274
Other Construction 157

Related Major Annual Graduates
Personal & Culinary Services 130,306
Mechanic & Repair Technologies 96,307
Precision Production 52,905
Transportation & Materials Moving 28,383

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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