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2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 131 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Top Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Miami University - Hamilton the best school in the Great Lakes Region for trade school students working on their associate degree. Miami University - Hamilton is located in Hamilton, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 111 associate degrees to qualified students.
Students from Ohio who attend Miami University - Hamilton full time pay an average of $6,704 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $17,490. On average, associate degree students take out $21,499 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Miami University - Hamilton. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 85% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Herzing University - Akron is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. Herzing Akron is a private not-for-profit institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 109 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Herzing Akron is $12,750. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Herzing Akron accumulate an average of $24,352 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Herzing Akron does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 77% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Miami University - Middletown. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Middletown, Ohio, the small public school awarded 66 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Miami University - Middletown is $6,670. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $17,390. On average, associate degree students take out $21,499 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Miami University - Middletown does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 88% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 131 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Southwest Tech is located in Fennimore, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 220 associate degrees to qualified students.
Students from Wisconsin who attend Southwest Tech full time pay an average of $4,571 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,731. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,841 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Southwest Tech does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 35% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 131 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rasmussen University - Illinois landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Rockford, Illinois, the small private for-profit school awarded 950 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Rasmussen University - Illinois, expect to pay an average of $14,294 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $21,089 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Rasmussen University - Illinois does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Herzing University - Madison did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Herzing University - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 197 associate degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $12,750 to cover tuition and fees at Herzing University - Madison. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $23,896 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Herzing University - Madison, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 99% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the large public school handed out 8,655 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,637 in tuition and fees if they attend Ivy Tech Community College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,927. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,835 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Ivy Tech Community College. In 2020-2021 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #8, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,009 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Cincinnati State is $5,274. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,558. On average, associate degree students take out $14,555 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Cincinnati State, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 57% took at least some of their classes online.
DeVry University - Illinois did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. DeVry University - Illinois is a large private for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 1,611 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend DeVry University - Illinois, expect to pay an average of $15,032 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $29,129 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at DeVry University - Illinois, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Ferris State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ferris is a public institution located in Big Rapids, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 758 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,257 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Ferris. During the 2020-2021 year, about 48% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Western Technical College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 624 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Wisconsin who attend Western Technical College full time pay an average of $4,636 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,788. Associate Degree recipients from Western Technical College accumulate an average of $15,730 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Western Technical College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 63% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
James A Rhodes State College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Lima, Ohio, the small public school awarded 301 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Ohio pay an average of $4,532 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Rhodes State College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,742. Associate Degree recipients from Rhodes State College accumulate an average of $13,353 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Rhodes State College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 35% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Rasmussen University - Wisconsin landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the very small private for-profit school awarded 171 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Rasmussen University - Wisconsin, expect to pay an average of $13,208 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Rasmussen University - Wisconsin accumulate an average of $21,089 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Rasmussen University - Wisconsin. In 2020-2021 about 96% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Madison Area Technical College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,366 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Madison College is $4,607. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,812. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,344 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Madison College. In 2020-2021 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Oakton Community College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Oakton Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Des Plaines, Illinois. It awarded 691 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Oakton Community College full time pay an average of $10,446 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,462. Associate Degree recipients from Oakton Community College accumulate an average of $7,638 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Oakton Community College. In fact, around 80% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Chippewa Valley Technical College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 796 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Wisconsin who attend CVTC full time pay an average of $4,642 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,793. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,093 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that CVTC does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #17, National Louis University did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. NLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 50 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend NLU, expect to pay an average of $14,244 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $13,165 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at NLU. During the 2020-2021 year, about 51% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #18 on the list. IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 87 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Indiana pay an average of $10,144 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend IUPUI. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $32,582. Associate Degree recipients from IUPUI accumulate an average of $19,702 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
IUPUI does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 62% took at least some of their classes online.
Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Report
University of Northwestern Ohio did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #19 on the list. Located in Lima, Ohio, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 996 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
University of Northwestern Ohio does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $11,867. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,602 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since University of Northwestern Ohio does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 28% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Northcentral Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Northcentral Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Wausau, Wisconsin that handed out 478 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $3,791 in tuition and fees if they attend North Central Technical College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,512. Associate Degree recipients from North Central Technical College accumulate an average of $9,408 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at North Central Technical College. In fact, around 52% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
William Rainey Harper College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Harper College is located in Palatine, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,920 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Harper College is $9,942. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,754. Associate Degree recipients from Harper College accumulate an average of $13,214 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Harper College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Waukesha County Technical College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WCTC is a public institution located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 641 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at WCTC is $4,571. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,722. On average, associate degree students take out $17,845 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since WCTC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 22% took at least some of their classes online.
Rock Valley College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Rock Valley College is a public institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,051 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Rock Valley College full time pay an average of $10,484 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $20,384. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,885 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Rock Valley College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 64% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #24, Fox Valley Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. FVTC is located in Appleton, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,009 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,826 in tuition and fees if they attend FVTC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,977. Associate Degree recipients from FVTC accumulate an average of $11,433 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at FVTC. In 2020-2021 about 31% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
ranked #25 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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