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2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois
Today's trade school students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 37 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Top Trade Associate Degree Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Rasmussen University - Illinois to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a associate degree in Illinois. Rasmussen University - Illinois is a private for-profit institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 950 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Rasmussen University - Illinois does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $14,294. 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 $21,089 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Rasmussen University - Illinois. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 65% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means DeVry University - Illinois is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 1,611 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at DeVry University - Illinois is $15,032. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $29,129 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at DeVry University - Illinois. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Oakton Community College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois list. Oakton Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Des Plaines, Illinois that handed out 691 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Oakton Community College is $10,446. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,462. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,638 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Oakton Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 80% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Out of the 37 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, National Louis University landed the # 4 spot on the list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Chicago, Illinois, 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. Associate Degree recipients from NLU accumulate an average of $13,165 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at NLU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 51% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means William Rainey Harper College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. This fairly large public school is located in Palatine, Illinois, and it awarded 1,920 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Harper College full time pay an average of $9,942 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,754. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,214 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Harper College. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rock Valley College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. Rock Valley College is a medium-sized public school located in Rockford, Illinois that handed out 1,051 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Rock Valley College is $10,484. Out-of-state students pay an average of $20,384. Associate Degree recipients from Rock Valley College accumulate an average of $10,885 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Rock Valley College. 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 #7, Triton College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Triton College is a medium-sized public school located in River Grove, Illinois that handed out 944 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $11,490 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Triton College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,430. Associate Degree recipients from Triton College accumulate an average of $11,572 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Triton 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. In 2020-2021 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 73 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
SIUC does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $15,416. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Online courses are available at SIUC, 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 46% took at least some of their classes online.
Illinois Central College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. ICC is a medium-sized public school situated in East Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 988 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $10,443 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at ICC. In fact, around 62% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Joliet Junior College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Joliet, Illinois, the fairly large public school awarded 1,391 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $12,750 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Joliet Junior College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $13,800. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,692 in student loans.
Joliet Junior College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 64% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
South Suburban 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 #11 on the list. This small public school is located in South Holland, Illinois, and it awarded 304 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend SSC full time pay an average of $11,033 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,683.
SSC 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 46% took at least some of their classes online.
College of Lake County 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 #12 on the list. This fairly large public school is located in Grayslake, Illinois, and it awarded 1,588 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $9,842 in tuition and fees if they attend College of Lake County full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $13,118. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,385 in student loans.
College of Lake County 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 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Carl Sandburg College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. This small public school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 306 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Carl Sandburg College full time pay an average of $7,860 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,760. Associate Degree recipients from Carl Sandburg College accumulate an average of $5,479 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Carl Sandburg College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 76% took at least some of their classes online.
City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Malcolm X College is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 688 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,367 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Malcolm X College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College
Parkland 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 #15 on the list. Parkland College is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 753 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Parkland College full time pay an average of $11,580 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,930. On average, associate degree students take out $9,935 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Parkland College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 51% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Elgin Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. ECC is located in Elgin, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,091 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $7,140 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend ECC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,516. Associate Degree recipients from ECC accumulate an average of $8,366 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at ECC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.
Richland Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois list. Richland Community College is located in Decatur, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 292 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $10,800 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Richland Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $17,070. Associate Degree recipients from Richland Community College accumulate an average of $8,385 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Richland Community 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.
Moraine Valley Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois list. Palos Hills, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,089 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $8,310 in tuition and fees if they attend MVCC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,630. Associate Degree recipients from MVCC accumulate an average of $12,220 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at MVCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Kankakee Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. Kankakee Community College is a small public school located in Kankakee, Illinois that handed out 299 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $13,200 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Kankakee Community College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $25,560. On average, associate degree students take out $14,543 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Kankakee Community College. In 2020-2021 about 36% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #20, Lake Land College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Mattoon, Illinois, the small public school handed out 754 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Lake Land College full time pay an average of $8,104 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $13,905. Associate Degree recipients from Lake Land College accumulate an average of $7,042 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Lake Land College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 47% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Kaskaskia College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. Kaskaskia College is a small public school situated in Centralia, Illinois. It awarded 366 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Kaskaskia College is $7,530. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,330.
Kaskaskia College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 55% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #22, Black Hawk College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Moline, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 455 students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,219 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since BHC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 59% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #23, McHenry County College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. McHenry County College is a medium-sized public school located in Crystal Lake, Illinois that handed out 777 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at MCC is $11,341. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,692. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,857 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MCC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 38% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #24, Danville Area Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. DACC is located in Danville, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 256 associate degrees to qualified students.
If you want to attend DACC, expect to pay an average of $8,650 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $7,756 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that DACC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 46% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Waubonsee Community 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 #25 on the list. Waubonsee Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Sugar Grove, Illinois that handed out 994 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Waubonsee full time pay an average of $10,626 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,496. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,891 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Waubonsee. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 62% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
View Best Trade Associate Degree Schools Nationwide >
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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