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2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
There are so many trade school programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 121 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
The excellent associate degree programs at Excelsior University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in the Middle Atlantic Region . This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 1,240 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Associate Degree recipients from Excelsior University accumulate an average of $12,110 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Excelsior University is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Molloy College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Molloy is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rockville Centre, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Molloy, expect to pay an average of $36,030 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Online courses are available at Molloy, 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 62% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Delaware Technical Community College - Terry is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. Dover, Delaware is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,741 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,945 in tuition and fees if they attend Delaware Tech full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,808. Associate Degree recipients from Delaware Tech accumulate an average of $10,189 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Delaware Tech. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 43% took at least some of their classes online.
Read full report on Delaware Technical Community College - Terry
Union County College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. This medium-sized public school is located in Cranford, New Jersey, and it awarded 1,519 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,937 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Union County College. In 2020-2021 about 73% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Widener University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Widener is located in Chester, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 13 associate degrees to qualified students.
Widener does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $51,639. 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 $15,311 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Widener. In 2020-2021 about 36% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
County College of Morris came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in Randolph, New Jersey, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,107 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New Jersey pay an average of $10,260 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend County College of Morris. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,040. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,222 in student loans.
County College of Morris does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 43% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Middlesex County College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Edison, New Jersey, and it awarded 1,616 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Middlesex County College, expect to pay an average of $6,876 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could 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 $9,350 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Middlesex County College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 79% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #11, Central Penn College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Summerdale, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school awarded 119 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Central Penn, expect to pay an average of $19,404 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could 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 $15,442 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Central Penn does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #12, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a small public school situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It awarded 412 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, expect to pay an average of $8,450 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology accumulate an average of $8,889 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 94% took at least some of their classes online.
Harcum College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Harcum College is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It awarded 363 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Harcum College, expect to pay an average of $28,240 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Harcum College accumulate an average of $20,109 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Harcum 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 #14, Pennsylvania College of Technology did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Williamsport, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 711 students in 2021-2022.
Students from Pennsylvania who attend Penn College full time pay an average of $17,940 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $25,680. Associate Degree recipients from Penn College accumulate an average of $20,551 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Penn College. In 2020-2021 about 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Thomas Edison State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. TESU is a public institution located in Trenton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 430 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $15,208 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, TESU is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
Raritan Valley 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 #16 on the list. RVCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Branchburg, New Jersey. It awarded 1,068 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
RVCC does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $7,296. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $11,194 in loans while pursuing their degree.
RVCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 32% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Bergen Community College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Bergen Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Paramus, New Jersey. It awarded 2,011 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $8,438 in tuition and fees if they attend Bergen Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,822. On average, associate degree students take out $14,518 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Bergen Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 87% took at least some of their classes online.
Baltimore City Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the small public school handed out 385 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $3,314 in tuition and fees if they attend Baltimore City Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,394.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Baltimore City Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Lehigh Carbon Community College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school handed out 853 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Pennsylvania pay an average of $9,030 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend LCCC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,960. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,247 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since LCCC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 73% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #21, Salem Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Carneys Point, New Jersey is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 212 students in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $12,695 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Salem County College. In 2020-2021 about 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Brookdale 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 #22 on the list. Brookdale Community College is located in Lincroft, New Jersey and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,611 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from New Jersey pay an average of $8,948 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Brookdale Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,698. On average, associate degree students take out $13,160 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Brookdale Community College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 32% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Bucks County Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school handed out 823 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $9,184 in tuition and fees if they attend Bucks County Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $13,384. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,561 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Bucks County Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 81% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Nassau 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 #24 on the list. Garden City, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,247 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $6,330 in tuition and fees if they attend Nassau Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,130. Associate Degree recipients from Nassau Community College accumulate an average of $11,890 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Nassau 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. In fact, around 85% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #25, Mercyhurst University did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 111 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Mercyhurst, expect to pay an average of $43,460 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could 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 $20,242 in student loans.
Mercyhurst does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 25% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
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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.