2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Connecticut
It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Connecticut to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in Connecticut to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Trade Associate Degree Schools in Connecticut
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Tunxis Community College to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a associate degree in Connecticut. Farmington, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 385 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Tunxis Community College is $4,820. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,220. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,258 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Tunxis Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 79% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Gateway Community College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. Gateway Community College is a public institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 604 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Connecticut pay an average of $4,740 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Gateway Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,140. Associate Degree recipients from Gateway Community College accumulate an average of $6,908 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Gateway Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 86% took at least some of their classes online.
The excellent associate degree programs at Manchester Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in Connecticut. MCC is a public institution located in Manchester, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 622 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Connecticut pay an average of $4,700 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend MCC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,100. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,580 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. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Out of the 10 schools in Connecticut that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Hartford landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in West Hartford, Connecticut, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 69 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $46,148 to cover tuition and fees at UHart. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at UHart. In 2020-2021 about 8% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middlesex Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Connecticut list. This small public school is located in Middletown, Connecticut, and it awarded 283 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Connecticut who attend MxCC full time pay an average of $4,700 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,100. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,067 in student loans.
Online courses are available at MxCC, 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 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Naugatuck 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 #6 on the list. Naugatuck Valley Community College is a small public school situated in Waterbury, Connecticut. It awarded 567 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Connecticut who attend Naugatuck Valley Community College full time pay an average of $4,740 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,140. Associate Degree recipients from Naugatuck Valley Community College accumulate an average of $8,768 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Naugatuck Valley 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 71% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Norwalk 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 #7 on the list. Norwalk, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 485 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at NCC is $4,772. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,172. Associate Degree recipients from NCC accumulate an average of $17,662 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at NCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 60% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Capital Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Hartford, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 259 students in 2021-2022.
Students from Connecticut who attend Capital Community College full time pay an average of $4,820 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,220. On average, associate degree students take out $8,588 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Since Capital Community College is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
Three Rivers Community College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Three Rivers Community College is a small public school situated in Norwich, Connecticut. It awarded 383 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Three Rivers Community College is $4,820. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,220. On average, associate degree students take out $11,798 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Three Rivers Community College. In 2020-2021 about 75% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #10, Northwestern Connecticut Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. NCCC is located in Winsted, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 154 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at NCCC is $4,772. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,172. Associate Degree recipients from NCCC accumulate an average of $8,747 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that NCCC does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 77% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on Northwestern Connecticut Community College
Best Trade Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region
View Best Trade Associate Degree Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 10 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.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |