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2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country.
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 Alabama ranking. This report analyzed 15 schools in Alabama 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 Alabama
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Columbia Southern University the best school in Alabama for trade school students working on their associate degree. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Orange Beach, Alabama, and it awarded 1,276 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Columbia Southern University, expect to pay an average of $6,015 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Columbia Southern University accumulate an average of $16,106 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Columbia Southern University is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Herzing University - Birmingham. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list. This very small private not-for-profit school is located in Birmingham, Alabama, and it awarded 90 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Herzing University - Birmingham, expect to pay an average of $12,750 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Herzing University - Birmingham accumulate an average of $23,896 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Herzing University - Birmingham does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 48% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Out of the 15 schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s ranking, South University, Montgomery landed the # 3 spot on the list. South University, Montgomery is located in Montgomery, Alabama and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 44 associate degrees to qualified students.
South University, Montgomery does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $16,560. 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 $24,698 in student loans.
South University, Montgomery 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 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The excellent associate degree programs at Wallace State Community College, Hanceville helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in Alabama. Wallace State Community College, Hanceville is a medium-sized public school located in Hanceville, Alabama that handed out 911 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Alabama pay an average of $4,920 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Wallace State, Hanceville. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,670. On average, associate degree students take out $12,315 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Wallace State, Hanceville 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 54% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on Wallace State Community College, Hanceville
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wallace Community College, Dothan. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list. This small public school is located in Dothan, Alabama, and it awarded 458 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Alabama who attend Wallace, Dothan full time pay an average of $4,860 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,610.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Wallace, Dothan. In fact, around 40% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #6, Bishop State Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Mobile, Alabama, the small public school awarded 292 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Alabama pay an average of $4,920 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Bishop State Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,670.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Bishop State Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 54% took at least some of their classes online.
Gadsden State 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. Gadsden, Alabama is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 691 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at GSCC is $5,312. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,312.
GSCC 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. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 65% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
John C Calhoun State Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama ranking. Located in Tanner, Alabama, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,358 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $5,000 in tuition and fees if they attend Calhoun Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,750. Associate Degree recipients from Calhoun Community College accumulate an average of $13,709 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Calhoun 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 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Coastal Alabama Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama ranking. Coastal Alabama Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Bay Minette, Alabama that handed out 849 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Alabama who attend Coastal Alabama Community College full time pay an average of $4,920 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,670. On average, associate degree students take out $11,333 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Coastal Alabama Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 60% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Jefferson State Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama ranking. Jefferson State Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Birmingham, Alabama that handed out 1,217 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Alabama pay an average of $5,220 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Jeff State. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,910. On average, associate degree students take out $9,688 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Jeff State, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 62% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Lurleen B Wallace Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list. Andalusia, Alabama is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 301 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College is $4,920. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,670.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Lurleen B. Wallace Community 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.
Shelton State Community College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the small public school handed out 572 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Alabama who attend Shelton State Community College full time pay an average of $4,980 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,730.
Shelton State 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 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Southern Union State Community College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Southern Union State Community College is located in Wadley, Alabama and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 604 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,920 in tuition and fees if they attend Southern Union State Community College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,670. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,262 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Southern Union State Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 60% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northeast Alabama Community College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Northeast is located in Rainsville, Alabama and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 446 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Northeast is $4,920. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,670. Associate Degree recipients from Northeast accumulate an average of $7,796 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 Northeast does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Northwest-Shoals 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 #15 on the list. Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 397 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $5,011 in tuition and fees if they attend NW-SCC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,761. On average, associate degree students take out $12,788 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at NW-SCC, 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, 43% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Best Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 15 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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