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2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas
It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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.
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 Texas ranking. Our analysis looked at 51 schools in Texas 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 Texas
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Panola College to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a associate degree in Texas. Panola College is a public institution located in Carthage, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 348 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $3,840 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Panola College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,896.
One thing to take note of is that Panola College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 71% 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 El Centro College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas list. El Centro College is a large public school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 7,626 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Associate Degree recipients from El Centro College accumulate an average of $15,059 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at El Centro College. In fact, around 70% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
The excellent associate degree programs at Northeast Texas Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in Texas. Northeast Texas Community College is a small public school located in Mount Pleasant, Texas that handed out 408 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $5,009 in tuition and fees if they attend NTCC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,449. Associate Degree recipients from NTCC accumulate an average of $15,117 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at NTCC. In 2020-2021 about 65% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The excellent associate degree programs at Lee College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in Texas. Lee College is a public institution located in Baytown, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,267 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $3,882 in tuition and fees if they attend Lee College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $4,302. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,113 in student loans.
Lee College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 40% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Weatherford College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas list. Weatherford College is a medium-sized public school located in Weatherford, Texas that handed out 741 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Texas who attend Weatherford College full time pay an average of $6,300 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,610. Associate Degree recipients from Weatherford College accumulate an average of $11,867 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Weatherford College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 33% took at least some of their classes online.
Hallmark University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the very small private not-for-profit school awarded 148 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,931 in student loans.
Hallmark 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 54% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #7, Texas State Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Waco, Texas, the fairly large public school handed out 1,443 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,554 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since TSTC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 94% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lamar Institute of Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas list. Lamar Institute of Technology is a public institution located in Beaumont, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 586 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Lamar Institute of Technology is $2,844. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,636. On average, associate degree students take out $13,457 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Lamar Institute of Technology does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 54% took at least some of their classes online.
Galveston College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school awarded 349 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $3,266 in tuition and fees if they attend Galveston College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $5,726. On average, associate degree students take out $12,575 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Galveston College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Victoria College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas ranking. Victoria College is a small public school situated in Victoria, Texas. It awarded 347 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,056 in tuition and fees if they attend Victoria College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,112. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,658 in student loans.
Victoria 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 67% took at least some of their classes online.
Remington College - Dallas Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas ranking. Remington College - Dallas Campus is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 36 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $20,655 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Since Remington College - Dallas Campus 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.
With a ranking of #12, Temple College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Temple College is a small public school located in Temple, Texas that handed out 660 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Texas who attend Temple College full time pay an average of $4,656 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,576. Associate Degree recipients from Temple College accumulate an average of $14,725 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Temple College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 64% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
South Texas College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 3,702 students in 2021-2022.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at South Texas College. In fact, around 58% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Austin Community College District 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 #14 on the list. Austin Community College District is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 4,621 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Austin Community College District is $8,580. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,590. On average, associate degree students take out $13,045 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Austin Community College District does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 76% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #15, Alvin Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Alvin, Texas, the medium-sized public school awarded 778 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Alvin is $2,834. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,010. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,112 in student loans.
Alvin does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 33% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Tarrant County College District did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Tarrant County College is a large public school situated in Fort Worth, Texas. It awarded 5,819 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $13,880 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Tarrant County 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. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 44% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
The University of Texas at Brownsville 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 #17 on the list. Brownsville, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,102 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $3,748 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend The University of Texas at Brownsville. Out-of-state students pay an average of $4,948. On average, associate degree students take out $11,404 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at The University of Texas at Brownsville. 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.
Remington College - Fort Worth Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas ranking. This very small private not-for-profit school is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and it awarded 26 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $19,898 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Remington College - Fort Worth Campus. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Navarro 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 #19 on the list. Navarro College is located in Corsicana, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 906 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,508 in tuition and fees if they attend Navarro College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,368. On average, associate degree students take out $14,152 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Navarro College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 57% took at least some of their classes online.
Del Mar College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas ranking. Located in Corpus Christi, Texas, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,324 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Students from Texas who attend DMC full time pay an average of $4,880 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,990. On average, associate degree students take out $6,385 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at DMC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.
Lone Star College System came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas ranking. North Harris Montgomery is a large public school situated in The Woodlands, Texas. It awarded 8,774 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,735 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at North Harris Montgomery. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 67% took at least some of their classes online.
Midland College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Texas list. Midland College is a public institution located in Midland, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 468 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,650 in tuition and fees if they attend Midland College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,880. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,234 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Midland College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 52% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
San Jacinto Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Pasadena, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 5,788 students in 2021-2022.
On average, associate degree students take out $12,614 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at San Jacinto College. In fact, around 66% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Wharton County Junior College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Wharton County Junior College is a public institution located in Wharton, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 580 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $3,804 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Wharton County Junior College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,052. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,556 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Wharton County Junior College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 49% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Houston Community College landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 5,387 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Houston Community College is $4,344. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,460. Associate Degree recipients from Houston Community College accumulate an average of $19,178 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Houston Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 77% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Best Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
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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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