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2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota
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.
The Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 24 schools in Minnesota 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 Minnesota
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Alexandria Technical & Community College the best school in Minnesota for trade school students working on their associate degree. ATCC is a small public school situated in Alexandria, Minnesota. It awarded 337 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,107 to cover tuition and fees at ATCC. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Associate Degree recipients from ATCC accumulate an average of $13,721 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
ATCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 49% took at least some of their classes online.
Read full report on Alexandria Technical & Community College
Out of the 24 schools in Minnesota that were part of this year’s ranking, Dunwoody College of Technology landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 316 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $24,611 to cover tuition and fees at Dunwoody College of Technology. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Associate Degree recipients from Dunwoody College of Technology accumulate an average of $15,809 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Dunwoody College of Technology does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 62% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 24 schools in Minnesota that were part of this year’s ranking, Rasmussen University - Minnesota landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the small private for-profit school handed out 1,328 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Rasmussen University - Minnesota is $13,765. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $21,089 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Rasmussen University - Minnesota does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 87% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rochester Community and Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 690 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Rochester Community and Technical College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,670. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $18,059 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Rochester Community and Technical College. In 2020-2021 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Anoka Technical College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. Anoka, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 187 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Anoka Technical College is $6,075. 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 $17,947 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Anoka Technical College. In fact, around 49% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Ridgewater College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Willmar, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 548 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,114 to cover tuition and fees at Ridgewater College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $14,925 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Ridgewater 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, 72% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
St Cloud Technical and 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. St Cloud Technical and Community College is a small public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 735 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at St Cloud Technical and Community College is $6,075. 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 $15,759 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at St Cloud Technical and Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on St Cloud Technical and Community College
Northland Community and Technical College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota ranking. Thief River Falls, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 385 students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,244 to cover tuition and fees at Northland Community and Technical College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Associate Degree recipients from Northland Community and Technical College accumulate an average of $17,992 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Northland Community and Technical College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 51% took at least some of their classes online.
Read full report on Northland Community and Technical College
With a ranking of #9, Hennepin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Hennepin Technical College is a small public school located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota that handed out 533 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $5,881 to cover tuition and fees at Hennepin Technical College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $17,370 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Hennepin Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 54% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Century College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota ranking. Located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,188 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Century College, expect to pay an average of $6,105 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 $19,410 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Century College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Northwest Technical College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. Bemidji, Minnesota is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 115 students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend NTC, expect to pay an average of $6,226 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $13,981 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at NTC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 74% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Saint Paul 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 #12 on the list. Saint Paul College is a medium-sized public school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 560 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Saint Paul College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $6,318. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Saint Paul College accumulate an average of $19,097 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Saint Paul 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 64% took at least some of their classes online.
Dakota County Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. Rosemount, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 420 students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,419 to cover tuition and fees at DCTC. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,504 in student loans.
DCTC 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 60% took at least some of their classes online.
South Central College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota ranking. This small public school is located in North Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 375 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,146 to cover tuition and fees at South Central College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Associate Degree recipients from South Central College accumulate an average of $15,951 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at South Central College, 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 65% took at least some of their classes online.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a public institution located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,112 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus, expect to pay an average of $5,655 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 $17,814 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 68% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Minnesota State Community and Technical 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. Located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school awarded 727 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at M State is $5,900. 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 $16,782 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that M State does offer online classes in some areas. 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.
Read full report on Minnesota State Community and Technical College
North Hennepin Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. Brooklyn Park, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 613 students in 2021-2022.
North Hennepin Community College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,050. 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 $18,106 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since North Hennepin Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 82% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school awarded 954 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $6,098. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $21,097 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Minneapolis Community and Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 76% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Hibbing Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota ranking. Hibbing Community College is located in Hibbing, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 643 associate degrees to qualified students.
Students from Minnesota who attend Hibbing Community College full time pay an average of $5,970 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,268. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,638 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Hibbing Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 51% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #20, Central Lakes College - Brainerd did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Central Lakes College is a small public school situated in Brainerd, Minnesota. It awarded 503 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Central Lakes College is $6,140. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Central Lakes College accumulate an average of $15,319 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Central Lakes College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 34% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Normandale 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 #21 on the list. Bloomington, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,371 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Normandale Community College is $6,321. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Normandale Community College accumulate an average of $16,310 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Normandale Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. 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.
Minnesota West Community and Technical College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. Minnesota West is located in Granite Falls, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 239 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from Minnesota pay an average of $6,484 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Minnesota West. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,332. Associate Degree recipients from Minnesota West accumulate an average of $14,120 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Minnesota West, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 48% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on Minnesota West Community and Technical College
Lake Superior College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Minnesota list. LSC is located in Duluth, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 672 associate degrees to qualified students.
If you want to attend LSC, expect to pay an average of $6,404 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $16,655 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since LSC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 47% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Minnesota State College Southeast landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. MSC Southeast is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 173 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $7,490 to cover tuition and fees at MSC Southeast. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $18,279 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at MSC Southeast, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 57% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Best Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 24 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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