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2023 Best Bachelor's Degree Trade Schools
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. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Bachelor's Degree Trade Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 862 schools in the United States to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Trade Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Stanford University to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the United States. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 1,699 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Stanford does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $58,416. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $14,541 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. RPI is located in Troy, New York and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,566 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
RPI does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $60,074. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from RPI accumulate an average of $22,160 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Grantham University is a great place for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in LIttle Rock, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 569 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Grantham University is $8,280. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Grantham University accumulate an average of $32,063 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, Grantham University is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Stephens College is a great place for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 92 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Stephens is $25,586. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $30,638 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Stephens 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 18% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Ottawa University - Online helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in the United States. Located in Ottawa, Kansas, the very small private not-for-profit school awarded 74 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $12,676 to cover tuition and fees at Ottawa University - Online. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,495 in student loans.
Since Ottawa University - Online 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.
Columbia Southern University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Located in Orange Beach, Alabama, the fairly large private for-profit school awarded 2,691 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Columbia Southern University is $6,015. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Columbia Southern University accumulate an average of $24,110 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Columbia Southern University. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Dakota State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. This small public school is located in Madison, South Dakota, and it awarded 353 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from South Dakota pay an average of $9,633 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Dakota State. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,735. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,873 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Dakota State. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Hamilton landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Miami University - Hamilton is located in Hamilton, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 411 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Miami University - Hamilton is $6,704. Out-of-state students pay an average of $17,490. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,929 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Miami University - Hamilton. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 85% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Waldorf University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Waldorf is a private for-profit institution located in Forest City, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 592 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Waldorf, expect to pay an average of $24,526 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,767 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Waldorf. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Elizabethtown College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 417 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Etown is $35,700. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Etown accumulate an average of $25,050 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 Etown does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 26% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Ottawa University - Milwaukee landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Ottawa University - Milwaukee is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 40 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $12,676 to cover tuition and fees at Ottawa University - Milwaukee. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,339 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Ottawa University - Milwaukee does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 98% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Georgetown University landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Georgetown is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2,223 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Georgetown, expect to pay an average of $62,051 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Georgetown accumulate an average of $15,635 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Georgetown does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 39% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
University of St Francis ranked #13 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. University of St Francis is a small private not-for-profit school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 437 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from University of Saint Francis accumulate an average of $23,804 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 University of Saint Francis does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 79% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #14, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. University of Pennsylvania is a large private not-for-profit school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 3,554 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at UPenn is $63,452. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $16,106 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at UPenn. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 13% took at least some of their classes online.
Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Trine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Angola, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 76 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,074 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Trine is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Virginia Tech ranked #16 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, the large public school handed out 7,289 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $14,666 in tuition and fees if they attend Virginia Tech full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $34,920. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,726 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Virginia Tech does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 60% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #17, Ottawa University - Kansas City did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Ottawa University - Kansas City is a private not-for-profit institution located in Overland Park, Kansas. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 80 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Ottawa University - Kansas City is $12,622. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Ottawa University - Kansas City accumulate an average of $22,495 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Ottawa University - Kansas City is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
New Jersey Institute of Technology came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Newark, New Jersey, and it awarded 1,869 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at NJIT is $18,512. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $34,972. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,430 in loans while pursuing their degree.
NJIT 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 29% took at least some of their classes online.
Clemson University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools ranking. Clemson is a large public school situated in Clemson, South Carolina. It awarded 5,123 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Clemson is $15,558. Out-of-state students pay an average of $39,502. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,939 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Clemson 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 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, the large public school handed out 5,483 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Virginia who attend University of Virginia full time pay an average of $21,425 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $57,374. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from University of Virginia accumulate an average of $16,901 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
University of Virginia 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 22% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Ottawa University - Phoenix ranked #21 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. Ottawa University - Phoenix is a private not-for-profit institution located in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 146 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $13,341 to cover tuition and fees at Ottawa University - Phoenix. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,495 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Ottawa University - Phoenix. During the 2020-2021 year, about 97% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #22 on the list. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,300 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Wisconsin pay an average of $8,135 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend UW - River Falls. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $16,128. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,247 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at UW - River Falls, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the large public school awarded 8,676 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Purdue is $9,992. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $28,794. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $18,439 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Purdue 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 49% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #24, Wagner College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Staten Island, New York, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 396 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $51,260 to cover tuition and fees at Wagner. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,906 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Clarkson University landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Clarkson is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Potsdam, New York. It awarded 702 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Clarkson does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $56,258. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,260 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Clarkson. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 16% 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.
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