Find Trade Colleges
2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 120 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which basic certificate programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Madison Area Technical College the best school in the Great Lakes Region for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school awarded 1,263 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Madison College is $4,607. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,812.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Madison College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in the Great Lakes Region . IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 636 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Indiana pay an average of $10,144 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend IUPUI. Out-of-state students pay an average of $32,582.
Online courses are available at IUPUI, 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.
Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Report
The excellent basic certificate programs at Purdue University - Main Campus helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in the Great Lakes Region . Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the large public school handed out 994 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Indiana pay an average of $9,992 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Purdue. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $28,794.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Purdue. In fact, around 49% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Grand Valley State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in the Great Lakes Region . Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 191 students in 2021-2022.
GVSU does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 46% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Fox Valley Technical College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Fox Valley Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Appleton, Wisconsin that handed out 1,945 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,826 in tuition and fees if they attend FVTC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,977.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since FVTC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 31% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Moraine Park Technical College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the small public school awarded 931 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Wisconsin pay an average of $4,641 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Moraine Park Technical College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,793.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Moraine Park Technical College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 42% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #7, Rasmussen University - Illinois did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Rockford, Illinois, the small private for-profit school handed out 231 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Rasmussen University - Illinois, expect to pay an average of $14,294 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Rasmussen University - Illinois does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Oakton Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in Des Plaines, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 640 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Oakton Community College is $10,446. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,462.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Oakton Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. CVTC is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,280 basic certificates to qualified students.
Full-time students from Wisconsin pay an average of $4,642 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend CVTC. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,793.
Online courses are available at CVTC, 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, 47% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #10, University of Cincinnati - Clermont College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. UC Clermont College is located in Batavia, Ohio and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 211 basic certificates to qualified students.
Students from Ohio who attend UC Clermont College full time pay an average of $6,364 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $13,596.
UC Clermont 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, 89% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Read full report on University of Cincinnati - Clermont College
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a small public school located in Shell Lake, Wisconsin that handed out 947 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at WITC. In fact, around 73% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Blackhawk Technical College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Janesville, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 487 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,642 in tuition and fees if they attend BTC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,793.
Online courses are available at BTC, 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 45% took at least some of their classes online.
Ivy Tech Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ivy Tech Community College is a large public school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 10,757 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,637 in tuition and fees if they attend Ivy Tech Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,927.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Ivy Tech Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 33% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
William Rainey Harper College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Harper College is a public institution located in Palatine, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,494 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $9,942 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Harper College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,754.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Harper College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
College of Lake County did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. This fairly large public school is located in Grayslake, Illinois, and it awarded 1,378 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $9,842 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend College of Lake County. Out-of-state students pay an average of $13,118.
One thing to take note of is that College of Lake County does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 78% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 1,319 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $4,814 in tuition and fees if they attend NWTC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,965.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since NWTC does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Gateway Technical College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,757 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Wisconsin pay an average of $4,766 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Gateway Technical College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,917.
Gateway Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 36% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #18, Ferris State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, the fairly large public school handed out 271 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Ferris. In fact, around 48% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Wisconsin came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Rasmussen University - Wisconsin is a private for-profit institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 63 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $13,208 to cover tuition and fees at Rasmussen University - Wisconsin. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Rasmussen University - Wisconsin. In fact, around 96% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Northcentral Technical College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. North Central Technical College is a medium-sized public school situated in Wausau, Wisconsin. It awarded 1,571 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $3,791 in tuition and fees if they attend North Central Technical College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $5,512.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at North Central Technical College. In 2020-2021 about 52% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #21, Indiana University - Southeast did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in New Albany, Indiana, the small public school awarded 21 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Students from Indiana who attend Indiana University - Southeast full time pay an average of $7,941 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $21,301.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Indiana University - Southeast. In 2020-2021 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Kaskaskia College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Kaskaskia College is a public institution located in Centralia, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 251 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $7,530 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Kaskaskia College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,330.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Kaskaskia College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 55% took at least some of their classes online.
Waukesha County Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #23 on the list. WCTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 978 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at WCTC is $4,571. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,722.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at WCTC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 22% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Western Technical College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Western Technical College is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 483 basic certificates to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,636 in tuition and fees if they attend Western Technical College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,788.
Online courses are available at Western Technical College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
View Best Basic Certificate Trade Basic Certificate Schools Nationwide >
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.
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.