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2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
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. 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 Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 71 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to see which basic certificate programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Saint Vincent College the best school in the Middle Atlantic Region for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Saint Vincent College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania that handed out 15 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Saint Vincent is $39,903. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Saint Vincent. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 6% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Thomas Jefferson University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Thomas Jefferson University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 19 basic certificates to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $44,200 to cover tuition and fees at Thomas Jefferson University. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
Online courses are available at Thomas Jefferson University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 68% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cedar Crest College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Cedar Crest is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 35 basic certificates to qualified students.
If you want to attend Cedar Crest, expect to pay an average of $43,643 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Cedar Crest 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 50% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Gannon University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Erie, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 4 students in 2021-2022.
Gannon does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $36,706. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Online courses are available at Gannon, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 22% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Baltimore City 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 #6 on the list. Baltimore City Community College is a public institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 67 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $3,314 in tuition and fees if they attend Baltimore City Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,394.
Online courses are available at Baltimore City Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 100% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Anne Arundel Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Arnold, Maryland, the fairly large public school handed out 690 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $9,230 in tuition and fees if they attend AACC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $13,760.
AACC 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 82% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rochester Institute of Technology came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in Rochester, New York, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $53,538 to cover tuition and fees at RIT. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at RIT. In fact, around 66% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Montgomery County Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 284 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $10,650 in tuition and fees if they attend Montco full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,390.
Montco does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 75% took at least some of their classes online.
YTI Career Institute-York came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. York, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 51 students in 2021-2022.
Some students may be able to take online classes at YTI. During the 2020-2021 year, about 89% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Berks Technical Institute ranked #12 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 76 students in 2021-2022.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Berks Technical Institute does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 3% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Laurel Business Institute ranked #13 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. LBI is a private for-profit institution located in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 66 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend LBI, expect to pay an average of $11,470 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at LBI. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Penn College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in Summerdale, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school awarded 50 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Central Penn is $19,404. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
One thing to take note of is that Central Penn does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 79% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #15, The Graduate Center, CUNY did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. The Graduate Center, CUNY is a medium-sized public school located in New York, New York that handed out 62 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,410 in tuition and fees if they attend The Graduate Center full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $15,360.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at The Graduate Center. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Mercyhurst University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Erie, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 32 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Mercyhurst does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $43,460. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Online courses are available at Mercyhurst, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 25% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Trinity Washington University landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Trinity College is located in Washington, District of Columbia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 18 basic certificates to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $25,610 to cover tuition and fees at Trinity College. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Trinity College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 84% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Ocean County 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 #18 on the list. Ocean County College is a medium-sized public school located in Toms River, New Jersey that handed out 10 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at OCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 40% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #19, St. Joseph’s College - New York did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. St. Joseph’s College - New York is a small private not-for-profit school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 45 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend SJC, expect to pay an average of $32,370 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Some students may be able to take online classes at SJC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 53% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #21, Rowan University did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Rowan is a fairly large public school situated in Glassboro, New Jersey. It awarded 374 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New Jersey pay an average of $14,952 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Rowan. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $24,345.
One thing to take note of is that Rowan does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania 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 #22 on the list. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school handed out 50 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Pennsylvania pay an average of $10,507 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SRU. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,615.
One thing to take note of is that SRU does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Montgomery 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. Montgomery College is located in Rockville, Maryland and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 171 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Montgomery College is $10,254. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,061.
Montgomery College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 32% took at least some of their classes online.
Union County College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Cranford, New Jersey, the medium-sized public school handed out 8 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Union County College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
College of Southern Maryland landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in La Plata, Maryland, the small public school awarded 144 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Maryland pay an average of $7,200 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend CSM. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,240.
One thing to take note of is that CSM does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 91% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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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.