Find Trade Colleges

Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

71 Schools Ranked
$23,546 Avg Tuition & Fees*

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.

Top Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region of the U.S.

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania
15 Total Awards
$39,903 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Saint Vincent College the best school in the Middle Atlantic Region for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 15 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

If you want to attend Saint Vincent, expect to pay an average of $39,903 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.

Saint Vincent 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 6% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

#3

Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19 Total Awards
$44,200 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent basic certificate programs at Thomas Jefferson University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in the Middle Atlantic Region . 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.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Thomas Jefferson University. In fact, around 68% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#4

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, Pennsylvania
35 Total Awards
$43,643 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 71 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Cedar Crest College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 35 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

Cedar Crest does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $43,643. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Cedar Crest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 50% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Full Cedar Crest College Report

#5

Gannon University

Erie, Pennsylvania
4 Total Awards
$36,706 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Gannon University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Gannon University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Erie, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

If you want to attend Gannon, expect to pay an average of $36,706 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could 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.

Full Gannon University Report

#6

Baltimore City Community College

Baltimore, Maryland
67 Total Awards
$3,314 Average Tuition & Fees

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 small public school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 67 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Students from Maryland who attend Baltimore City Community College full time pay an average of $3,314 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,394.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Baltimore City Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 100% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#8

Anne Arundel Community College

Arnold, Maryland
690 Total Awards
$9,230 Average Tuition & Fees

Anne Arundel 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. AACC is a fairly large public school situated in Arnold, Maryland. It awarded 690 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Students from Maryland who attend AACC full time pay an average of $9,230 in tuition and fees. 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.

Read More…

#9

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, New York
9 Total Awards
$53,538 Average Tuition & Fees

Rochester Institute of Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Rochester Institute of Technology is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Rochester, New York that handed out 9 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees at RIT is $53,538. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.

Online courses are available at RIT, 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, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Full Rochester Institute of Technology Report

#10

Montgomery County Community College

Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
284 Total Awards
$10,650 Average Tuition & Fees

Montgomery County Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school awarded 284 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Montco is $10,650. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,390.

Some students may be able to take online classes at Montco. During the 2020-2021 year, about 75% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on Montgomery County Community College

#11

YTI Career Institute-York

York, Pennsylvania
51 Total Awards

YTI Career Institute-York 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 #11 on the list. Located in York, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school handed out 51 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

One thing to take note of is that YTI does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 89% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read full report on YTI Career Institute-York

#12

Berks Technical Institute

Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
76 Total Awards

Berks Technical Institute ranked #12 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Berks Technical Institute is located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 76 basic certificates to qualified students.

Some students may be able to take online classes at Berks Technical Institute. 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.

Read More…

#13

Laurel Business Institute

Uniontown, Pennsylvania
66 Total Awards
$11,470 Average Tuition & Fees

Laurel Business Institute came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Laurel Business Institute is a very small private for-profit school located in Uniontown, Pennsylvania that handed out 66 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees at LBI is $11,470. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since LBI 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.

Read full report on Laurel Business Institute

#14

Central Penn College

Summerdale, Pennsylvania
50 Total Awards
$19,404 Average Tuition & Fees

Central Penn College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Central Penn is located in Summerdale, Pennsylvania and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 50 basic certificates to qualified students.

If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $19,404 to cover tuition and fees at Central Penn. The school does not offer an in-state discount.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Central Penn. In 2020-2021 about 79% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on Central Penn College

#15

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, New York
62 Total Awards
$7,410 Average Tuition & Fees

The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. The Graduate Center is located in New York, New York and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 62 basic certificates to qualified students.

Full-time students from New York pay an average of $7,410 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend The Graduate Center. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $15,360.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since The Graduate Center does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Full The Graduate Center, CUNY Report

#16

Mercyhurst University

Erie, Pennsylvania
32 Total Awards
$43,460 Average Tuition & Fees

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.

If you want to attend Mercyhurst, expect to pay an average of $43,460 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Mercyhurst. In fact, around 25% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Full Mercyhurst University Report

#17

Trinity Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia
18 Total Awards
$25,610 Average Tuition & Fees

Trinity Washington University landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Trinity College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Trinity College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $25,610. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.

Some students may be able to take online classes at Trinity College. In fact, around 84% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Full Trinity Washington University Report

#18

Ocean County College

Toms River, New Jersey
10 Total Awards

Ocean County College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Toms River, New Jersey, the medium-sized public school handed out 10 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

OCC 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 40% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#19

St. Joseph's College - New York

Brooklyn, New York
45 Total Awards
$32,370 Average Tuition & Fees

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. SJC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees at SJC is $32,370. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.

Some students may be able to take online classes at SJC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 53% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on St. Joseph’s College - New York

#21

Rowan University

Glassboro, New Jersey
374 Total Awards
$14,952 Average Tuition & Fees

Rowan University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Glassboro, New Jersey, the fairly large public school awarded 374 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

Students from New Jersey who attend Rowan full time pay an average of $14,952 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $24,345.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Rowan. During the 2020-2021 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full Rowan University Report

#22

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
50 Total Awards
$10,507 Average Tuition & Fees

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized public school located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania that handed out 50 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at SRU is $10,507. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,615.

One thing to take note of is that SRU does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 58% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#23

Montgomery College

Rockville, Maryland
171 Total Awards
$10,254 Average Tuition & Fees

Montgomery College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Montgomery College is a fairly large public school located in Rockville, Maryland that handed out 171 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

In-state students pay an average of $10,254 in tuition and fees if they attend Montgomery College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,061.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Montgomery College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 32% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on Montgomery College

#24

Union County College

Cranford, New Jersey
8 Total Awards

Union 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 #24 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Cranford, New Jersey, and it awarded 8 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Some students may be able to take online classes at Union County College. In 2020-2021 about 73% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Union County College Report

#25

College of Southern Maryland

La Plata, Maryland
144 Total Awards
$7,200 Average Tuition & Fees

College of Southern Maryland ranked #25 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in La Plata, Maryland, the small public school handed out 144 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

Students from Maryland who attend CSM full time pay an average of $7,200 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,240.

One thing to take note of is that CSM does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 91% took at least some of their classes online.

Full College of Southern Maryland Report

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.

Find Trade Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited trade schools across the U.S.