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2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania
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. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience.
The Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 36 schools in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Saint Vincent College to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in Pennsylvania. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 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. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 6% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
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 Pennsylvania. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 19 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Thomas Jefferson University is $44,200. 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 Thomas Jefferson University, 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.
Out of the 36 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Cedar Crest College landed the # 4 spot on the list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 35 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
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.
Online courses are available at Cedar Crest, 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 50% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Gannon University is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Gannon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Gannon is $36,706. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
Gannon 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.
Montgomery County Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school awarded 284 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Pennsylvania pay an average of $10,650 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Montco. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $15,390.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Montco does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 75% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
YTI Career Institute-York landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. YTI is a private for-profit institution located in York, Pennsylvania. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 51 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since YTI does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 89% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Berks Technical Institute 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 #9 on the list. This very small private for-profit school is located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 76 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
You may have the opportunity 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.
Laurel Business Institute landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Uniontown, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 66 students 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.
Online courses are available at LBI, 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 47% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Penn College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Central Penn is a very small private for-profit school situated in Summerdale, Pennsylvania. It awarded 50 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
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.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Central Penn. In fact, around 79% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Mercyhurst University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Mercyhurst is a private not-for-profit institution located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $43,460 to cover tuition and fees at Mercyhurst. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Mercyhurst does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 25% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. SRU is a medium-sized public school situated in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. It awarded 50 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at SRU is $10,507. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,615.
Online courses are available at SRU, 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 58% took at least some of their classes online.
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Washington, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school handed out 120 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Penn Commercial, expect to pay an average of $12,116 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
McCann School of Business & Technology ranked #16 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania list. McCann School of Business & Technology is a very small private for-profit school situated in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It awarded 137 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since McCann School of Business & Technology does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 1% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Peirce College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the very small private not-for-profit school awarded 41 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Peirce, expect to pay an average of $15,060 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
If you are interested in distance education, Peirce is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school awarded 61 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Pennsylvania pay an average of $10,687 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend East Stroudsburg University. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,869.
Online courses are available at East Stroudsburg University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
New Castle School of Trades ranked #20 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania list. New Castle, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 92 students in 2021-2022.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at New Castle School of Trades. During the 2020-2021 year, about 84% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
South Hills School of Business & Technology landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. South Hills School of Business & Technology is a private for-profit institution located in State College, Pennsylvania. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 19 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend South Hills School of Business & Technology, expect to pay an average of $19,527 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Read full report on South Hills School of Business & Technology
Bucks County 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 #22 on the list. Bucks County Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Newtown, Pennsylvania that handed out 52 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Bucks County Community College is $9,184. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $13,384.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Bucks County Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #23, Pittsburgh Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Oakdale, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 24 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $16,974 to cover tuition and fees at Pittsburgh Technical College. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
Pittsburgh Technical 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.
Butler County 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 #24 on the list.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at BC3 is $8,550. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,550.
Some students may be able to take online classes at BC3. During the 2020-2021 year, about 33% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Laurel Technical Institute landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. LTI Sharon is a very small private for-profit school situated in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. It awarded 18 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
LTI Sharon does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $11,470. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.
LTI Sharon does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 77% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Best Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
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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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