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 2023 rankings named Saint Vincent College the best school in Pennsylvania for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Saint Vincent is located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 15 basic certificates to qualified students.
Saint Vincent does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $39,903. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Saint Vincent. During the 2020-2021 year, about 6% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Thomas Jefferson University is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 19 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Thomas Jefferson University, expect to pay an average of $44,200 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Thomas Jefferson University 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 68% 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 Cedar Crest College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 35 basic certificates 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.
Some students 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.
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 Pennsylvania list. Gannon is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Erie, Pennsylvania. It awarded 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 2020-2021 about 22% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Montgomery 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 #7 on the list. Montgomery County Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania that handed out 284 basic certificates 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.
Depending on your major, you 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.
With a ranking of #8, YTI Career Institute-York did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. YTI is located in York, Pennsylvania and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 51 basic certificates to qualified students.
Some students may be able to take online classes at YTI. 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.
Berks Technical Institute landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Berks Technical Institute is a very small private for-profit school located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania that handed out 76 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Berks Technical Institute. During the 2020-2021 year, about 3% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Laurel Business 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 #10 on the list. Located in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school awarded 66 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $11,470 to cover tuition and fees at LBI. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
One thing to take note of is that LBI does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Central Penn College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Summerdale, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 50 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.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Central Penn does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Mercyhurst University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Mercyhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Erie, Pennsylvania that handed out 32 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Mercyhurst is $43,460. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
Mercyhurst does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 25% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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 #14 on the list. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 50 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Pennsylvania pay an average of $10,507 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SRU. Those students who come from outside the state 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is a very small private for-profit school located in Washington, Pennsylvania that handed out 120 basic certificates 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. Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school handed out 137 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Online courses are available at McCann School of Business & Technology, 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, 1% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Peirce College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate trade school programs. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 41 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Peirce is $15,060. 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, Peirce is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
With a ranking of #19, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. 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. Out-of-state students pay an average of $18,869.
East Stroudsburg University does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 33% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
New Castle School of Trades came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. New Castle School of Trades is a very small private for-profit school situated in New Castle, Pennsylvania. It awarded 92 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at New Castle School of Trades. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
South Hills School of Business & Technology came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in State College, Pennsylvania, the very small private for-profit school awarded 19 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $19,527 to cover tuition and fees at South Hills School of Business & Technology. The school does not offer an in-state discount.
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. This medium-sized public school is located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 52 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Pennsylvania pay an average of $9,184 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Bucks County Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $13,384.
Bucks County Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 81% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Pittsburgh 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. Oakdale, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out basic certificates to 24 students 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 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 32% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #24, Butler County Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate.
In-state students pay an average of $8,550 in tuition and fees if they attend BC3 full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,550.
One thing to take note of is that BC3 does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 33% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Laurel 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 #25 on the list. This very small private for-profit school is located in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 18 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend LTI Sharon, expect to pay an average of $11,470 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 LTI Sharon. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 77% took at least some of their classes online.
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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