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Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa

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2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa

9 Schools Ranked
$5,943 Avg Tuition & Fees*

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 9 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best basic certificate programs for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Trade Basic Certificate Schools in Iowa

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, Iowa
81 Total Awards
$6,090 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Hawkeye Community College to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in Iowa. Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo, Iowa and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 81 basic certificates to qualified students.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Hawkeye Community College is $6,090. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,583.

Online courses are available at Hawkeye Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 44% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Full Hawkeye Community College Report

328 Total Awards
$6,196 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means North Iowa Area Community College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate. This small public school is located in Mason City, Iowa, and it awarded 328 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Full-time students from Iowa pay an average of $6,196 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend North Iowa Area Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,884.

Online courses are available at North Iowa Area 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 83% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full North Iowa Area Community College Report

965 Total Awards
$4,922 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent basic certificate programs at Western Iowa Tech Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in Iowa. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, the medium-sized public school handed out 965 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Western Iowa Tech Community College is $4,922. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $4,946.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Western Iowa Tech Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 78% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Western Iowa Tech Community College

1,607 Total Awards

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Des Moines Area Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa list. DMACC is located in Ankeny, Iowa and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,607 basic certificates to qualified students.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at DMACC. In 2020-2021 about 50% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Des Moines Area Community College Report

#5

Southeastern Community College

West Burlington, Iowa
249 Total Awards
$6,210 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southeastern Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa list. Located in West Burlington, Iowa, the small public school awarded 249 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

Full-time students from Iowa pay an average of $6,210 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Southeastern Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,360.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Southeastern Community 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.

Read More…

#6

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
318 Total Awards
$5,700 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #6, Kirkwood Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 318 students in 2021-2022.

Full-time students from Iowa pay an average of $5,700 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Kirkwood Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,604.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Kirkwood Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 59% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Kirkwood Community College

#7

Iowa Western Community College

Council Bluffs, Iowa
321 Total Awards
$6,540 Average Tuition & Fees

Iowa Western Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa list. This medium-sized public school is located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and it awarded 321 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Iowa Western Community College is $6,540. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,690.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Iowa Western Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Iowa Western Community College

49 Total Awards

Indian Hills Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Iowa list. Located in Ottumwa, Iowa, the small public school handed out 49 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at IHCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 36% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

149 Total Awards

Eastern Iowa Community College District 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. Located in Davenport, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 149 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. During the 2020-2021 year, about 44% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on Eastern Iowa Community College District

Best Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

View Best Trade Basic Certificate Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 9 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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