Find Trade Colleges

Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region

2023 Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region

135 Schools Ranked
$41,904 Average Earnings
$25,720 Avg Student Debt

With all the trade school programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 135 schools in the Southwest Region to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Trade Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Ottawa University - Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona
389 Total Awards

Our 2023 rankings named Ottawa University - Phoenix the best school in the Southwest Region for trade school students working on their degree. Ottawa University - Phoenix is a very small private not-for-profit school located in Phoenix, Arizona that handed out 389 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Ottawa University - Phoenix

#2

Texas A&M University - College Station

College Station, Texas
20,117 Total Awards

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - College Station. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in College Station, Texas, the large public school handed out 20,117 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Texas A&M University - College Station

17,432 Total Awards

Out of the 135 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the # 3 spot on the list. UT Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17,432 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on The University of Texas at Austin

#4

Panola College

Carthage, Texas
897 Total Awards

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Panola College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Panola College is a small public school located in Carthage, Texas that handed out 897 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Panola College

555 Total Awards

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Prescott, Arizona, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 555 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott

#6

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas
1,387 Total Awards

MSU Texas landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best trade school programs. MSU Texas is located in Wichita Falls, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,387 degrees to qualified students.

Full MSU Texas Report

#7

El Centro College

Dallas, Texas
10,913 Total Awards

El Centro College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best trade school programs. El Centro College is a large public school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 10,913 degrees in 2021-2022.

Full El Centro College Report

1,342 Total Awards

Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in Portales, New Mexico, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,342 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus

#9

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, Arizona
29,319 Total Awards

With a ranking of #9, Grand Canyon University did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working. Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out degrees to 29,319 students in 2021-2022.

Read More…

#10

Arizona State University - Skysong

Scottsdale, Arizona
14,649 Total Awards

With a ranking of #10, Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, the large public school handed out 14,649 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read More…

20,988 Total Awards

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #11 on this year’s Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. ASU - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20,988 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read More…

#12

Central Arizona College

Coolidge, Arizona
1,048 Total Awards

With a ranking of #12, Central Arizona College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working. Located in Coolidge, Arizona, the small public school awarded 1,048 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Central Arizona College

#13

University of Phoenix - Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona
26,013 Total Awards

University of Phoenix - Arizona came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out degrees to 26,013 students in 2021-2022.

Read full report on University of Phoenix - Arizona

#14

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, Texas
1,987 Total Awards

University of the Incarnate Word ranked #14 on this year’s Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,987 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read More…

#15

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
11,858 Total Awards

University of Arizona ranked #15 on this year’s Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Tucson, Arizona, the large public school awarded 11,858 diplomas to qualifed students in 2021-2022.

Full University of Arizona Report

#16

Galveston College

Galveston, Texas
677 Total Awards

With a ranking of #16, Galveston College did quite well on this year’s best schools for trade school students working. Galveston, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 677 students in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Galveston College

682 Total Awards

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students. It came in at #17 on the list. Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology is a small public school located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma that handed out 682 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology

246 Total Awards

Remington College - Dallas Campus landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best trade school programs. Dallas, Texas is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out degrees to 246 students in 2021-2022.

Read More…

2,555 Total Awards

Texas State Technical College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Waco, Texas, and it awarded 2,555 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Texas State Technical College

#20

Northeast Texas Community College

Mount Pleasant, Texas
705 Total Awards

Northeast Texas Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. NTCC is a small public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Texas. It awarded 705 degrees in 2021-2022.

Full Northeast Texas Community College Report

7,702 Total Awards

The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students. It came in at #21 on the list. This large public school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 7,702 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read More…

2,334 Total Awards

Estrella Mountain Community College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best trade school programs. Estrella Mountain Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Avondale, Arizona. It awarded 2,334 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Estrella Mountain Community College

#23

Lee College

Baytown, Texas
3,677 Total Awards

Lee College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students. It came in at #23 on the list. Baytown, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 3,677 students in 2021-2022.

Full Lee College Report

#24

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
10,852 Total Awards

University of Houston did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students. It came in at #24 on the list. UH is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10,852 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on University of Houston

#25

Hallmark University

San Antonio, Texas
356 Total Awards

Hallmark University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students. It came in at #25 on the list. This very small private not-for-profit school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 356 degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Hallmark University

View Best Trade 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.