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2023 Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
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. 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 help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 895 schools in the United States to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for trade school students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Trade Associate Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Columbia Southern University the best value school in the United States for trade school students working on their associate degree. Columbia Southern University is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Orange Beach, Alabama. It awarded 1,276 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Columbia Southern University are $6,015 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,106 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, Columbia Southern University is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
Columbia Southern University also made our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list, coming in at #1.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Coahoma Community College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Coahoma Community College is a public institution located in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The school has a small population, and it awarded 250 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Coahoma Community College are $3,353 a year.
Coahoma Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Southeast Community College Area is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,022 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,132 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Southeast Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 38% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Southeast Community College also did well on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 1,895 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU - I are $4,536 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,442 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at BYU - I. 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.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, BYU - I also did well on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Out of the 895 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s value ranking, Lee College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Lee College is a medium-sized public school located in Baytown, Texas that handed out 1,267 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lee College are $4,302 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,113 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Lee College. In 2020-2021 about 40% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Lee College also is in the top 15% of our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools ranking.
Panola College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Panola College is a public institution located in Carthage, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 348 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Panola College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 71% took at least some of their classes online.
Panola College also claimed a spot on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Hutchinson Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. Hutchinson Community College is located in Hutchinson, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 814 associate degrees to qualified students.
Hutchinson Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,571 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Hutchinson Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 46% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Hutchinson Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Baton Rouge Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. Baton Rouge Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that handed out 543 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BRCC are $4,221 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,029 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
BRCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 91% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #9, Central Arizona College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Coolidge, Arizona, the small public school handed out 491 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pinal County Community College are $3,000 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,534 in student loans.
Pinal County Community 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. In fact, around 84% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Pinal County Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Alvin Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Alvin is a public institution located in Alvin, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 778 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Alvin are $4,010 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $6,112 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Alvin, 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, 33% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Camden County College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Camden County College is a public institution located in Blackwood, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,132 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Camden County College are $3,744 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,672 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Camden County College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Clovis Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. Clovis Community College is located in Clovis, New Mexico and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 292 associate degrees to qualified students.
Clovis Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,224 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,343 in student loans.
Clovis Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 56% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Bismarck State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #13 on the list. BSC is a public institution located in Bismarck, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 759 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
BSC undergraduate students pay an average of $7,227 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,985 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that BSC does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
BSC did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Seattle Central College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Located in Seattle, Washington, the small public school handed out 840 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Seattle Central undergraduate students pay an average of $5,354 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,264 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Seattle Central 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 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Seattle Central is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Rochester Community and Technical College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school located in Rochester, Minnesota that handed out 690 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rochester Community and Technical College are $5,670 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,059 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Rochester Community and Technical College, 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, 61% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Rochester Community and Technical College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Read full report on Rochester Community and Technical College
Neosho County Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Neosho County Community College is a public institution located in Chanute, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 289 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Neosho County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,416 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $9,521 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Neosho County Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 39% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #17, Alexandria Technical & Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in Alexandria, Minnesota, and it awarded 337 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ATCC are $6,107 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,721 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
ATCC 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 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, ATCC is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Johnson County Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Located in Overland Park, Kansas, the fairly large public school awarded 1,631 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JCCC are $5,472 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,857 in student loans.
JCCC 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 58% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
JCCC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
With a ranking of #19, Northcentral Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Wausau, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 478 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Central Technical College are $5,512 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $9,408 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since North Central Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 52% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, North Central Technical College also did well on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Fletcher Technical Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Located in Schriever, Louisiana, the small public school awarded 201 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Fletcher Technical Community College are $4,119 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,335 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Fletcher Technical Community College. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Centralia College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Centralia College is a small public school located in Centralia, Washington that handed out 372 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Centralia College are $5,381 a year.
Online courses are available at Centralia College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Centralia College also is in the top 15% of our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools ranking.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Southwest Tech is a small public school situated in Fennimore, Wisconsin. It awarded 220 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southwest Tech are $6,731 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,841 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Southwest Tech. In 2020-2021 about 35% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Southwest Tech excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Victoria College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Victoria College is a small public school situated in Victoria, Texas. It awarded 347 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Victoria College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,112 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,658 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Victoria College. In 2020-2021 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Metropolitan Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #24 on the list. MCC is a fairly large public school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 1,366 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MCC are $4,815 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $9,497 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 45% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #25, Highline College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Highline College is a small public school located in Des Moines, Washington that handed out 893 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Highline are $4,948 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,593 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Highline. In 2020-2021 about 75% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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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