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 analysis found Columbia Southern University to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a associate degree in the United States. Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit institution located in Orange Beach, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,276 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Columbia Southern University undergraduate students pay an average of $6,015 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,106 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Columbia Southern University is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Columbia Southern University not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Coahoma Community College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. This small public school is located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and it awarded 250 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Coahoma Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,353 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Coahoma Community College. In 2020-2021 about 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The excellent associate degree programs at Southeast Community College Area helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the United States. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,022 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $14,132 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Southeast 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 2020-2021 about 38% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Southeast Community College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Out of the 895 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s value ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the # 4 spot on the list. BYU - I is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rexburg, Idaho. The school has a large population, 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.
Depending on your major, you may be able 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.
In addition to its great value ranking, BYU - I is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Lee College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. 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.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Lee College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 40% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
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 landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Carthage, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 348 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 a year.
Panola College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 71% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Panola College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Hutchinson 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 #7 on the list. Hutchinson Community College is a small public school located in Hutchinson, Kansas that handed out 814 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hutchinson Community College are $4,530 per 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. In fact, around 46% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Hutchinson Community College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Baton Rouge Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. This medium-sized public school is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and it awarded 543 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
BRCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,221 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,029 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that BRCC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
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. Central Arizona College is a small public school located in Coolidge, Arizona that handed out 491 associate degrees 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.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Pinal County Community College. In 2020-2021 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Pinal County Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
With a ranking of #10, Alvin Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Alvin Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Alvin, Texas that handed out 778 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Alvin are $4,010 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $6,112 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Alvin does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Camden County College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. Camden County College is a medium-sized public school situated in Blackwood, New Jersey. It awarded 1,132 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Camden County College are $3,744 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,672 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Camden County College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 65% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Clovis Community College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Clovis Community College is a small public school situated in Clovis, New Mexico. It awarded 292 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Clovis Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,224 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,343 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Clovis Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 56% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Bismarck State College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Bismarck State College is a small public school located in Bismarck, North Dakota that handed out 759 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BSC are $7,227 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,985 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at BSC, 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, 65% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
BSC did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Seattle Central 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 #14 on the list. Located in Seattle, Washington, the small public school handed out 840 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Seattle Central are $5,354 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,264 in loans while pursuing 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 fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
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 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 #15 on the 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. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,059 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Rochester Community and Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. 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.
Rochester Community and Technical 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.
Neosho County Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. This small public school is located in Chanute, Kansas, and it awarded 289 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,416 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $9,521 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Neosho County Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 39% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Alexandria Technical & Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Located in Alexandria, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 337 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ATCC are $6,107 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,721 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that ATCC does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 49% took at least some of their classes online.
ATCC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Read full report on Alexandria Technical & Community College
Johnson 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 #18 on the list. Overland Park, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,631 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JCCC are $5,472 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,857 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at JCCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 58% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, JCCC also did well on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Northcentral Technical College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Located in Wausau, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 478 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
North Central Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,512 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $9,408 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at North Central Technical College. 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.
In addition to its great value ranking, North Central Technical College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools list.
Fletcher Technical Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. This small public school is located in Schriever, Louisiana, and it awarded 201 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Fletcher Technical Community College are $4,119 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,335 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Fletcher Technical Community College. 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.
Centralia College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools list. Centralia College is a small public school situated in Centralia, Washington. It awarded 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.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Centralia College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 63% took at least some of their classes online.
Centralia College 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 #22, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Fennimore, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 220 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southwest Tech are $6,731 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,841 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Southwest Tech does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 35% 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, Southwest Tech also is in the top 5% of our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools ranking.
Victoria College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools ranking. Victoria College is a small public school located in Victoria, Texas that handed out 347 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Victoria College are $5,112 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,658 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Victoria 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, 67% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Metropolitan Community College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. This fairly large public school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 1,366 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MCC are $4,815 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $9,497 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
MCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. 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. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,593 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Highline. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
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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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