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2023 Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
With all the trade school programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
The Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 113 schools in the Far Western US Region to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for trade school students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Best Value Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Seattle Central College the best value school in the Far Western US Region for trade school students working on their associate degree. Seattle Central College is a small public school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 840 associate degrees 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.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Seattle Central does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 63% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Centralia College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Centralia, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 372 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Centralia College are $5,381 per year.
Centralia College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 63% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent associate degree programs at Highline College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Far Western US Region . This small public school is located in Des Moines, Washington, and it awarded 893 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Highline undergraduate students pay an average of $4,948 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,593 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Highline 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 75% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 113 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, North Seattle College landed the # 4 spot on the list. North Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 373 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Seattle are $5,547 a year.
Online courses are available at North Seattle, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 45% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Out of the 113 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Bellingham Technical College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Bellingham, Washington, the small public school awarded 389 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute are $5,357 per year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 73% took at least some of their classes online.
Merced College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Merced Community College District is a fairly large public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 1,615 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Merced Community College District undergraduate students pay an average of $7,890 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Merced Community College District. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 89% took at least some of their classes online.
Merced Community College District not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list.
Clover Park Technical College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Lakewood, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 463 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CPTC are $5,979 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,933 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at CPTC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 43% took at least some of their classes online.
Wenatchee Valley College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. WVC is a small public school situated in Wenatchee, Washington. It awarded 702 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
WVC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,458 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,181 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at WVC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 92% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #9, Gavilan College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Gavilan College is a small public school located in Gilroy, California that handed out 641 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gavilan College are $7,238 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Gavilan College. In 2020-2021 about 74% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Gavilan College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list.
Umpqua 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 #10 on the list. Located in Roseburg, Oregon, the small public school awarded 268 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Umpqua Community College are $5,945 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,820 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Umpqua Community College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 72% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Spokane Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Spokane, Washington, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,134 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Spokane Community College are $5,278 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $18,221 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Spokane Community 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 50% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Cuesta 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 #12 on the list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, the medium-sized public school awarded 2,629 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Cuesta College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,348 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $17,988 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Cuesta College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Cuesta College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list.
Canada 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. Located in Redwood City, California, the medium-sized public school awarded 462 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Canada College are $9,006 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,256 in student loans.
Canada College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 92% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Canada College is ranked #3 for overall quality in the Far Western US Region .
With a ranking of #14, Yuba College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Yuba College is located in Marysville, California and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,330 associate degrees to qualified students.
Yuba College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,488 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Yuba College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Yuba College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list.
Santa Barbara City College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. SBCC is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,590 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SBCC are $9,322 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $17,141 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
SBCC 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 80% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
SBCC also took the #4 spot in our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region rankings.
Napa Valley College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Napa Valley College is a public institution located in Napa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 612 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Napa Valley College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,388 in tuition and fees each year.
Napa Valley College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 83% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Napa Valley College also is in the top 10% of our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Butte 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 #17 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Oroville, California, and it awarded 1,193 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Butte College are $7,816 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,921 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Butte College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 81% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Butte College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list.
Spokane Falls Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Spokane, Washington, the small public school handed out 1,031 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Spokane Falls Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,278 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,767 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Spokane Falls Community College. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Cabrillo College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Aptos, California, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,994 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cabrillo College are $8,630 per year.
Cabrillo College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 88% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Cabrillo College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list.
Shoreline Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Shoreline, Washington, the small public school awarded 746 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Shoreline Community College are $7,082 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,170 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Shoreline Community College. In 2020-2021 about 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
West Hills College-Lemoore landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. West Hills College-Lemoore is a public institution located in Lemoore, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 767 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at West Hills College-Lemoore are $10,110 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,678 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 West Hills College-Lemoore does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 76% took at least some of their classes online.
West Hills College-Lemoore also took the #1 spot in our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region rankings.
Ventura College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Ventura College is a fairly large public school located in Ventura, California that handed out 2,456 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Ventura College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,146 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,615 in student loans.
Ventura College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Bellevue College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Bellevue, Washington, the fairly large public school handed out 1,783 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
BC undergraduate students pay an average of $9,838 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,298 in student loans.
BC 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 92% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, BC also did well on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Yakima Valley College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Located in Yakima, Washington, the small public school handed out 697 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
YVC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,488 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,351 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 YVC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
San Joaquin Delta College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Stockton, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 3,631 students in 2021-2022.
Delta undergraduate students pay an average of $9,072 in tuition and fees each year.
Delta 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 98% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Delta also is in the top 15% of our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking.
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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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