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2023 Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
Today's trade school students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
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 in Florida ranking. Our analysis looked at 34 schools in Florida 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.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Trade Associate Degree Schools in Florida
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Hillsborough Community College the best value school in Florida for trade school students working on their associate degree. Hillsborough Community College is a fairly large public school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 3,920 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at HCC are $9,111 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,096 in student loans.
HCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 78% 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, HCC is ranked #3 for overall quality in Florida.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Valencia College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. This large public school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 8,600 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Valencia College are $9,383 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,788 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Valencia College. In 2020-2021 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Valencia College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida list.
Out of the 34 schools in Florida that were part of this year’s value ranking, Tallahassee Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Tallahassee Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 2,516 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Tallahassee Community College are $8,062 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,185 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Tallahassee Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 86% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Santa Fe College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Santa Fe College is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,487 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Santa Fe College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,189 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,615 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Santa Fe College. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Santa Fe College also did well on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
The excellent associate degree programs at Gulf Coast State College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in Florida. GCSC is a public institution located in Panama City, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 616 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at GCSC are $8,635 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,951 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at GCSC, 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, 57% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Miami Dade College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. MDC is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10,398 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
MDC undergraduate students pay an average of $9,661 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,654 in loans while pursuing their degree.
MDC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 82% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
MDC also took the #5 spot in our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida rankings.
Florida State College at Jacksonville ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. FSCJ is located in Jacksonville, Florida and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3,210 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at FSCJ are $9,631 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,098 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at FSCJ. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Broward College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. This large public school is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and it awarded 6,046 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BC are $8,952 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,156 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that BC does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 67% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #9, Eastern Florida State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Melbourne, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,632 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at EFSC are $10,976 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,784 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
EFSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 66% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
St Petersburg 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. SPC is a large public school situated in St. Petersburg, Florida. It awarded 3,899 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SPC are $9,286 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,937 in student loans.
Online courses are available at SPC, 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, 76% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Palm Beach State College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Palm Beach State College is located in Lake Worth, Florida and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4,046 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Palm Beach State College are $10,910 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,892 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Palm Beach State College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 77% took at least some of their classes online.
Florida Gateway 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 Lake City, Florida, the small public school handed out 469 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
FGC undergraduate students pay an average of $11,747 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,865 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at FGC, 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, 71% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #13, Pensacola State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Pensacola, Florida, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,490 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Pensacola State are $9,475 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $8,218 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Pensacola State does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Bradenton, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,631 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota are $11,595 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $11,602 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota 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 72% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota
Saint Johns River State College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. St. Johns River Community College is located in Palatka, Florida and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 941 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at St. Johns River Community College are $10,347 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,519 in loans while pursuing their degree.
St. Johns River 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 62% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Florida SouthWestern State College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Florida SouthWestern State College is a fairly large public school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 2,240 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at FSW are $12,979 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,150 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at FSW. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
FSW excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida list.
With a ranking of #17, Polk State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Polk State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winter Haven, Florida. It awarded 1,605 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Polk State are $12,271 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,473 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Polk State 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 79% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
College of Central Florida landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. CF is a medium-sized public school situated in Ocala, Florida. It awarded 1,016 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at CF are $10,517 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,656 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at CF. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 73% took at least some of their classes online.
Indian River State College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Indian River State College is located in Fort Pierce, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,279 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Indian River State College are $10,201 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,917 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Indian River State College. In 2020-2021 about 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Seminole State College of Florida 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 #20 on the list. Seminole State is located in Sanford, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,593 associate degrees to qualified students.
Seminole State undergraduate students pay an average of $11,456 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,581 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Seminole State, 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, 73% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Daytona State College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Daytona State College is a fairly large public school located in Daytona Beach, Florida that handed out 1,973 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Daytona State College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,994 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,278 in student loans.
Daytona State 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 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Pasco-Hernando State College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. PHSC is located in New Port Richey, Florida and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,392 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at PHSC are $12,032 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,216 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at PHSC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 77% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Northwest Florida 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 #23 on the list. NWFSC is a small public school situated in Niceville, Florida. It awarded 877 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at NWFSC are $11,752 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $8,135 in loans while pursuing their degree.
NWFSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.
South Florida 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 #24 on the list. South Florida State College is a small public school situated in Avon Park, Florida. It awarded 331 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
South Florida State College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,859 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $8,893 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at South Florida State College. In 2020-2021 about 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rasmussen University - Florida ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Rasmussen University - Florida is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in Ocala, Florida. It awarded 2,014 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Rasmussen University - Florida undergraduate students pay an average of $13,842 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,089 in student loans.
Rasmussen University - Florida does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 93% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Florida also made our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida list, coming in at #1.
Best Value Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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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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