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 analysis found Hillsborough Community College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a associate degree in Florida. Located in Tampa, Florida, the fairly large public school handed out 3,920 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at HCC are $9,111 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,096 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that HCC does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
HCC not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 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, Valencia College landed the # 2 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 8,600 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Valencia College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,383 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,788 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Valencia College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 84% took at least some of their classes online.
Valencia College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida list.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Tallahassee Community College is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,516 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Tallahassee Community College are $8,062 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,185 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Tallahassee Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 86% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
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 located in Gainesville, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,487 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Santa Fe College are $9,189 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,615 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Santa Fe College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 55% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Santa Fe College is in the top 20% of all schools 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, Gulf Coast State College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Panama City, Florida, the small public school handed out 616 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at GCSC are $8,635 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,951 in student loans.
GCSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 57% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #6, Miami Dade College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. MDC is located in Miami, Florida and has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 10,398 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MDC are $9,661 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,654 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MDC. In fact, around 82% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, MDC is ranked #5 for overall quality in Florida.
Florida State College at Jacksonville 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. FSCJ is a public institution located in Jacksonville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3,210 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
FSCJ undergraduate students pay an average of $9,631 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,098 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 FSCJ does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 78% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Broward College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Fort Lauderdale, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 6,046 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BC are $8,952 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $9,156 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since BC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Eastern 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 #9 on the list. Eastern Florida State College is a fairly large public school located in Melbourne, Florida that handed out 2,632 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at EFSC are $10,976 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,784 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that EFSC does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
St Petersburg College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. SPC is a public institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3,899 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
SPC undergraduate students pay an average of $9,286 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,937 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 SPC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 76% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Palm Beach State College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Palm Beach State College is a large public school situated in Lake Worth, Florida. It awarded 4,046 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Palm Beach State College are $10,910 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,892 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Palm Beach State College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Florida Gateway College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Florida Gateway College is a small public school located in Lake City, Florida that handed out 469 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at FGC are $11,747 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,865 in student loans.
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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 71% took at least some of their classes online.
Pensacola 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. Pensacola, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,490 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pensacola State are $9,475 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,218 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Pensacola State. In 2020-2021 about 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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. State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota is a medium-sized public school situated in Bradenton, Florida. It awarded 1,631 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota undergraduate students pay an average of $11,595 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $11,602 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Saint Johns River 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 #15 on the list. Located in Palatka, Florida, the medium-sized public school awarded 941 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
St. Johns River Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,347 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,519 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that St. Johns River Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 62% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Florida SouthWestern State College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. FSW is a fairly large public school situated in Fort Myers, Florida. It awarded 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.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at FSW. 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, FSW is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida list.
Polk 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 #17 on the list. 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. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,473 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Polk State does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 79% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
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.
CF undergraduate students pay an average of $10,517 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,656 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since CF does offer online classes for certain majors. 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 ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. 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.
Indian River State College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,201 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,917 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Indian River State College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 66% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
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. Sanford, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,593 students in 2021-2022.
Seminole State undergraduate students pay an average of $11,456 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,581 in student loans.
Seminole State does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 73% took at least some of their classes online.
Daytona State College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Daytona Beach, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,973 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Daytona State College are $11,994 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,278 in loans while pursuing their degree.
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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 65% took at least some of their classes online.
Pasco-Hernando State College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. Pasco-Hernando State College is a medium-sized public school located in New Port Richey, Florida that handed out 1,392 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
PHSC undergraduate students pay an average of $12,032 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,216 in student loans.
PHSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northwest Florida State College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. This small public school is located in Niceville, Florida, and it awarded 877 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NWFSC are $11,752 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,135 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
NWFSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 70% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
South Florida State College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree trade school programs. South Florida State College is a small public school located in Avon Park, Florida that handed out 331 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at South Florida State College are $11,859 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $8,893 in loans while pursuing their degree.
South Florida State College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Florida came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Rasmussen University - Florida is located in Ocala, Florida and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,014 associate degrees to qualified students.
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.
Online courses are available at Rasmussen University - Florida, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 93% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Florida also took the #1 spot in our Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in Florida rankings.
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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