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2023 Best Value Trade School Bachelor's Degree Schools in Alabama
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Value Trade School Bachelor's Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. Our analysis looked at 15 schools in Alabama to see which bachelor's 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. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Trade Bachelor's Degree Schools in Alabama
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 bachelor’s degree in Alabama. Columbia Southern University is located in Orange Beach, Alabama and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,691 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Columbia Southern University are $6,015 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $24,110 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Columbia Southern University. Every 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 Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list.
Out of the 15 schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s value ranking, University of Alabama at Birmingham landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, the large public school awarded 2,844 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UAB are $21,216 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,518 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at UAB. In fact, around 70% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Out of the 15 schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s value ranking, University of South Alabama landed the # 3 spot on the list. USA is a public institution located in Mobile, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,924 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at USA are $17,732 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $25,905 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at USA. In fact, around 52% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Herzing University - Birmingham. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Alabama list. This very small private not-for-profit school is located in Birmingham, Alabama, and it awarded 16 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Herzing University - Birmingham are $12,750 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $32,896 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Herzing University - Birmingham does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 48% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Herzing University - Birmingham did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list.
Out of the 15 schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s value ranking, Auburn University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Auburn, Alabama, the large public school handed out 5,764 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Auburn are $32,960 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $20,756 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Auburn. 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.
Auburn also made our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list, coming in at #4.
Auburn University at Montgomery ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Alabama list. Located in Montgomery, Alabama, the medium-sized public school awarded 678 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at AUM are $19,348 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $27,407 in student loans.
AUM 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. 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.
The University of Alabama landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 7,332 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UA are $32,300 per year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,044 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at UA. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 37% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
UA not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #5 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in Alabama list.
Jacksonville State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Jacksonville, Alabama, and it awarded 1,435 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Jacksonville State University undergraduate students pay an average of $21,912 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,374 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Jacksonville State University. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #9, University of North Alabama did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. UNA is located in Florence, Alabama and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,169 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UNA are $21,420 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,776 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
UNA 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 70% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of West Alabama did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. University of West Alabama is a medium-sized public school situated in Livingston, Alabama. It awarded 399 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at University of West Alabama are $20,090 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $31,286 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at University of West Alabama. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 64% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Troy University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Alabama list. Troy University is a fairly large public school located in Troy, Alabama that handed out 2,320 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at TROY are $18,624 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $25,655 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 TROY does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 59% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Alabama State University landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree trade school programs. This small public school is located in Montgomery, Alabama, and it awarded 480 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Alabama State are $19,396 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $32,463 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Alabama State does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 89% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Tuskegee University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Tuskegee, Alabama, and it awarded 413 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Tuskegee undergraduate students pay an average of $22,614 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $31,189 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Samford University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. Samford is located in Birmingham, Alabama and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 930 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Samford are $36,725 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,339 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Samford does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 24% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Samford is ranked #3 for overall quality in Alabama.
South University, Montgomery did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #15 on the list. South University, Montgomery is a private for-profit institution located in Montgomery, Alabama. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 31 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South University, Montgomery are $16,560 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $38,641 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at South University, Montgomery. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 64% took at least some of their classes online.
Best Value Trade Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 15 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.