2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois
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 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 Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Our analysis looked at 37 schools in Illinois to see which basic certificate 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 Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found John A Logan College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in Illinois. John A Logan College is a public institution located in Carterville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 150 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at John A Logan College are $7,370 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since John A Logan College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 45% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 37 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Kaskaskia College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in Centralia, Illinois, the small public school awarded 251 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Kaskaskia College are $12,330 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Kaskaskia College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 55% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Kaskaskia College also took the #5 spot in our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois rankings.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Highland Community College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Highland Community College is located in Freeport, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 234 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highland Community College are $7,048 per year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Highland Community College. In fact, around 49% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Out of the 37 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Lincoln Land Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. LLCC is located in Springfield, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 656 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at LLCC are $10,068 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since LLCC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 54% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Out of the 37 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, College of Lake County landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Grayslake, Illinois, the fairly large public school handed out 1,378 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at College of Lake County are $13,118 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at College of Lake County. 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.
College of Lake County also took the #4 spot in our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois rankings.
With a ranking of #6, Oakton Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Des Plaines, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 640 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Oakton Community College are $12,462 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Oakton Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 80% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Oakton Community College also took the #2 spot in our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois rankings.
William Rainey Harper College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Harper College is a public institution located in Palatine, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,494 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Harper College are $11,754 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Harper College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 71% took at least some of their classes online.
Harper College also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #3.
Rend Lake College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Ina, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 487 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rend Lake College are $7,200 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Rend Lake College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 48% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #9, Southwestern Illinois College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Belleville, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 1,146 students in 2021-2022.
SWIC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,210 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that SWIC does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 45% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #10, Elgin Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Elgin, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 576 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ECC are $9,516 per year.
Online courses are available at ECC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 80% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Moraine Valley Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in Palos Hills, Illinois, the fairly large public school awarded 2,781 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MVCC are $9,630 per year.
Online courses are available at MVCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lake Land College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Mattoon, Illinois, and it awarded 836 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lake Land College are $13,905 a year.
Online courses are available at Lake Land College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 47% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rock Valley College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Rock Valley College is a public institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 429 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rock Valley College are $20,384 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Rock Valley College. In fact, around 64% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Illinois ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Rasmussen University - Illinois is a private for-profit institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 231 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Rasmussen University - Illinois undergraduate students pay an average of $14,294 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Rasmussen University - Illinois does offer online classes in some areas. 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.
Rasmussen University - Illinois also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #1.
With a ranking of #15, Waubonsee Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Sugar Grove, Illinois, the medium-sized public school handed out 485 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Waubonsee are $11,496 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Waubonsee does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 62% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Morton College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #16 on the list. This small public school is located in Cicero, Illinois, and it awarded 89 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Morton College are $10,900 a year.
Online courses are available at Morton 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, 36% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Morton College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list.
Kishwaukee College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #17 on the list. Located in Malta, Illinois, the small public school awarded 205 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Kishwaukee College are $13,800 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Kishwaukee College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 59% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #18, Prairie State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. This small public school is located in Chicago Heights, Illinois, and it awarded 292 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Prairie State College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,064 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Prairie State 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.
City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Malcolm X College is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 695 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Malcolm X College are $14,430 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Malcolm X College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 77% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Malcolm X College also did well on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Illinois Central College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. East Peoria, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 881 students in 2021-2022.
ICC undergraduate students pay an average of $11,336 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at ICC. In fact, around 62% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Richland Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Richland Community College is a small public school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 326 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Richland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $17,070 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Richland Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 47% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
South Suburban College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #22 on the list. South Holland, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 161 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SSC are $12,683 a year.
Online courses are available at SSC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 46% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Heartland Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #23 on the list. Heartland Community College is a small public school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 484 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Heartland Community College are $14,880 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Heartland Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lewis and Clark Community College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Lewis and Clark Community College is located in Godfrey, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 412 basic certificates to qualified students.
Lewis and Clark Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $12,552 in tuition and fees each year.
Lewis and Clark 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 33% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Sauk Valley Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #25 on the list. Located in Dixon, Illinois, the small public school handed out 264 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Sauk Valley Community College are $12,840 per year.
Online courses are available at Sauk Valley 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 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Best Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes 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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