2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
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 Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 120 schools in the Great Lakes Region 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. 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.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Madison Area Technical College the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Madison College is located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,263 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Madison College are $6,812 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Madison College. In fact, around 67% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Madison College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Northcentral Technical College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. North Central Technical College is a public institution located in Wausau, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,571 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
North Central Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,512 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at North Central Technical College, 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 52% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Central Technical College also is in the top 20% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Out of the 120 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Moraine Park Technical College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Moraine Park Technical College is a small public school situated in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It awarded 931 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Moraine Park Technical College are $6,793 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Moraine Park Technical College. In 2020-2021 about 42% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Moraine Park Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fox Valley Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Appleton, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school handed out 1,945 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at FVTC are $6,977 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since FVTC does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 31% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
FVTC also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, coming in at #5.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Chippewa Valley Technical College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 1,280 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at CVTC are $6,793 a year.
One thing to take note of is that CVTC does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.
CVTC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Blackhawk Technical College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Janesville, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 487 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BTC are $6,793 per year.
One thing to take note of is that BTC does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 45% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
BTC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
With a ranking of #7, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Shell Lake, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 947 students in 2021-2022.
WITC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,624 in tuition and fees each year.
WITC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, WITC also did well on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #8, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 1,319 students in 2021-2022.
NWTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,965 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at NWTC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 41% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, NWTC also is in the top 15% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Wayne County Community College District landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. This fairly large public school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 162 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCCCD are $3,998 per year.
Online courses are available at WCCCD, 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 27% took at least some of their classes online.
Gateway Technical College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,757 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gateway Technical College are $6,917 per year.
Gateway Technical 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 36% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, Gateway Technical College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Oakland 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. Oakland Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It awarded 235 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Oakland Community College are $5,400 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Oakland Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 41% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Waukesha County Technical College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Waukesha County Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 978 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,722 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at WCTC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 22% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, WCTC is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Western Technical 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 #13 on the list. Western Technical College is a small public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 483 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Western Technical College are $6,788 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Western Technical College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 63% took at least some of their classes online.
Western Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Fennimore, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 244 students in 2021-2022.
Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,731 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Southwest Tech does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 35% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Washington State Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Marietta, Ohio, the small public school handed out 42 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
WSCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,152 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at WSCC, 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, 58% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Washtenaw Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 709 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Washtenaw Community College are $6,096 per year.
Online courses are available at Washtenaw 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 86% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Lakeshore Technical College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Cleveland, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 388 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
LTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,326 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at LTC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
Mid-State Technical 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 #18 on the list. This small public school is located in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and it awarded 435 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Mid-State are $6,850 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Mid-State does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Ivy Tech 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 #19 on the list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the large public school awarded 10,757 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 per year.
Online courses are available at Ivy Tech 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 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Ivy Tech Community College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Highland Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Highland Community College is a small public school located in Freeport, Illinois that handed out 234 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highland Community College are $7,048 per year.
You may have the opportunity 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.
Southwestern Illinois College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. 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.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SWIC are $6,210 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SWIC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 45% took at least some of their classes online.
John A Logan College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. John A Logan College is located in Carterville, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 150 basic certificates to qualified students.
John A Logan College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,370 in tuition and fees each year.
John A Logan College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 45% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Black Hawk College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. BHC is a public institution located in Moline, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 113 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BHC are $8,100 per year.
BHC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 59% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Milwaukee Area Technical College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 905 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MATC are $7,018 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MATC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 60% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #25, Delta College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Delta College is a medium-sized public school situated in University Center, Michigan. It awarded 59 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Delta College are $7,250 per year.
Delta College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
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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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