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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. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school handed out 1,263 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Madison College are $6,812 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Madison College. In 2020-2021 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Madison College is ranked #1 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Northcentral Technical College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Wausau, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,571 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
North Central Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,512 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that North Central Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 52% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its great value ranking, North Central Technical College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Moraine Park Technical College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Great Lakes Region . 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.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Moraine Park Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 42% took at least some of their classes online.
Moraine Park Technical College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Fox Valley Technical College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Appleton, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 1,945 students in 2021-2022.
FVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,977 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since FVTC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 31% took at least some of their classes online.
FVTC not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #5 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Out of the 120 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the # 5 spot on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1,280 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
CVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,793 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since CVTC does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, CVTC 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.
Blackhawk Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Blackhawk Technical College is a small public school located in Janesville, Wisconsin that handed out 487 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
BTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,793 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at BTC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 45% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, BTC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, the small public school awarded 947 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WITC are $6,624 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since WITC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 73% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
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.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 1,319 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NWTC are $6,965 per year.
NWTC 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 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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.
With a ranking of #9, Wayne County Community College District did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Detroit, Michigan, the fairly large public school handed out 162 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at WCCCD are $3,998 a year.
WCCCD 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, 27% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Gateway 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 #10 on the list. Gateway Technical College is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,757 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Gateway Technical College are $6,917 a year.
Online courses are available at Gateway Technical College, 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 36% took at least some of their classes online.
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 ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Oakland Community College is located in Auburn Hills, Michigan and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 235 basic certificates to qualified students.
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. In fact, around 41% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Waukesha County Technical College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Waukesha County Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 978 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,722 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since WCTC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 22% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, WCTC also did well on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #13, Western Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 483 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Technical College are $6,788 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Western Technical College. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Western Technical College also is in the top 20% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
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. Located in Fennimore, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 244 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,731 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at Southwest Tech, 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, 35% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #15, Washington State Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. WSCC is a small public school situated in Marietta, Ohio. It awarded 42 basic certificates 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.
With a ranking of #16, Washtenaw Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Washtenaw Community College is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 709 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Washtenaw Community College are $6,096 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Washtenaw Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 86% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Lakeshore Technical College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. LTC is a public institution located in Cleveland, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 388 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
LTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,326 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that LTC 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.
Mid-State Technical College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Mid-State Technical College is a small public school located in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin that handed out 435 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Mid-State are $6,850 a 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.
With a ranking of #19, Ivy Tech Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 10,757 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Ivy Tech Community College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 33% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Ivy Tech Community College 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.
Highland Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Freeport, Illinois, and it awarded 234 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Highland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,048 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Highland Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 49% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Southwestern Illinois College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. 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.
Online courses are available at SWIC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
John A Logan College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Carterville, Illinois, and it awarded 150 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
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 2020-2021 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #23, Black Hawk College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. BHC is a small public school situated in Moline, Illinois. It awarded 113 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BHC are $8,100 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at BHC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 59% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Milwaukee Area Technical College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. MATC is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 905 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
MATC undergraduate students pay an average of $7,018 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at MATC. In 2020-2021 about 60% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Delta College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Delta College is located in University Center, Michigan and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 59 basic certificates to qualified students.
Delta College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,250 in tuition and fees each year.
Delta College 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.
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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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