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2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
There are so many trade school programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. 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.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 809 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value basic certificate programs for trade school students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
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. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found North Hennepin Community College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in the United States. North Hennepin Community College is a small public school situated in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It awarded 578 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
North Hennepin Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,050 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at North Hennepin Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 82% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, North Hennepin Community College is ranked #5 for overall quality in the United States.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Panola College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. This small public school is located in Carthage, Texas, and it awarded 150 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Panola College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Panola College also did well on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 1% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia Southern University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools list. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Orange Beach, Alabama, and it awarded 134 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Columbia Southern University are $6,015 per year.
Since Columbia Southern University is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
Columbia Southern University also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list, coming in at #3.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Clovis Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools list. Clovis Community College is located in Clovis, New Mexico and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 365 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clovis Community College are $3,224 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Clovis Community College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 56% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Out of the 809 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s value ranking, North Seattle College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Seattle, Washington, the small public school awarded 180 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
North Seattle undergraduate students pay an average of $5,547 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at North Seattle, 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 45% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Seattle also is in the top 5% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Lee College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Lee College is located in Baytown, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,298 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lee College are $4,302 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Lee College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 40% took at least some of their classes online.
Lee College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list.
Coastal Pines Technical College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. Located in Waycross, Georgia, the small public school awarded 1,120 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Coastal Pines Technical College are $4,906 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Coastal Pines Technical College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 39% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Coastal Pines Technical College also is in the top 10% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Hutchinson Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Hutchinson, Kansas, the small public school awarded 572 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Hutchinson Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees each year.
Hutchinson Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 46% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Hutchinson Community College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list.
Galveston College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools list. Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school awarded 168 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Galveston College are $5,726 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Galveston College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 69% took at least some of their classes online.
Galveston College also claimed a spot on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Bismarck State College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. This small public school is located in Bismarck, North Dakota, and it awarded 90 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BSC are $7,227 per year.
BSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
BSC did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list.
Neosho County 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 Chanute, Kansas, the small public school awarded 333 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Neosho County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,416 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Neosho County Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 39% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Seattle Central 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 #12 on the list. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 73 students in 2021-2022.
Seattle Central undergraduate students pay an average of $5,354 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Seattle Central 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.
In addition to its great value ranking, Seattle Central is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list.
Rochester Community and Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools list. This small public school is located in Rochester, Minnesota, and it awarded 123 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rochester Community and Technical College are $5,670 a year.
Online courses are available at Rochester Community and 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 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Rochester Community and Technical College also did well on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Bossier Parish Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. Bossier Parish Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Bossier City, Louisiana that handed out 447 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bossier Parish Community College are $4,283 per year.
Bossier Parish Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 76% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
El Centro 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 #15 on the list. Dallas, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 2,819 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at El Centro College are $6,000 a year.
El Centro College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, El Centro College also is in the top 5% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
College of the Mainland landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. College of the Mainland is a small public school located in Texas City, Texas that handed out 109 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
COM undergraduate students pay an average of $3,873 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at COM. In 2020-2021 about 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Arkansas State University - Newport came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. ASUN is a public institution located in Newport, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 537 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
ASUN undergraduate students pay an average of $4,416 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at ASUN. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 54% took at least some of their classes online.
Madison Area Technical College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 1,263 students in 2021-2022.
Madison College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,812 in tuition and fees each year.
Madison College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 67% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Madison College also is in the top 5% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
With a ranking of #19, Northcentral Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. North Central Technical College is located in Wausau, Wisconsin and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,571 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Central Technical College are $5,512 a year.
North Central Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 52% took at least some of their classes online.
North Central Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
With a ranking of #20, Centralia 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 Centralia, Washington, and it awarded 114 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Centralia College are $5,381 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Centralia 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.
In addition to its great value ranking, Centralia College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list.
Camden County College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Blackwood, New Jersey, and it awarded 170 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Camden County College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,744 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Camden County College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 65% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Southeast Community College Area came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. Southeast Community College is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 133 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 per year.
Southeast Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 38% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #23, McLennan Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. MCC is a public institution located in Waco, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 346 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
MCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,910 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MCC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 57% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, MCC also did well on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #24, Central Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,309 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Central Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,710 in tuition and fees each year.
Central 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 72% took at least some of their classes online.
NorthWest Arkansas Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools ranking. Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 356 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NWACC are $4,906 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at NWACC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 69% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
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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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