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2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
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 Virginia ranking. Our analysis looked at 23 schools in Virginia 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.
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 Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Danville Community College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in Virginia. Danville, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 325 students in 2021-2022.
Danville Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,728 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Danville Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 49% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Danville Community College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Virginia list.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Piedmont Virginia Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in Virginia. PVCC is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 212 basic certificates to qualified students.
PVCC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,793 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at PVCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 56% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
PVCC also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Virginia list, coming in at #2.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Wytheville Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in Virginia. Wytheville Community College is a small public school located in Wytheville, Virginia that handed out 123 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
WCC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,728 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at WCC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 61% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
WCC did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Virginia list.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Mountain Empire Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia list. MECC is located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 499 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MECC are $10,728 per year.
Online courses are available at MECC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 74% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
MECC not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #5 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Virginia list.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Southside Virginia Community College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in Virginia. Southside Virginia Community College is a small public school located in Alberta, Virginia that handed out 301 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Southside Virginia Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,698 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Southside Virginia Community College. In fact, around 59% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #6, Thomas Nelson Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. TNCC is a public institution located in Hampton, Virginia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 205 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at TNCC are $10,809 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at TNCC. In 2020-2021 about 74% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Reynolds Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia list. Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 374 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Reynolds Community College are $11,001 a year.
Online courses are available at Reynolds 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 65% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Lord Fairfax Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia list. Located in Middletown, Virginia, the medium-sized public school handed out 281 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Lord Fairfax Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,742 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at Lord Fairfax Community 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 50% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Tidewater 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 #9 on the list. Located in Norfolk, Virginia, the fairly large public school awarded 1,133 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Tidewater Community College are $11,564 per year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Tidewater Community College. In 2020-2021 about 82% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Central Virginia Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 366 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Central Virginia Community College are $10,856 a year.
Central Virginia 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. In fact, around 54% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Virginia Highlands Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia ranking. Abingdon, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 187 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at VHCC are $10,728 per year.
VHCC 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 60% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Blue Ridge Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia list. BRCC is a public institution located in Weyers Cave, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 551 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BRCC are $11,367 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since BRCC 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.
Northern Virginia Community College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Northern Virginia Community College is a public institution located in Annandale, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 892 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Northern Virginia Community College are $11,648 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Northern Virginia Community College. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Southwest Virginia Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia ranking. Southwest Virginia Community College is a small public school located in Cedar Bluff, Virginia that handed out 219 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Southwest Virginia undergraduate students pay an average of $10,736 in tuition and fees each year.
Southwest Virginia 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 78% took at least some of their classes online.
Patrick Henry Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia ranking. Martinsville, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 81 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Patrick Henry are $10,723 per year.
Online courses are available at Patrick Henry, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 72% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
New River Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia list. This small public school is located in Dublin, Virginia, and it awarded 335 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NRCC are $10,699 per year.
One thing to take note of is that NRCC does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 59% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #17, Virginia Western Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Roanoke, Virginia, the medium-sized public school handed out 484 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Virginia Western Community College are $11,106 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Virginia Western Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
John Tyler Community College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Chester, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 283 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at John Tyler Community College are $10,803 per year.
John Tyler 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. In fact, around 56% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Paul D Camp 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 Franklin, Virginia, the small public school handed out 64 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Paul D Camp Community College are $10,733 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Paul D Camp Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. 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.
Germanna Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Germanna Community College is located in Locust Grove, Virginia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 346 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Germanna Community College are $10,916 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Germanna Community College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 71% took at least some of their classes online.
Rappahannock 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 #21 on the list. RCC is located in Glenns, Virginia and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 398 basic certificates to qualified students.
RCC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,823 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at RCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 51% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
ECPI University 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. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the fairly large private for-profit school handed out 38 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ECPI University are $18,484 a year.
ECPI University does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
ECPI University did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Virginia list.
Liberty University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in Virginia list. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, the large private not-for-profit school handed out 364 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Liberty University are $16,203 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Liberty University. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 87% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Best Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Southeast Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 23 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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