Find Trade Colleges
2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
With all the trade school programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best 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.
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 the Southwest Region ranking. This report analyzed 71 schools in the Southwest Region 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.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Panola College the best value school in the Southwest Region for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Panola College is a small public school situated in Carthage, Texas. It awarded 150 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Panola College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,896 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Panola College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 71% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Panola College also took the #1 spot in our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region rankings.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Clovis Community College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Clovis, New Mexico, the small public school awarded 365 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Clovis Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,224 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Clovis Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 56% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lee College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. 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.
Lee College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,302 in tuition and fees each year.
Lee 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 40% took at least some of their classes online.
Lee 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 Southwest Region list.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Galveston College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Galveston College is a small public school situated in Galveston, Texas. It awarded 168 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Galveston College are $5,726 per year.
Galveston 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. 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.
Galveston College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Dallas, Texas, the large public school awarded 2,819 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate 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.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at El Centro College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, El Centro College is ranked #2 for overall quality in the Southwest Region .
College of the Mainland came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. College of the Mainland is a small public school located in Texas City, Texas that handed out 109 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at COM are $3,873 per year.
COM does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 41% took at least some of their classes online.
McLennan Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. MCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Waco, Texas. It awarded 346 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
MCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,910 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MCC. In fact, around 57% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
MCC not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Hill College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Hill College is a small public school situated in Hillsboro, Texas. It awarded 216 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Hill College are $4,462 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Hill College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 53% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Victoria College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Victoria, Texas, the small public school handed out 155 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Victoria College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,112 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at Victoria 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 67% took at least some of their classes online.
Victoria College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
With a ranking of #10, Alvin Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Alvin is a medium-sized public school situated in Alvin, Texas. It awarded 191 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Alvin undergraduate students pay an average of $4,010 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Alvin. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 33% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Arizona 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. Pinal County Community College is located in Coolidge, Arizona and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 248 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pinal County Community College are $3,000 per year.
Pinal County 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 2020-2021 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Pinal County Community College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
With a ranking of #12, Wharton County Junior College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Wharton, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 138 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Wharton County Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,052 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Wharton County Junior 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.
Collin County Community College District landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Collin County Community College District is a public institution located in McKinney, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,100 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Collin County Community College District undergraduate students pay an average of $5,614 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Collin County Community College District. In 2020-2021 about 40% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
South Plains 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 #14 on the list. South Plains College is a medium-sized public school located in Levelland, Texas that handed out 482 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Plains College are $4,857 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at South Plains College. In fact, around 61% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Northeast Texas Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Mount Pleasant, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 266 students in 2021-2022.
NTCC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,449 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at NTCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, NTCC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Amarillo College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in Amarillo, Texas, and it awarded 537 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Amarillo College are $4,704 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Amarillo College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 55% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
The University of Texas at Brownsville 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. The University of Texas at Brownsville is a public institution located in Brownsville, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 113 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Brownsville are $4,948 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at The University of Texas at Brownsville. During the 2020-2021 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Midland College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in Midland, Texas, and it awarded 374 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Midland College are $5,880 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Midland College. In fact, around 52% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Lone Star College System came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. North Harris Montgomery is a public institution located in The Woodlands, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,579 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
North Harris Montgomery undergraduate students pay an average of $6,456 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at North Harris Montgomery. In 2020-2021 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
North Harris Montgomery excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
University of New Mexico - Taos Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. This small public school is located in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, and it awarded 58 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UNM Taos are $5,004 a year.
UNM Taos does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus 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. UNM Gallup is a public institution located in Gallup, New Mexico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UNM Gallup are $5,422 a year.
Online courses are available at UNM Gallup, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus
San Jacinto 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 #22 on the list. San Jacinto Community College is a large public school located in Pasadena, Texas that handed out 640 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at San Jacinto College are $5,040 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since San Jacinto College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 66% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
San Juan College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. SJC is located in Farmington, New Mexico and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 223 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SJC are $4,882 per year.
One thing to take note of is that SJC does offer online classes in some areas. 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.
Santa Fe Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the small public school awarded 371 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SFCC are $4,995 a year.
SFCC 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 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
New Mexico State University - Dona Ana landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 77 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at NMSU Dona Ana are $5,880 a year.
NMSU Dona Ana 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, 87% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Narrow Schools by State
View Best Value Basic Certificate Trade Basic Certificate Schools Nationwide >
More Southwest Rankings
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.
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.