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.
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Top Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Panola College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in the Southwest Region . Located in Carthage, Texas, the small public school handed out 150 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Panola College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,896 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Panola College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 71% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Panola College also took the #1 spot in our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region rankings.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Clovis Community College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Clovis Community College is a small public school located in Clovis, New Mexico that handed out 365 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Clovis Community College are $3,224 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Clovis Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 56% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Lee 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 Baytown, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 2,298 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lee College are $4,302 a year.
Lee College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 40% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
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.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Galveston College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Southwest Region . Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school awarded 168 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Galveston College are $5,726 per year.
Galveston College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Galveston College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Out of the 71 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, El Centro College landed the # 5 spot on the list. El Centro College is a large public school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 2,819 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
El Centro College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,000 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students 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.
El Centro College also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list, coming in at #2.
College of the Mainland ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. This small public school is located in Texas City, Texas, and it awarded 109 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at COM are $3,873 a year.
COM does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 41% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
McLennan Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. 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.
MCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 57% 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, MCC is ranked #4 for overall quality in the Southwest Region .
Hill College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Hill College is a small public school located in Hillsboro, Texas that handed out 216 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hill College are $4,462 per year.
Online courses are available at Hill 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 53% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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. This small public school is located in Victoria, Texas, and it awarded 155 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Victoria College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,112 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Victoria College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 67% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its great value ranking, Victoria College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Alvin Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. This medium-sized public school is located in Alvin, Texas, and 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. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 33% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Central Arizona College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This small public school is located in Coolidge, Arizona, and it awarded 248 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Pinal County Community College are $3,000 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Pinal County Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 84% took at least some of their classes online.
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.
Wharton County Junior College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Wharton County Junior College is a public institution located in Wharton, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 138 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Wharton County Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,052 in tuition and fees each year.
Wharton County Junior College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 49% took at least some of their classes online.
Collin County Community College District ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Collin County Community College District is a large public school situated in McKinney, Texas. It awarded 1,100 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Collin County Community College District are $5,614 a year.
Depending on your major, you 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 came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Levelland, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 482 basic certificate awards 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Northeast Texas Community College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. NTCC is located in Mount Pleasant, Texas and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 266 basic certificates to qualified students.
NTCC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,449 in tuition and fees each year.
NTCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 65% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
NTCC 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.
With a ranking of #16, Amarillo College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Amarillo College is a medium-sized public school located in Amarillo, Texas that handed out 537 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Amarillo College are $4,704 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Amarillo College. In fact, around 55% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
The University of Texas at Brownsville ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Brownsville, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 113 students 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.
Some students may be able to take online classes at The University of Texas at Brownsville. In fact, around 73% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #18, Midland College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Midland College is a medium-sized public school located in Midland, Texas that handed out 374 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Midland College are $5,880 per year.
Online courses are available at Midland 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.
Lone Star College System ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. 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.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Harris Montgomery are $6,456 a year.
North Harris Montgomery does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
North Harris Montgomery also claimed a spot on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
University of New Mexico - Taos 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 #20 on the list. Located in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, the small public school handed out 58 basic certificate awards 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 61% took at least some of their classes online.
University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Gallup, New Mexico, the small public school handed out 27 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UNM Gallup are $5,422 a year.
One thing to take note of is that UNM Gallup does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
San Jacinto Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Pasadena, Texas, the large public school awarded 640 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at San Jacinto College are $5,040 per year.
San Jacinto College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #23, San Juan College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. SJC is a medium-sized public school situated in Farmington, New Mexico. It awarded 223 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SJC are $4,882 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SJC. 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 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 #24 on the list. SFCC is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 371 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SFCC are $4,995 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since SFCC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #25, New Mexico State University - Dona Ana did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. NMSU Dona Ana is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 77 basic certificates to qualified students.
NMSU Dona Ana undergraduate students pay an average of $5,880 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at NMSU Dona Ana. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 87% 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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