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2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
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 in the Plains States Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 91 schools in the Plains States 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. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used 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 Plains States Region of the U.S.
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 Plains States Region . This small public school is located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and it awarded 578 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at North Hennepin Community College are $5,050 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since North Hennepin Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 82% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
North Hennepin Community College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Hutchinson Community 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 Hutchinson, Kansas, the small public school handed out 572 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Hutchinson Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Hutchinson Community College. In 2020-2021 about 46% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bismarck State College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. BSC is located in Bismarck, North Dakota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 90 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BSC are $7,227 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at BSC. In fact, around 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, BSC is ranked #1 for overall quality in the Plains States Region .
The excellent basic certificate programs at Neosho County Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Plains States Region . Neosho County Community College is a public institution located in Chanute, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 333 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,416 per year.
Neosho County Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. 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.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Rochester Community and Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Plains States Region . Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 123 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Rochester Community and Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,670 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Rochester Community and Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. 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.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rochester Community and Technical College also is in the top 10% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
Southeast Community College Area landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school awarded 133 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Southeast Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. 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.
Central Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,309 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Community College are $4,710 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Central Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Northeast Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Norfolk, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school awarded 129 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Northeast undergraduate students pay an average of $5,130 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at Northeast, 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 39% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Garden City Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Garden City, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 265 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Garden City Community College are $4,110 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Garden City Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 53% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Johnson County Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. JCCC is a fairly large public school situated in Overland Park, Kansas. It awarded 855 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JCCC are $5,472 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at JCCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 58% took at least some of their classes online.
Western Iowa Tech Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 965 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Western Iowa Tech Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,946 in tuition and fees each year.
Western Iowa Tech Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 78% took at least some of their classes online.
Anoka Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Anoka Technical College is located in Anoka, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 526 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Anoka Technical College are $6,075 per year.
Anoka Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 49% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Anoka Technical College also is in the top 10% of our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
Century College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. White Bear Lake, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 477 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Century College are $6,105 a year.
Century 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, 72% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Century 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 Plains States Region list.
Metropolitan Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the fairly large public school handed out 257 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MCC are $4,815 per year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at MCC. In 2020-2021 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #15, Hennepin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Brooklyn Park, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 730 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Hennepin Technical College are $5,881 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Hennepin Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 54% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Northwest Technical College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, the very small public school awarded 37 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NTC are $6,226 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since NTC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 74% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
NTC also claimed a spot on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
With a ranking of #17, Saint Paul College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Saint Paul College is a medium-sized public school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 448 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Saint Paul College are $6,318 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Saint Paul College. In 2020-2021 about 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Dodge City Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Dodge City Community College is a small public school located in Dodge City, Kansas that handed out 129 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Dodge City Community College are $4,890 a year.
Online courses are available at Dodge City Community 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 51% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #18, Hawkeye Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Waterloo, Iowa, the small public school awarded 81 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Hawkeye Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,583 in tuition and fees each year.
Hawkeye 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. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 44% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Hawkeye Community 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 Plains States Region list.
Northland Community and 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 #20 on the list. Northland Community and Technical College is a public institution located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 167 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Northland Community and Technical College are $6,244 a year.
Online courses are available at Northland 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 51% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lake Area Technical Institute came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Watertown, South Dakota, the small public school handed out 62 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LATI are $6,718 per year.
LATI does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 44% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its great value ranking, LATI is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Barton County Community College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. Barton Community College is located in Great Bend, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 313 basic certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Barton Community College are $4,608 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Barton Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Seward County Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Liberal, Kansas, and it awarded 145 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SCCC are $4,928 per year.
Online courses are available at SCCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 30% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #24, Inver Hills Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. IHCC is a public institution located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 248 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
IHCC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,007 in tuition and fees each year.
IHCC 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 78% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Cloud 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 #25 on the list. This small public school is located in Concordia, Kansas, and it awarded 169 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Cloud County Community College are $3,570 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Cloud County Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 39% 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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