2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
Today's trade school students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. 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 Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 40 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best value undergraduate certificate programs for trade school students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Trade Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Rock Valley College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a undergraduate certificate in Illinois. This medium-sized public school is located in Rockford, Illinois, and it awarded 150 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Rock Valley College undergraduate students pay an average of $20,384 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,634 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Rock Valley College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 64% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rock Valley College also took the #3 spot in our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois rankings.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend John A Logan College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Carterville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 133 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at John A Logan College are $7,370 per year.
Online courses are available at John A Logan 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 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 40 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Rend Lake College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Rend Lake College is a small public school located in Ina, Illinois that handed out 296 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rend Lake College are $7,200 a year.
Rend Lake 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 48% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Elgin Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in Elgin, Illinois, the medium-sized public school handed out 534 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
ECC undergraduate students pay an average of $9,516 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $3,402 in student loans.
ECC 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 80% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Lincoln Land Community College is a great place for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Lincoln Land Community College is a small public school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 181 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LLCC are $10,068 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,408 in loans while pursuing their degree.
LLCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 54% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Kaskaskia College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Centralia, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 225 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Kaskaskia College are $12,330 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Kaskaskia College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
William Rainey Harper College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Palatine, Illinois, the fairly large public school awarded 1,005 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Harper College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,754 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,644 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Harper College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 71% 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, Harper College is ranked #5 for overall quality in Illinois.
Lake Land College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Lake Land College is a small public school situated in Mattoon, Illinois. It awarded 654 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Lake Land College undergraduate students pay an average of $13,905 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $5,918 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Lake Land College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.
Black Hawk College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Moline, Illinois, the small public school handed out 280 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BHC are $8,100 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $7,597 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that BHC 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.
College of Lake County did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #10 on the list. College of Lake County is a public institution located in Grayslake, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,183 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at College of Lake County are $13,118 a year.
Online courses are available at College of Lake County, 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 78% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, College of Lake County is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list.
Oakton Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Oakton Community College is a public institution located in Des Plaines, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 544 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Oakton Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $12,462 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Oakton Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 80% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Oakton Community College also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
DeVry University - Illinois landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. DeVry University - Illinois is a large private for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 2,903 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at DeVry University - Illinois are $15,032 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,207 in student loans.
DeVry University - Illinois does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, DeVry University - Illinois is ranked #2 for overall quality in Illinois.
Southwestern Illinois College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in Belleville, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 234 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
SWIC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,210 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $5,236 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at SWIC. In fact, around 45% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #14, City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Malcolm X College is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 283 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Malcolm X College are $14,430 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,568 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Malcolm X 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 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Malcolm X College also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Rasmussen University - Illinois ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. This small private for-profit school is located in Rockford, Illinois, and it awarded 111 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rasmussen University - Illinois are $14,294 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,099 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Rasmussen University - Illinois. In 2020-2021 about 65% 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, Rasmussen University - Illinois is ranked #4 for overall quality in Illinois.
Moraine Valley Community College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Moraine Valley Community College is a fairly large public school located in Palos Hills, Illinois that handed out 358 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MVCC are $9,630 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MVCC. 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.
Highland Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Freeport, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 123 students in 2021-2022.
Highland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,048 in tuition and fees each year.
Highland 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 49% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #18, Waubonsee Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. This medium-sized public school is located in Sugar Grove, Illinois, and it awarded 85 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Waubonsee undergraduate students pay an average of $11,496 in tuition and fees each year.
Waubonsee does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 62% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Carl Sandburg College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, the small public school awarded 164 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Carl Sandburg College are $8,760 per year.
Online courses are available at Carl Sandburg 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 76% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
South Suburban College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in South Holland, Illinois, the small public school awarded 242 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SSC are $12,683 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SSC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 46% took at least some of their classes online.
Joliet Junior College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 390 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Joliet Junior College are $13,800 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,912 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Joliet Junior 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 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Illinois Central College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. ICC is a public institution located in East Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 62 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
ICC undergraduate students pay an average of $11,336 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,317 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at ICC. 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.
Olney Central College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Olney, Illinois, the very small public school awarded 87 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Olney Central College are $12,082 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $6,931 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Olney Central College. In 2020-2021 about 28% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #24, Richland Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Decatur, Illinois, the small public school handed out 188 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Richland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $17,070 in tuition and fees each year.
Richland Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 47% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Lewis and Clark Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #25 on the list. Lewis and Clark Community College is a small public school located in Godfrey, Illinois that handed out 383 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Lewis and Clark Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $12,552 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,313 in student loans.
Lewis and Clark Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 33% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Best Value Trade Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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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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