2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
There are so many trade school programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one 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 Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 910 schools in the United States to see which undergraduate 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. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Trade Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Coahoma Community College the best value school in the United States for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Coahoma Community College is a small public school located in Clarksdale, Mississippi that handed out 303 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Coahoma Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,353 in tuition and fees each year.
Coahoma 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, 63% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
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 Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Clovis Community College is a small public school located in Clovis, New Mexico that handed out 68 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Clovis Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,224 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,798 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Clovis Community College. 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.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Southeast Community College Area is a great place for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Southeast Community College is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 189 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,763 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Southeast Community College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 38% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Southeast Community College also is in the top 20% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at New Mexico Junior College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the United States. New Mexico Junior College is a small public school located in Hobbs, New Mexico that handed out 104 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at New Mexico Junior College are $2,280 per year.
New Mexico 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 73% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lee College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Lee College is a medium-sized public school situated in Baytown, Texas. It awarded 112 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Lee College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,302 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,420 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Lee College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 40% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Lee College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
With a ranking of #6, Highland Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Highland Community College is a small public school situated in Highland, Kansas. It awarded 73 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Highland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,330 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Highland Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 52% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
North Seattle College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 71 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at North Seattle are $5,547 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since North Seattle does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 45% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
North Seattle excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
Cloud County Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. Located in Concordia, Kansas, the small public school awarded 46 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students 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. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,887 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you 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.
With a ranking of #9, South Louisiana Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. South Louisiana Community College is located in Lafayette, Louisiana and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 624 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Louisiana Community College are $4,205 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,733 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at South Louisiana Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 77% took at least some of their classes online.
Panola College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Carthage, Texas, the small public school awarded 399 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Panola College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 71% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its great value ranking, Panola College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
With a ranking of #11, Arkansas State University - Newport did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. ASUN is a small public school situated in Newport, Arkansas. It awarded 450 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
ASUN undergraduate students pay an average of $4,416 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $6,787 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
ASUN does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 54% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
El Centro College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. El Centro College is a large public school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 468 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
El Centro College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,000 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,885 in loans while pursuing their degree.
El Centro College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 70% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
El Centro College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Seattle Central 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 #13 on the list. This small public school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 237 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Seattle Central are $5,354 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Seattle Central does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Seattle Central excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
NorthWest Arkansas Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Bentonville, Arkansas, and it awarded 554 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
NWACC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,906 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,535 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at NWACC. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Highlands College of Montana Tech came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. Highlands College of Montana Tech is a very small public school located in Butte, Montana that handed out 73 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Highlands College of Montana Tech are $9,642 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $4,025 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Highlands College of Montana Tech does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 29% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Highlands College of Montana Tech not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
Alexandria Technical & 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 #16 on the list. Alexandria Technical & Community College is a small public school located in Alexandria, Minnesota that handed out 164 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
ATCC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,107 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,581 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at ATCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
ATCC also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Camden County College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Camden County College is a public institution located in Blackwood, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 95 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Camden County College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,744 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,183 in student loans.
Camden County 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Fletcher Technical Community College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Fletcher Technical Community College is a public institution located in Schriever, Louisiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 321 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Fletcher Technical Community College are $4,119 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,635 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Fletcher Technical Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 78% took at least some of their classes online.
Galveston 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 #19 on the list. Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school handed out 153 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Galveston College are $5,726 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $11,060 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Galveston College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 69% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Galveston College also is in the top 15% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
With a ranking of #20, Rochester Community and Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Rochester Community and Technical College is located in Rochester, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 116 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Rochester Community and Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,670 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,977 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Rochester Community and Technical College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. 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.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Rochester Community and Technical College also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Read full report on Rochester Community and Technical College
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Fennimore, Wisconsin, the small public school awarded 204 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,731 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,120 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Southwest Tech does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 35% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Southwest Tech also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Neosho County Community College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Chanute, Kansas, and it awarded 169 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,416 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,453 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Neosho 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 39% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Central Arizona 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 #23 on the list. Pinal County Community College is a public institution located in Coolidge, Arizona. The school has a small population, and it awarded 309 undergraduate 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. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,528 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Pinal County Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 84% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Pinal County Community College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 500 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CVTC are $6,793 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,592 in student loans.
Online courses are available at CVTC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 47% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
CVTC also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
With a ranking of #25, Central Lakes College - Brainerd did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Brainerd, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 247 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Central Lakes College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,140 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,266 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Central Lakes College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 34% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Lakes College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
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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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