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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 analysis found Coahoma Community College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a undergraduate certificate in the United States. Located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the small public school awarded 303 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Coahoma Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,353 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Coahoma Community College. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at Clovis Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the United States. Located in Clovis, New Mexico, the small public school awarded 68 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clovis Community College are $3,224 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,798 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity 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.
Out of the 910 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s value ranking, Southeast Community College Area landed the # 2 spot on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it awarded 189 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,763 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Southeast Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 38% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, Southeast Community College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New Mexico Junior College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. New Mexico Junior College is located in Hobbs, New Mexico and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 104 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
New Mexico Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $2,280 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at New Mexico Junior College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 73% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Lee College is a great place for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Lee College is a medium-sized public school located in Baytown, Texas that handed out 112 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Lee College are $4,302 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,420 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Lee 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, 40% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Lee College also is in the top 15% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Highland 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 #6 on the list. Highland, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 73 students in 2021-2022.
Highland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,330 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Highland Community College. In 2020-2021 about 52% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
North Seattle 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 #7 on the list. North Seattle is a small public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 71 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Seattle are $5,547 a year.
North Seattle 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, 45% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, North Seattle is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
Cloud County Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. This small public school is located in Concordia, Kansas, and it awarded 46 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cloud County Community College are $3,570 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,887 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Cloud 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. 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.
South Louisiana Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Lafayette, Louisiana, the medium-sized public school awarded 624 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Louisiana Community College are $4,205 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,733 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
South Louisiana 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 fact, around 77% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
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 handed out 399 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 a year.
Panola 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.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Panola College also is in the top 15% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Arkansas State University - Newport 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 #11 on the list. ASUN is a public institution located in Newport, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 450 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
ASUN undergraduate students pay an average of $4,416 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $6,787 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at ASUN. In 2020-2021 about 54% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
El Centro College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Dallas, Texas, the large public school awarded 468 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
El Centro College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,000 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,885 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at El Centro College. In fact, around 70% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, El Centro College also is in the top 5% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Seattle Central College ranked #13 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 237 students in 2021-2022.
Seattle Central undergraduate students pay an average of $5,354 in tuition and fees each year.
Seattle Central does offer online classes for certain degree levels. 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.
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.
With a ranking of #14, NorthWest Arkansas Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Bentonville, Arkansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 554 students in 2021-2022.
NWACC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,906 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $14,535 in loans while pursuing their degree.
NWACC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 69% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #15, Highlands College of Montana Tech did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Butte, Montana, the very small public school handed out 73 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highlands College of Montana Tech are $9,642 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $4,025 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Highlands College of Montana Tech does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 29% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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 ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. This small public school is located in Alexandria, Minnesota, and it awarded 164 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ATCC are $6,107 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,581 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that ATCC does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 49% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
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.
Read full report on Alexandria Technical & Community College
Camden County College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Camden County College is a medium-sized public school located in Blackwood, New Jersey that handed out 95 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Camden County College are $3,744 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,183 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Camden County College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Fletcher 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 #18 on the list. Fletcher Technical Community College is a small public school located in Schriever, Louisiana that handed out 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. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,635 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Fletcher Technical 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 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Galveston College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school handed out 153 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Galveston College are $5,726 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $11,060 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Galveston 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 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.
Rochester Community and Technical College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools ranking. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 116 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
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. In fact, around 61% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rochester Community and Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools list. Southwest Tech is a public institution located in Fennimore, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 204 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southwest Tech are $6,731 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,120 in student loans.
Southwest Tech 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 35% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Southwest Tech is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
Neosho County 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 #22 on the list. Neosho County Community College is a small public school located in Chanute, Kansas that handed out 169 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,416 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,453 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Neosho County Community College. In 2020-2021 about 39% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #23, Central Arizona College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Pinal County Community College is located in Coolidge, Arizona and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 309 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
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.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Pinal County Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Pinal County Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 500 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
CVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,793 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,592 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since CVTC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.
CVTC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list.
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.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Lakes College are $6,140 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $11,266 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Central Lakes 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 34% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Central Lakes College also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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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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