2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate 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.
The Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 74 schools in the Southwest Region 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.
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 Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Lee College the best value school in the Southwest Region for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Lee College is a public institution located in Baytown, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 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.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Lee College. In 2020-2021 about 40% 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, Lee College is ranked #4 for overall quality in the Southwest Region .
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Panola College is a great place for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Panola College is a small public school located in Carthage, Texas that handed out 399 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 per year.
Online courses are available at Panola 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 71% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Panola College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend El Centro College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region 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. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,885 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at El Centro College. In 2020-2021 about 70% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
El Centro College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Out of the 74 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Galveston College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in Galveston, Texas, the small public school awarded 153 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Galveston College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,726 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $11,060 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Galveston College. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Galveston College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Central Arizona College is a great place for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Coolidge, Arizona, the small public school awarded 309 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students 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. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,528 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Pinal 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 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Pinal County Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Victoria College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Victoria College is a small public school situated in Victoria, Texas. It awarded 98 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Victoria College are $5,112 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $9,804 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Victoria College. In 2020-2021 about 67% 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, Victoria College also is in the top 20% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking.
Tyler Junior 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. Located in Tyler, Texas, the fairly large public school handed out 309 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Tyler Junior College are $4,440 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,998 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Tyler Junior College. In fact, around 58% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Alvin Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Alvin, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 284 students in 2021-2022.
Alvin undergraduate students pay an average of $4,010 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $5,574 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Alvin does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Amarillo College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Amarillo College is a medium-sized public school located in Amarillo, Texas that handed out 432 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Amarillo College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,704 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $14,393 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Amarillo 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 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Wharton County Junior College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Wharton, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 147 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Wharton County Junior College are $5,052 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,641 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Wharton County Junior College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 49% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #11, South Plains College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. South Plains College is a public institution located in Levelland, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 293 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at South Plains College are $4,857 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,402 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at South Plains College. In 2020-2021 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Clarendon College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Clarendon, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 116 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clarendon College are $5,400 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,235 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Clarendon College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
College of the Mainland ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. COM is a public institution located in Texas City, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 68 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
COM undergraduate students pay an average of $3,873 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $6,175 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at COM. In fact, around 41% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
The University of Texas at Brownsville 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 #14 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Brownsville, Texas, and it awarded 17 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Brownsville are $4,948 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,000 in student loans.
The University of Texas at Brownsville does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #15, Collin County Community College District did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. McKinney, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 790 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Collin County Community College District are $5,614 per year.
Online courses are available at Collin County Community College District, 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 40% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
San Jacinto 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. San Jacinto College is a large public school situated in Pasadena, Texas. It awarded 1,885 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
San Jacinto College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,040 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,340 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since San Jacinto College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
University of New Mexico - Taos Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 25 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UNM Taos are $5,004 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at UNM Taos. During the 2020-2021 year, about 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #18, McLennan Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Waco, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 169 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
MCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,910 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,398 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MCC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 57% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
MCC also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Angelina College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Lufkin, Texas, the small public school awarded 325 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at AC are $6,150 per year.
Online courses are available at AC, 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 71% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, AC also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Odessa 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. Odessa College is located in Odessa, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 240 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Odessa College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,566 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,170 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Odessa College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Houston Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Houston, Texas, the large public school awarded 480 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Houston Community College are $5,460 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $13,835 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Houston 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.
Midland College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Midland College is a medium-sized public school situated in Midland, Texas. It awarded 129 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Midland College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,880 in tuition and fees each year.
Midland College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 52% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Chandler-Gilbert Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Chandler, Arizona is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 1,296 students in 2021-2022.
Chandler-Gilbert Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,854 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,415 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Chandler-Gilbert 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, 43% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Chandler-Gilbert Community College also took the #5 spot in our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region rankings.
Lone Star College System 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 #24 on the list. North Harris Montgomery is a public institution located in The Woodlands, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,029 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
North Harris Montgomery undergraduate students pay an average of $6,456 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,493 in loans while pursuing their degree.
North Harris Montgomery does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 67% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Temple College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Temple, Texas, the small public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Temple College are $6,576 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,661 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Temple College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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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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