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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 analysis found Lee College to be the best value school for trade school students who want to pursue a undergraduate certificate in the Southwest Region . 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. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,420 in student loans.
Lee 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 40% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lee College also took the #4 spot in our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region rankings.
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. This small public school is located in Carthage, Texas, and it awarded 399 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,896 per 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. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Panola College also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at El Centro College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Southwest Region . Located in Dallas, Texas, the large public school awarded 468 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at El Centro College are $6,000 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,885 in student loans.
El Centro College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 70% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
El Centro College also made our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list, coming in at #1.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Galveston College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. This small public school is located in Galveston, Texas, and it awarded 153 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Galveston College are $5,726 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $11,060 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity 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.
In addition to its great value ranking, Galveston College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central Arizona College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Coolidge, Arizona, the small public school awarded 309 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pinal County Community College are $3,000 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,528 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Pinal County Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 84% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Pinal County Community College also is in the top 15% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking.
Victoria College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Victoria, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 98 students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Victoria College are $5,112 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,804 in student loans.
Victoria College 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.
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 ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Tyler, Texas, the fairly large public school handed out 309 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Tyler Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,440 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,998 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity 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 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. This medium-sized public school is located in Alvin, Texas, and it awarded 284 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Alvin are $4,010 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $5,574 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Alvin. During the 2020-2021 year, about 33% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Amarillo 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 #9 on the list. Amarillo, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 432 students in 2021-2022.
Amarillo College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,704 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,393 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Amarillo College. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Wharton County 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 #10 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Wharton, Texas, and it awarded 147 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Wharton County Junior College are $5,052 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $6,641 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Wharton County Junior College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
South Plains 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 #11 on the list. Located in Levelland, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 293 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at South Plains College are $4,857 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $11,402 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at South Plains College. In fact, around 61% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Clarendon College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Clarendon College is located in Clarendon, Texas and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 116 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Clarendon College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,400 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,235 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Clarendon 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, 71% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #13, College of the Mainland did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Texas City, Texas, the small public school awarded 68 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at COM are $3,873 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $6,175 in student loans.
COM 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 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
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. Brownsville, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 17 students in 2021-2022.
The University of Texas at Brownsville undergraduate students pay an average of $4,948 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,000 in loans while pursuing their degree.
The University of Texas at Brownsville does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 73% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Collin County Community College District came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Collin County Community College District is a large public school located in McKinney, Texas that handed out 790 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Collin County Community College District are $5,614 per year.
Collin County Community College District 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 40% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on Collin County Community College District
With a ranking of #16, San Jacinto Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. San Jacinto College is a large public school situated in Pasadena, Texas. It awarded 1,885 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at San Jacinto College are $5,040 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $9,340 in loans while pursuing their degree.
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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
University of New Mexico - Taos Campus 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 #17 on the list. Located in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, the small public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UNM Taos are $5,004 per year.
One thing to take note of is that UNM Taos does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 61% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
McLennan 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. Located in Waco, Texas, the medium-sized public school awarded 169 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MCC are $5,910 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,398 in loans while pursuing their degree.
MCC 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 57% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, MCC also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Angelina College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Lufkin, Texas, the small public school awarded 325 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at AC are $6,150 a year.
AC 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 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
AC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list.
Odessa College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. This medium-sized public school is located in Odessa, Texas, and it awarded 240 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Odessa College are $4,566 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,170 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Odessa College. In 2020-2021 about 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Houston Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Houston Community College is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 480 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Houston Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,460 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,835 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Houston Community College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 77% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Midland College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. 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 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 52% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #23, Chandler-Gilbert Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Chandler-Gilbert Community College is a fairly large public school located in Chandler, Arizona that handed out 1,296 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Chandler-Gilbert Community College are $7,854 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,415 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. 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 ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Southwest Region list. This large public school is located in The Woodlands, Texas, and it awarded 1,029 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Harris Montgomery are $6,456 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,493 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since North Harris Montgomery does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #24, Temple College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Temple College is a public institution located in Temple, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Temple College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,576 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $13,661 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Temple 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 64% 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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