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2023 Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This report analyzed 83 schools in the Plains States Region 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.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used 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 Plains States Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Southeast Community College Area the best value school in the Plains States Region for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school awarded 189 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,864 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,763 in student loans.
Southeast 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 38% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at Highland Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Plains States Region . This small public school is located in Highland, Kansas, and it awarded 73 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highland Community College are $3,330 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Highland Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 52% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Cloud County Community 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 Concordia, Kansas, the small public school awarded 46 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students 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.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Cloud County Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 39% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Alexandria Technical & Community 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 Alexandria, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 164 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ATCC are $6,107 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,581 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at ATCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 49% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, ATCC is ranked #3 for overall quality in the Plains States Region .
Read full report on Alexandria Technical & Community College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Rochester Community and Technical College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school located in Rochester, Minnesota that handed out 116 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rochester Community and Technical College are $5,670 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $15,977 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Rochester Community and Technical 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 61% took at least some of their classes online.
Rochester Community and Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Neosho County Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Chanute, Kansas, the small public school handed out 169 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,416 per year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,453 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Neosho County Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 39% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Lakes College - Brainerd 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. This small public school is located in Brainerd, Minnesota, and it awarded 247 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Lakes College are $6,140 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,266 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Central Lakes College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 34% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Central Lakes College also is in the top 10% of our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
Hutchinson Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Hutchinson, Kansas, the small public school handed out 222 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Hutchinson Community College are $4,530 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,957 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Hutchinson Community 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, 46% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #9, Northeast Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Northeast is located in Norfolk, Nebraska and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 126 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Northeast undergraduate students pay an average of $5,130 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $9,726 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Northeast, 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 39% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Hennepin Technical 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. Located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 475 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hennepin Technical College are $5,881 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $9,314 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Hennepin Technical College. In 2020-2021 about 54% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Hennepin Technical 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 Plains States Region list.
Northwest Iowa Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Sheldon, Iowa, the small public school handed out 145 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Northwest Iowa Community College are $7,170 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,669 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Northwest Iowa Community 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 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northwest Iowa Community College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Western Iowa Tech Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 404 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Western Iowa Tech Community College are $4,946 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,123 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Western Iowa Tech Community College. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
North Hennepin Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
North Hennepin Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,050 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $9,158 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at North Hennepin Community 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 82% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Central Community College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Central Community College is located in Grand Island, Nebraska and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 594 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Central Community College are $4,710 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $7,874 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Central Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Saint Paul 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 #15 on the list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 320 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Saint Paul College are $6,318 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $11,330 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Saint Paul College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 64% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Saint Paul College also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #16, St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. St Cloud Technical and Community College is a small public school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 249 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at St Cloud Technical and Community College are $6,075 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,441 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that St Cloud Technical and Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 65% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
St Cloud Technical and Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on St Cloud Technical and Community College
With a ranking of #17, Century College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their undergraduate certificate. Century College is a medium-sized public school located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota that handed out 448 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Century College are $6,105 a year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $14,366 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Century College. In 2020-2021 about 72% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Century College also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Metropolitan Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. MCC is a public institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 200 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MCC are $4,815 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $7,044 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at MCC. 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.
Northland Community and Technical College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, and it awarded 258 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Northland Community and Technical College are $6,244 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,274 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Northland Community and Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 51% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on Northland Community and Technical College
Dakota County Technical 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. DCTC is a public institution located in Rosemount, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 234 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
DCTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,419 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,454 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at DCTC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 60% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, DCTC also did well on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Anoka Technical College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Anoka, Minnesota, and it awarded 272 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Anoka Technical College are $6,075 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,538 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Anoka Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 49% took at least some of their classes online.
Mid-Plains Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Mid-Plains Community College is a small public school located in North Platte, Nebraska that handed out 69 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Mid-Plains Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,380 in tuition and fees each year.
Mid-Plains 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 55% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Johnson County Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. Located in Overland Park, Kansas, the fairly large public school handed out 323 undergraduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
JCCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,472 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,589 in student loans.
Online courses are available at JCCC, 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 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Ridgewater College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate trade school programs. This small public school is located in Willmar, Minnesota, and it awarded 155 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Ridgewater College are $6,114 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,935 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 Ridgewater College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 72% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Bismarck State 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. BSC is a small public school situated in Bismarck, North Dakota. It awarded 172 undergraduate certificates in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BSC are $7,227 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,097 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at BSC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 65% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
BSC also claimed a spot on our Best Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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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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