2023 Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools
A trade school student has lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. As online education opportunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses.
The Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 381 schools in the United States to see which online associate degree programs were the most popular for trade school students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from schools with online programs.
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Most Popular Online Trade School Associate Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these popular schools with online programs:
Our 2023 rankings named Ultimate Medical Academy - Clearwater the most popular school in the United States for trade school students working on their associate degree. Clearwater, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 5,503 students in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from UMA Clearwater accumulate an average of $24,458 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 97% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 98% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
The excellent associate degree programs at South College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular trade school schools in the United States. South College is a private for-profit institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 878 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend South College, expect to pay an average of $17,335 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,086 in student loans. Around 88% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 89% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sonoran Desert Institute. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools list. Sonoran Desert Institute is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 650 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees at Sonoran Desert Institute is $10,950. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $17,914 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 1% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, Sonoran Desert Institute is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and it awarded 553 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $10,748 to cover tuition and fees at Embry-Riddle Worldwide. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $22,219 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 12% of those degree recipients were women.
Around 98% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Full Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide Report
Out of the 381 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Georgia Technical College landed the # 5 spot on the list. CGTC is a public institution located in Warner Robins, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 670 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Georgia who attend CGTC full time pay an average of $3,042 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,442. Associate Degree recipients from CGTC accumulate an average of $19,777 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 72% were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 63% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #6, Columbia Southern University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit institution located in Orange Beach, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,087 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Columbia Southern University, expect to pay an average of $5,775 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Columbia Southern University accumulate an average of $20,725 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 20% were women.
Since Columbia Southern University is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
With a ranking of #7, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a small private for-profit school located in San Mateo, California that handed out 389 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,393 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 76% were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 24% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #8, Purdue University Global did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Purdue University Global is a large public school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 703 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Purdue University Global is $10,125. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,436. Associate Degree recipients from Purdue University Global accumulate an average of $27,073 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 24% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, Purdue University Global is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
Excelsior University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in Albany, New York, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 309 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from Excelsior University accumulate an average of $15,946 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 29% of those degree recipients were women.
Since Excelsior University is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
With a ranking of #10, DeVry University - Illinois did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. DeVry University - Illinois is a large private for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 280 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend DeVry University - Illinois, expect to pay an average of $15,032 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from DeVry University - Illinois accumulate an average of $35,424 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.
Around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a public institution located in Perkinston, Mississippi. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 711 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Mississippi who attend Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College full time pay an average of $3,950 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,250. On average, associate degree students take out $13,702 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 55% of those degree recipients were women.
Around 59% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Unitek College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in Fremont, California, the small private for-profit school awarded 254 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from Unitek College accumulate an average of $23,323 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 82% were women.
Since Unitek College is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
Saddleback College ranked #14 on this year’s Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools list. Located in Mission Viejo, California, the fairly large public school handed out 305 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,332 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Saddleback College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,292. Around 72% of those degree recipients were women.
In 2019-2020 about 89% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Ross College-Sylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in Sylvania, Ohio, the very small private for-profit school handed out 229 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from Ross College-Sylvania accumulate an average of $20,226 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 95% of those degree recipients were women.
In 2019-2020 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Bryant & Stratton College - Online landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree trade school programs. Bryant & Stratton College - Online is located in Orchard Park, New York and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 258 associate degrees to qualified students.
Bryant & Stratton College - Online does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $15,295. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Bryant & Stratton College - Online accumulate an average of $27,380 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 93% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, Bryant & Stratton College - Online is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
With a ranking of #17, Pima Medical Institute - Tucson did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Tucson, Arizona, the small private for-profit school awarded 381 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,963 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 79% were women.
In 2019-2020 about 22% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #18, Grantham University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Lenexa, Kansas, the medium-sized private for-profit school awarded 276 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Grantham University is $8,280. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,791 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 60% were women.
Grantham University is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
With a ranking of #18, West Virginia Junior College - Morgantown did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. WVJC Morgantown is a very small private for-profit school situated in Morgantown, West Virginia. It awarded 191 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at WVJC Morgantown is $14,657. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $15,147 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 94% of those degree recipients were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 80% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #20, Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Houston, Texas is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 160 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service is $13,363. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service accumulate an average of $16,924 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 73% were women.
To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 93% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Monroe College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools ranking. Monroe College is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in Bronx, New York. It awarded 461 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Monroe College, expect to pay an average of $16,686 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Monroe College accumulate an average of $16,720 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.
Around 37% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Popular Online Associate Degree Trade Schools list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and it awarded 450 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at SNHU is $15,380. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from SNHU accumulate an average of $22,352 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 69% of those degree recipients were women.
In 2019-2020 about 96% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The College of Health Care Professions - Northwest landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree trade school programs. This small private for-profit school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 228 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from CHCP - Northwest accumulate an average of $26,541 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 86% of those degree recipients were women.
In 2019-2020 about 72% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
ECPI University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #24 on the list. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and it awarded 1,004 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
ECPI University does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $17,479. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $24,838 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 74% of those degree recipients were women.
Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 44% took at least some of their classes online.
James A Rhodes State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #25 on the list. Lima, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 141 students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Ohio pay an average of $4,397 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Rhodes State College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,721. On average, associate degree students take out $16,411 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 55% were women.
In 2019-2020 about 42% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rest of the Top 50 Most Popular Online Trade Associate Degree Schools in the United States
Not only did these schools make the top most popular online list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Narrow Schools by Region
Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Online Trade Associate Degree Schools in the United States
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | South University’s online programs | Savannah, GA |
| 52 | Clarion University of Pennsylvania | Clarion, PA |
| 53 | Advanced Technology Institute | Virginia Beach, VA |
| 54 | Bryan University | Tempe, AZ |
| 55 | St Petersburg College | Clearwater, FL |
| 56 | Central Texas College | Killeen, TX |
| 56 | Community Care College | Tulsa, OK |
| 58 | Azusa Pacific University College | San Dimas, CA |
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular online trade school schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 59 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College | Fennimore, WI |
| 59 | Community College of Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD |
| 59 | Carrington College, Phoenix North | Phoenix, AZ |
| 59 | Berkeley College - Woodland Park | Woodland Park, NJ |
| 63 | San Juan College | Farmington, NM |
| 63 | Martinsburg College | Martinsburg, WV |
| 65 | Brookline College - Phoenix | Phoenix, AZ |
| 66 | American National University | Salem, VA |
| 67 | Rockhurst University | Kansas City, MO |
| 68 | Waldorf University | Forest City, IA |
| 69 | Utah State University | Logan, UT |
| 69 | Eastern Gateway Community College | Steubenville, OH |
| 69 | Valley College-Martinsburg | Martinsburg, WV |
| 69 | Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, LA |
| 73 | Pearl River Community College | Poplarville, MS |
| 74 | Texas State Technical College | Waco, TX |
| 74 | Sinclair Community College | Dayton, OH |
| 74 | Bryan University | Springfield, MO |
| 77 | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Salisbury, NC |
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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