2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. 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 assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This report analyzed 198 schools in the Southwest Region to see which ones were the most popular associate degree programs for trade school students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Texas State Technical College the most popular school in the Southwest Region for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in Waco, Texas, the fairly large public school awarded 1,108 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from TSTC accumulate an average of $16,405 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 15% were women.
TSTC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 198 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, San Jacinto Community College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Pasadena, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 776 students in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from San Jacinto College accumulate an average of $13,960 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
One thing to take note of is that San Jacinto College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 95% took at least some of their classes online.
The excellent associate degree programs at Central New Mexico Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular trade school schools in the Southwest Region . Central New Mexico Community College is a fairly large public school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 726 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,684 in tuition and fees if they attend CNM full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,540. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,658 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 68% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since CNM does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 90% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sonoran Desert Institute. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region 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.
Sonoran Desert Institute does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $10,950. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Sonoran Desert Institute accumulate an average of $17,914 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 1% were women.
Since Sonoran Desert Institute 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.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Southwest University at El Paso is a great place for trade school students working on their associate degree. Southwest University at El Paso is a private for-profit institution located in El Paso, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 632 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Southwest University at El Paso, expect to pay an average of $16,000 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Southwest University at El Paso accumulate an average of $28,491 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Southwest University at El Paso does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 1% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Universal Technical Institute - Avondale ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Universal Technical Institute - Avondale is a small private for-profit school located in Avondale, Arizona that handed out 630 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $18,670 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 3% were women.
With a ranking of #7, Lone Star College System did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. Located in The Woodlands, Texas, the large public school awarded 730 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at North Harris Montgomery is $4,848. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,168. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,481 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
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 2019-2020 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Houston Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. This large public school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 547 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Houston Community College is $4,344. Out-of-state students pay an average of $5,460. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,597 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
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 2019-2020 academic year, around 88% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #9, Universal Technical Institute - Dallas did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. UTI Dallas is a private for-profit institution located in Irving, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 495 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $17,389 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 3% were women.
El Centro College ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Dallas, Texas, the large public school handed out 623 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,961 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 50% were women.
Online courses are available at El Centro 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 2019-2020 academic year, around 92% took at least some of their classes online.
Del Mar College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and it awarded 504 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend DMC full time pay an average of $4,820 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,930. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,513 in student loans. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
DMC 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 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.
Austin Community College District came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Austin Community College District is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 536 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $8,580 in tuition and fees if they attend Austin Community College District full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,590. On average, associate degree students take out $16,220 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 56% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Austin Community College District does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #13, St Philip’s College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. St Philip’s College is a fairly large public school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 382 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend St Philip’s College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,122. On average, associate degree students take out $16,795 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 52% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at St Philip’s College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 51% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Pima Medical Institute - Tucson 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 #14 on the list. PMI Tucson is located in Tucson, Arizona and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 381 associate degrees to qualified students.
Associate Degree recipients from PMI Tucson accumulate an average of $28,963 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 79% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at PMI Tucson. In 2019-2020 about 22% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, the small public school awarded 340 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $5,774 in tuition and fees if they attend OSU Institute of Technology full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,384. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,790 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 13% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at OSU Institute of Technology. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Western Technical 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 #16 on the list. Western Technical College is a small private for-profit school located in El Paso, Texas that handed out 322 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $20,955 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 4% were women.
Tyler Junior 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 #17 on the list. Tyler Junior College is a fairly large public school located in Tyler, Texas that handed out 398 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $3,864 in tuition and fees if they attend Tyler Junior College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $4,440. Associate Degree recipients from Tyler Junior College accumulate an average of $17,044 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
Tyler Junior College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 64% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Tarrant County College District ranked #18 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Fort Worth, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 364 students in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $17,198 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 47% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Tarrant County College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
South Texas 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 #19 on the list. South Texas College is a large public school situated in McAllen, Texas. It awarded 620 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees if they attend South Texas College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,920. On average, associate degree students take out $8,401 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 50% were women.
South Texas 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, 94% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Pima Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree trade school programs. Located in Tucson, Arizona, the fairly large public school awarded 289 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $2,250 in tuition and fees if they attend Pima County Community College District full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,566. On average, associate degree students take out $15,202 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 45% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Pima County Community College District. During the 2019-2020 year, about 52% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Lamar Institute of Technology ranked #21 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Beaumont, Texas, the small public school awarded 277 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend Lamar Institute of Technology full time pay an average of $2,844 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,636. Associate Degree recipients from Lamar Institute of Technology accumulate an average of $16,263 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 50% of those degree recipients were women.
Lamar Institute of Technology 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 2019-2020 academic year, around 61% took at least some of their classes online.
Lee 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 #22 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Baytown, Texas, and it awarded 248 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Lee College is $3,882. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $4,302. Associate Degree recipients from Lee College accumulate an average of $15,284 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 27% were women.
Lee College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 49% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
The College of Health Care Professions - Northwest ranked #23 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. CHCP - Northwest is located in Houston, Texas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 228 associate degrees to qualified students.
On average, associate degree students take out $26,541 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 86% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at CHCP - Northwest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 72% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #24, San Juan College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their associate degree. This medium-sized public school is located in Farmington, New Mexico, and it awarded 228 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at SJC is $1,618. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,546. Associate Degree recipients from SJC accumulate an average of $15,157 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 48% were women.
SJC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 84% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Escoffier - Austin is a private for-profit institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 224 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from Escoffier - Austin accumulate an average of $17,367 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 50% of those degree recipients were women.
Read full report on Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin
Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Trade Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 30 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular trade school schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology | Tulsa, OK |
| 32 | Oklahoma City Community College | Oklahoma City, OK |
| 33 | Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City, OK |
| 33 | Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service | Houston, TX |
| 35 | Collin County Community College District | McKinney, TX |
| 36 | Alvin Community College | Alvin, TX |
| 37 | McLennan Community College | Waco, TX |
| 38 | Paris Junior College | Paris, TX |
| 39 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces, NM |
| 40 | Pima Medical Institute - Houston | Houston, TX |
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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