2023 Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Trade Schools
A trade school student has lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. 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 help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Trade Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 1,327 schools in the United States to see which bachelor's degree programs were the most popular 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 Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named University of Phoenix - Arizona the most popular school in the United States for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. UOPX - Arizona is a large private for-profit school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 2,433 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UOPX - Arizona accumulate an average of $41,357 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 79% were women.
Online courses are available at UOPX - Arizona, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 100% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 1,327 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern New Hampshire University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in Manchester, New Hampshire, the large private not-for-profit school handed out 2,010 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend SNHU, expect to pay an average of $15,380 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from SNHU accumulate an average of $31,825 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 75% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SNHU. In fact, around 96% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you attend University of Central Florida. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,892 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UCF is $6,368. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $22,467. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,799 in student loans. Around 69% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that UCF does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Purdue University Global is a great place for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,876 students in 2020-2021.
Students from Indiana who attend Purdue University Global full time pay an average of $10,125 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,436. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Purdue University Global accumulate an average of $42,448 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
Since Purdue University Global 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 Western Governors University is a great place for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. WGU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 1,194 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at WGU is $7,452. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,218 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 80% of those degree recipients were women.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out WGU. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Embry-Riddle Worldwide is located in Daytona Beach, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,183 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
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. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Embry-Riddle Worldwide accumulate an average of $25,411 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 9% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Embry-Riddle Worldwide. During the 2019-2020 year, about 98% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. This large public school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 1,073 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $6,410 in tuition and fees if they attend USF Tampa full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $17,324. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $24,223 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 78% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at USF Tampa. In 2019-2020 about 97% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on University of South Florida - Main Campus
Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Texas A&M College Station is a public institution located in College Station, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,065 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Texas A&M College Station is $12,204. Out-of-state students pay an average of $38,855. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Texas A&M College Station accumulate an average of $19,847 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 44% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Texas A&M College Station. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 36% took at least some of their classes online.
Columbia Southern University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Orange Beach, Alabama, and it awarded 1,888 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Columbia Southern University is $5,775. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $30,528 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 26% of those degree recipients were women.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Columbia Southern University. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Grand Canyon University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. This large private for-profit school is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it awarded 1,513 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $17,189 to cover tuition and fees at Grand Canyon University. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $31,746 in student loans. Around 71% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Grand Canyon University does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 90% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools ranking. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 851 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Purdue is $9,992. Out-of-state students pay an average of $28,794. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,133 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 18% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Purdue does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 89% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, the large public school awarded 970 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $7,188 in tuition and fees if they attend UNC Charlotte full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $20,622. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UNC Charlotte accumulate an average of $24,912 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 57% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at UNC Charlotte. In 2019-2020 about 96% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on University of North Carolina at Charlotte
James Madison University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, the large public school awarded 610 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $12,638 in tuition and fees if they attend JMU full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $29,564. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from JMU accumulate an average of $20,564 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 80% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since JMU does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 98% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 601 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $11,936 in tuition and fees if they attend Ohio State full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $35,019. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,741 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 73% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Ohio State. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 99% took at least some of their classes online.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Daytona Beach, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 656 students in 2020-2021.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $39,066 to cover tuition and fees at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach accumulate an average of $24,801 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 15% of those degree recipients were women.
Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Full Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Report
California State University - Long Beach ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 895 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $6,846 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend CSULB. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $18,726. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,689 in student loans. Around 69% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at CSULB. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on California State University - Long Beach
University of Houston landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. This large public school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 591 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UH is $9,699. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $21,891. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,948 in student loans. Around 38% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that UH does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 100% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools ranking. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 608 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $15,240 to cover tuition and fees at SIUC. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from SIUC accumulate an average of $23,761 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 33% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SIUC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 43% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #20 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, the large public school awarded 545 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Missouri pay an average of $11,475 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Mizzou. Out-of-state students pay an average of $30,450. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,927 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 73% of those degree recipients were women.
Mizzou does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 94% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #21, East Carolina University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 731 students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $7,297 in tuition and fees if they attend ECU full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $23,574. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $24,531 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 30% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at ECU. In fact, around 96% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Liberty University landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree trade school programs. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Lynchburg, Virginia that handed out 1,149 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Liberty University is $16,160. 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 bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $31,644 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 36% were women.
Liberty University 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 88% took at least some of their classes online.
Stony Brook University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools ranking. Located in Stony Brook, New York, the large public school awarded 492 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at SUNY Stony Brook is $10,455. Out-of-state students pay an average of $28,375. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,235 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 72% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SUNY Stony Brook. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Weber State University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. Located in Ogden, Utah, the large public school awarded 576 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Utah pay an average of $6,228 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend WSU. Out-of-state students pay an average of $16,644. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,282 in student loans. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since WSU does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 59% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
New York City College of Technology ranked #25 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools list. City Tech is a public institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 462 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from New York who attend City Tech full time pay an average of $7,320 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,270. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $17,079 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 30% were women.
City Tech does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Rest of the Top 50 Most Popular Trade Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Trade Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular trade school schools ranking:
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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