2023 Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois
It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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 Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 104 schools in Illinois to see which ones were the most popular basic certificate 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 Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named College of Lake County the most popular school in Illinois for trade school students working on their basic certificate. This fairly large public school is located in Grayslake, Illinois, and it awarded 1,378 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $9,842 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend College of Lake County. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $13,118. Around 49% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that College of Lake County does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 78% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means William Rainey Harper College is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate. William Rainey Harper College is a fairly large public school located in Palatine, Illinois that handed out 1,494 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Harper College full time pay an average of $9,942 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,754. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
Harper 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 71% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 104 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Moraine Valley Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in Palos Hills, Illinois, the fairly large public school awarded 2,781 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $8,310 in tuition and fees if they attend MVCC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,630. Of those students who received their degree, 37% were women.
MVCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 61% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southwestern Illinois College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. SWIC is located in Belleville, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,146 basic certificates to qualified students.
Of those students who received their degree, 46% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SWIC. In 2020-2021 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 104 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Lincoln Land Community College landed the # 5 spot on the list. This small public school is located in Springfield, Illinois, and it awarded 656 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $6,840 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend LLCC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,068. Of those students who received their degree, 41% were women.
One thing to take note of is that LLCC does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 54% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular basic certificate trade school programs. This medium-sized public school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 695 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 76% were women.
Malcolm X 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 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Elgin Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. ECC is a public institution located in Elgin, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 576 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,140 in tuition and fees if they attend ECC full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $9,516. Around 32% of those degree recipients were women.
ECC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 80% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Joliet Junior College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 1,163 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Joliet Junior College full time pay an average of $12,750 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $13,800. Around 37% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Joliet Junior College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 64% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
College of DuPage came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. College of DuPage is a large public school located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois that handed out 755 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $9,810 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend COD. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,910. Of those students who received their degree, 59% were women.
One thing to take note of is that COD does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 64% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Oakton Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. Oakton Community College is a public institution located in Des Plaines, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 640 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $10,446 in tuition and fees if they attend Oakton Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $12,462. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Oakton Community College. In fact, around 80% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Heartland Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 484 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Heartland Community College is $10,050. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,880. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
Heartland Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, Illinois Valley Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. IVCC is located in Oglesby, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 329 basic certificates to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $13,169 in tuition and fees if they attend IVCC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,314. Of those students who received their degree, 56% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at IVCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 40% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Waubonsee Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. Sugar Grove, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 485 students in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Waubonsee full time pay an average of $10,626 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,496. Around 46% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Waubonsee. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 62% took at least some of their classes online.
Rend Lake College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #14 on the list. Rend Lake College is a small public school located in Ina, Illinois that handed out 487 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $6,450 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Rend Lake College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,200. Of those students who received their degree, 43% were women.
Rend Lake College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 48% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Parkland College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Champaign, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 475 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Parkland College full time pay an average of $11,580 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,930. Around 53% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Parkland College. In 2020-2021 about 51% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Kaskaskia College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular basic certificate trade school programs. Kaskaskia College is a public institution located in Centralia, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 251 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $7,530 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Kaskaskia College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,330. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Kaskaskia College. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
McHenry County College ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. Located in Crystal Lake, Illinois, the medium-sized public school handed out 546 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $11,341 in tuition and fees if they attend MCC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,692. Around 58% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MCC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 38% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
G Skin & Beauty Institute came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. This very small private for-profit school is located in Schaumburg, Illinois, and it awarded 336 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 99% were women.
With a ranking of #19, Lewis and Clark Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Lewis and Clark Community College is a public institution located in Godfrey, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 412 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Lewis and Clark Community College is $9,552. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,552. Of those students who received their degree, 41% were women.
Online courses are available at Lewis and Clark 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 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Richland Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois list. Decatur, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 326 students in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Richland Community College full time pay an average of $10,800 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $17,070. Around 46% of those degree recipients were women.
Richland 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. During the 2020-2021 year, about 47% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Rock Valley College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #21 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Rockford, Illinois, and it awarded 429 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Illinois pay an average of $10,484 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Rock Valley College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $20,384. Around 55% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Rock Valley College. In 2020-2021 about 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Midwest Technical Institute - Springfield, Illinois landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular basic certificate trade school programs. MTI - Springfield, Illinois is located in Springfield, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 227 basic certificates to qualified students.
Around 84% of those degree recipients were women.
Full Midwest Technical Institute - Springfield, Illinois Report
With a ranking of #23, Prairie State College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Chicago Heights, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 292 students in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Prairie State College full time pay an average of $9,342 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,064. Of those students who received their degree, 45% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Prairie State College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 63% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Kankakee Community College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Basic Certificate Trade Schools in Illinois ranking. Kankakee Community College is a small public school located in Kankakee, Illinois that handed out 268 basic certificates in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Kankakee Community College is $13,200. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $25,560. Of those students who received their degree, 46% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Kankakee Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 36% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Sauk Valley Community College landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular basic certificate trade school programs. Located in Dixon, Illinois, the small public school awarded 264 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Sauk Valley Community College full time pay an average of $11,580 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,840. Around 56% of those degree recipients were women.
Sauk Valley Community 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 2020-2021.
Most Popular Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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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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