2023 Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
There are so many teaching programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Also there are many trade schools and bpptcamp that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Teaching Degree Search has created its Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This report analyzed 17 schools in the Southwest Region to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for teaching students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology the best school in the Southwest Region for teaching students working on their associate degree.
Students from Oklahoma who attend OSU Institute of Technology full time pay an average of $5,774 in tuition and fees. 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.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at OSU Institute of Technology. In 2019-2020 about 90% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
The excellent associate degree programs at South Texas College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best teaching schools in the Southwest Region .
In-state students pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees if they attend South Texas College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,920. Associate Degree recipients from South Texas College accumulate an average of $8,401 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 South Texas College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 94% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means El Centro College is a great place for teaching students working on their associate degree.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,961 in student loans.
El Centro 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 92% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Santa Fe Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at SFCC is $2,505. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,995. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,693 in student loans.
SFCC 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 2019-2020 year, about 90% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent associate degree programs at Southwestern Assemblies of God University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best teaching schools in the Southwest Region .
Southwestern Assemblies of God University does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $17,404. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Southwestern Assemblies of God University accumulate an average of $29,477 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Lone Star College System landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree teaching programs.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at North Harris Montgomery is $4,848. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,168. Associate Degree recipients from North Harris Montgomery accumulate an average of $15,481 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
North Harris Montgomery does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 72% took at least some of their classes online.
Palo Alto College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Palo Alto College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $14,122. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,496 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Palo Alto College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Tarrant County College District landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree teaching programs.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,198 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Tarrant County College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
Northwest Vista College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Northwest Vista College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $14,122. Associate Degree recipients from Northwest Vista College accumulate an average of $13,060 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Northwest Vista 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 2019-2020 year, about 42% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Central New Mexico Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #10 on the list.
Full-time students from New Mexico pay an average of $1,684 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend CNM. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,540. On average, associate degree students take out $13,658 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at CNM. In fact, around 90% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
LeTourneau University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #11 on the list.
If you want to attend LETU, expect to pay an average of $33,490 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at LETU. 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.
Pima Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Pima County Community College District is $2,250. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,566. Associate Degree recipients from Pima County Community College District accumulate an average of $15,202 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Pima County Community College District. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 52% took at least some of their classes online.
Amarillo College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree teaching programs.
Students from Texas who attend Amarillo College full time pay an average of $3,168 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,704. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,641 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Amarillo College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 57% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #14, El Paso Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for teaching students working on their associate degree.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at El Paso Community College is $3,274. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,314. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,989 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that El Paso Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Carl Albert State College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree teaching programs.
In-state students pay an average of $3,817 in tuition and fees if they attend Carl Albert State College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,942. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,020 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Carl Albert State College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 15% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #16, Tulsa Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for teaching students working on their associate degree.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Tulsa Community College is $3,445. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,845. Associate Degree recipients from Tulsa Community College accumulate an average of $20,665 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Tulsa 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. 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.
University of Phoenix - Arizona came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking.
On average, associate degree students take out $23,839 in loans while pursuing their degree.
UOPX - Arizona 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 2019-2020 year, about 100% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 17 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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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