2023 Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Today's teaching students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Teaching Degree Search has created the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 184 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for teaching students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Northeast Community College the best value school in the United States for teaching students working on their associate degree. Northeast is located in Norfolk, Nebraska and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 66 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Northeast are $5,010 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,887 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Northeast does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 35% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its great value ranking, Northeast is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Spokane Falls Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. This small public school is located in Spokane, Washington, and it awarded 40 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Spokane Falls Community College are $5,135 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,225 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Spokane Falls Community College. In 2019-2020 about 89% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Spokane Falls Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
The excellent associate degree programs at Camden County College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value teaching schools in the United States. Camden County College is a medium-sized public school situated in Blackwood, New Jersey. It awarded 86 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Camden County College are $3,744 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,871 in student loans.
Camden County 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, 95% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Santa Fe Community College is a great place for teaching students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. SFCC is a public institution located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SFCC are $4,995 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $18,693 in loans while pursuing their degree.
SFCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 90% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 1 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BYU - I are $4,416 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,200 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that BYU - I does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 82% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Itawamba Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. ICC is a small public school situated in Fulton, Mississippi. It awarded 80 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
ICC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,360 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,293 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that ICC does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.
Alexandria Technical & Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking. Alexandria, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ATCC are $5,910 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $15,116 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at ATCC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 48% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, ATCC is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
With a ranking of #8, El Centro College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for teaching students working on their associate degree. El Centro College is a large public school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 306 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at El Centro College are $6,000 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,961 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at El Centro College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 92% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
El Centro College also claimed a spot on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Northcentral Technical College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree teaching programs. North Central Technical College is a medium-sized public school situated in Wausau, Wisconsin. It awarded 12 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at North Central Technical College are $5,415 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $14,435 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since North Central Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 54% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree teaching programs. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school awarded 49 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NWTC are $6,849 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,312 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 NWTC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 51% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
In addition to its great value ranking, NWTC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
Madison Area Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking. Madison Area Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 19 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Madison College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,769 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $21,947 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Madison College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 77% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Madison College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
Georgia Military College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in Milledgeville, Georgia, the medium-sized public school awarded 138 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Georgia Military College are $6,390 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,673 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Georgia Military 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 58% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Georgia Military College also is in the top 20% of our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Fox Valley Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. FVTC is a public institution located in Appleton, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
FVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,861 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,318 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at FVTC. In fact, around 42% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its great value ranking, FVTC is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
Milwaukee Area Technical College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the fairly large public school awarded 57 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MATC are $6,908 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $21,921 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that MATC does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MATC also is in the top 20% of our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Lone Star College System ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. Lone Star College System is a large public school located in The Woodlands, Texas that handed out 265 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
North Harris Montgomery undergraduate students pay an average of $6,168 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,481 in student loans.
North Harris Montgomery does offer online classes for certain degree levels. 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.
South Texas College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. South Texas College is located in McAllen, Texas and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 352 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at South Texas College are $7,920 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,401 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
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. In fact, around 94% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
South Texas College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list.
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree teaching programs. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CVTC are $6,683 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $20,208 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at CVTC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 60% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Three Rivers College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. Located in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, the small public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Three Rivers College are $6,510 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $17,201 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Three Rivers College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 87% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #19, Waukesha County Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for teaching students working on their associate degree. This medium-sized public school is located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 37 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,603 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $20,402 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 WCTC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 17% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Amarillo College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree teaching programs. Amarillo, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
Amarillo College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,704 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $18,641 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Amarillo College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 57% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Stanly Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get an associate degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Stanly Community College is a small public school located in Albemarle, North Carolina that handed out 38 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanly Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,245 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,203 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Stanly Technical College. In 2019-2020 about 92% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Stanly Technical College also did well on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Bronx Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. Bronx, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BCC are $8,086 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,530 in student loans.
BCC 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.
BCC also claimed a spot on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Essex County College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking. Essex County College is a medium-sized public school located in Newark, New Jersey that handed out 83 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Essex are $8,966 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,116 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Essex does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 28% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Essex also did well on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Central Georgia Technical College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Warner Robins, Georgia, and it awarded 27 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at CGTC are $5,442 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $19,777 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at CGTC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 63% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Sinclair Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in Dayton, Ohio, the fairly large public school awarded 75 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Sinclair Community College are $8,076 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,728 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Sinclair Community 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 80% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Sinclair Community College also did well on our Best Teaching Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Rest of the Best Value Teaching Associate Degree Schools in the United States
Not only did these schools make the list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Narrow Schools by Region
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our best teaching schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Georgia Piedmont Technical College | Clarkston, GA |
| 30 | Albany Technical College | Albany, GA |
| 31 | Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson, NC |
| 32 | Middlesex Community College | Bedford, MA |
| 33 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College | Rome, GA |
| 34 | Rowan College of South Jersey Gloucester Campus | Sewell, NJ |
| 35 | El Paso Community College | El Paso, TX |
| 36 | Hostos Community College | Bronx, NY |
| 37 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Perkinston, MS |
| 37 | Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC |
More Nationwide Rankings
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.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
TeachingDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TeachingDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.