2023 Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Today's healthcare students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools and bootcamps with offerings that you might find attractive.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Healthcare Degree Search has created the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 913 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for healthcare students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Coahoma Community College the best value school in the United States for healthcare students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and it awarded 60 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Coahoma Community College are $3,003 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,935 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, Coahoma Community College is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Southeast Community College Area is a great place for healthcare students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Southeast Community College is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 231 associate degrees to qualified students.
Southeast Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,780 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,475 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Southeast Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 42% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Out of the 913 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s value ranking, Clovis Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in Clovis, New Mexico, the small public school awarded 60 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Clovis Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $2,984 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,448 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Clovis Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 63% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Central Arizona College is a great place for healthcare students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Pinal County Community College is a small public school situated in Coolidge, Arizona. It awarded 123 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Pinal County Community College are $5,160 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,315 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Pinal County Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 96% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Pinal County Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Panola College is a great place for healthcare students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Carthage, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 81 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,680 per year.
Panola 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, 72% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Panola College also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Seattle Central College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. Seattle Central is a small public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 191 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Seattle Central are $4,670 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,671 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Seattle Central. In 2019-2020 about 69% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Seattle Central also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Hutchinson Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. Hutchinson, Kansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 175 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hutchinson Community College are $4,470 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,221 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 Hutchinson Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 45% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Hutchinson Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Alvin Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #8 on the list. This small public school is located in Alvin, Texas, and it awarded 190 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Alvin undergraduate students pay an average of $4,010 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,951 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Alvin does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 44% took at least some of their classes online.
Highline College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Des Moines, Washington, the small public school handed out 189 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Highline are $4,813 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,827 in student loans.
Highline does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its great value ranking, Highline is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list.
Camden County College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Blackwood, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 247 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Camden County College are $3,744 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $14,871 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Camden County 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.
With a ranking of #11, Arkansas State University - Newport did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Newport, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 77 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ASUN are $4,320 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,938 in loans while pursuing their degree.
ASUN does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 62% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #12, Neosho County Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in Chanute, Kansas, and it awarded 123 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Neosho County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,000 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,072 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Neosho County Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 42% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Metropolitan Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the fairly large public school awarded 162 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
MCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,680 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,886 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MCC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 68% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
MCC also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
College of the Mainland ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. Located in Texas City, Texas, the small public school handed out 102 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at COM are $3,873 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,500 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since COM does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 77% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
American Public University System landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Charles Town, West Virginia, the large private for-profit school handed out 664 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at American Military University are $7,360 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,232 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
American Military University is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, American Military University is ranked #2 for overall quality in the United States.
Rochester Community and Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 208 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Rochester Community and Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,372 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $22,180 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Rochester Community and Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Rochester Community and Technical College also did well on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Read full report on Rochester Community and Technical College
With a ranking of #17, South Plains College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Levelland, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 152 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at South Plains College are $4,276 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,112 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since South Plains College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
South Louisiana Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. This medium-sized public school is located in Lafayette, Louisiana, and it awarded 127 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
South Louisiana Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,205 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,545 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at South Louisiana Community College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 29% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #19, Amarillo College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Amarillo College is a medium-sized public school located in Amarillo, Texas that handed out 323 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Amarillo College are $4,704 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,641 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Amarillo College does offer online classes in some areas. 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.
Centralia College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools ranking. Centralia College is located in Centralia, Washington and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Centralia College are $5,239 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,250 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Centralia 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Centralia College also is in the top 15% of our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Wayne County Community College District did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #21 on the list. WCCCD is a fairly large public school situated in Detroit, Michigan. It awarded 140 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
WCCCD undergraduate students pay an average of $3,998 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,369 in student loans.
WCCCD 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 32% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
North Seattle College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #22 on the list. North Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 associate degrees to qualified students.
North Seattle undergraduate students pay an average of $4,799 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $17,214 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at North Seattle. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 71% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Wharton County Junior College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Wharton, Texas, the medium-sized public school awarded 143 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Wharton County Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,872 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,328 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Wharton County Junior College. 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.
With a ranking of #24, New Mexico State University - Carlsbad did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Carlsbad, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NMSU Carlsbad are $4,008 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,036 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at NMSU Carlsbad. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 68% took at least some of their classes online.
Central Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools list. Central Community College is located in Grand Island, Nebraska and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 159 associate degrees to qualified students.
Central Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,590 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,095 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Central Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 69% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Healthcare 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:
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Rest of the Top Value Healthcare Associate 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 best healthcare schools ranking:
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.
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