2023 Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for healthcare students. 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Healthcare Degree Search has developed this Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Our analysis looked at 74 schools in California to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for healthcare students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Merced College the best value school in California for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Located in Merced, California, the medium-sized public school handed out 171 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Merced Community College District undergraduate students pay an average of $7,444 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,503 in student loans.
Merced Community College District 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, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Merced Community College District is ranked #1 for overall quality in California.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Hills College-Lemoore. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. West Hills College-Lemoore is a small public school located in Lemoore, California that handed out 164 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
West Hills College-Lemoore undergraduate students pay an average of $10,590 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,643 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at West Hills College-Lemoore, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 98% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
West Hills College-Lemoore did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Canada College is a great place for healthcare students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Canada College is a small public school situated in Redwood City, California. It awarded 69 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Canada College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,006 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,439 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Canada College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list.
The excellent associate degree programs at Mendocino College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value healthcare schools in California. Mendocino College is a public institution located in Ukiah, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 206 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Mendocino College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,443 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,626 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Mendocino College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 98% took at least some of their classes online.
Mendocino College also made our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list, coming in at #4.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Foothill College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. Located in Los Altos Hills, California, the fairly large public school handed out 136 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Foothill College are $10,790 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,391 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Foothill College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 83% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Foothill College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list.
With a ranking of #6, Cuesta College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, the medium-sized public school handed out 199 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Cuesta College are $8,702 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,466 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Cuesta College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Cuesta College also is in the top 10% of our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking.
Santa Barbara City College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Santa Barbara City College is a fairly large public school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 166 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
SBCC undergraduate students pay an average of $8,912 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $21,459 in loans while pursuing their degree.
SBCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 59% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
SBCC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list.
San Joaquin Delta College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Delta is a fairly large public school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 222 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Delta are $9,072 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,761 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Delta. 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.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Delta also is in the top 15% of our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking.
Butte College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. Located in Oroville, California, the medium-sized public school awarded 165 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Butte College are $7,848 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,685 in student loans.
Butte 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, 33% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Butte College also did well on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Cabrillo College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Cabrillo College is located in Aptos, California and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 109 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cabrillo College are $8,630 per year.
Cabrillo College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 53% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its great value ranking, Cabrillo College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list.
Saddleback 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 #11 on the list. Located in Mission Viejo, California, the fairly large public school handed out 356 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Saddleback College are $10,292 a year.
Saddleback 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 89% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, Saddleback College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list.
Modesto Junior College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. This fairly large public school is located in Modesto, California, and it awarded 186 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MJC are $8,550 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,121 in loans while pursuing their degree.
MJC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, MJC also did well on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #13, Gavilan 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 Gilroy, California, and it awarded 128 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gavilan College are $7,214 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $13,308 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Gavilan College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 80% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Gavilan College also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Yuba College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Yuba College is located in Marysville, California and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 88 associate degrees to qualified students.
Yuba College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,488 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,195 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Yuba 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 39% took at least some of their classes online.
Mt. San Antonio 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 #15 on the list. Located in Walnut, California, the large public school handed out 200 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Mt. SAC are $10,032 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,559 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Mt. SAC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #16, Santa Rosa Junior College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. This fairly large public school is located in Santa Rosa, California, and it awarded 237 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
SRJC undergraduate students pay an average of $8,952 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,716 in student loans.
Online courses are available at SRJC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 70% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Napa Valley 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 #17 on the list. Napa Valley College is a public institution located in Napa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 83 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Napa Valley College are $8,734 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,735 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Napa Valley College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 93% took at least some of their classes online.
Fresno City College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 591 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Fresno City College are $8,504 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $8,252 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Fresno City College. In 2019-2020 about 37% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
American River College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Sacramento, California, the large public school awarded 118 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at American River are $10,168 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $14,093 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at American River, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 62% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Sacramento City 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 #20 on the list. Located in Sacramento, California, the fairly large public school handed out 168 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Sacramento City are $10,168 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,875 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Sacramento City, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 62% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
West Hills College-Coalinga came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in Coalinga, California, the small public school handed out 52 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at West Hills College-Coalinga are $10,590 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,901 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 West Hills College-Coalinga does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Ventura College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. Ventura College is located in Ventura, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 136 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ventura College are $7,398 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,425 in student loans.
Ventura 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 2019-2020 about 79% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
College of the Desert 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 #23 on the list. Palm Desert, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 159 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at College of the Desert are $8,970 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $8,628 in loans while pursuing their degree.
College of the Desert 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, 100% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Riverside City College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in Riverside, California, the fairly large public school handed out 202 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Riverside City College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,120 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,247 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Riverside City College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 37% took at least some of their classes online.
College of the Sequoias ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in California list. Visalia, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 113 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at College of the Sequoias are $8,338 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $11,085 in loans while pursuing their degree.
College of the Sequoias does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 35% took at least some of their classes online.
Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US 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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