2023 Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which healthcare program is right for you. 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 the Plains States Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 94 schools in the Plains States Region 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.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Southeast Community College Area the best value school in the Plains States Region for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Southeast Community College Area is a medium-sized public school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 231 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,780 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $17,475 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Southeast 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 2019-2020 year, about 42% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Hutchinson Community College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Hutchinson Community College is a public institution located in Hutchinson, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 175 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Hutchinson Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,470 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,221 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Hutchinson 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 45% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 94 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Neosho County Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Chanute, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 123 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,000 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,072 in student loans.
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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 42% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 94 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Metropolitan Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Metropolitan Community College is a fairly large public school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 162 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MCC are $4,680 per 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.
The excellent associate degree programs at Rochester Community and Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value healthcare schools in the Plains States Region . Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school situated in Rochester, Minnesota. It awarded 208 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rochester Community and Technical College are $5,372 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,180 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Rochester Community and Technical 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 71% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rochester Community and Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on Rochester Community and Technical College
Central Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska, the medium-sized public school handed out 159 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Community College are $4,590 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,095 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Central Community College. In 2019-2020 about 69% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northwest 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 #7 on the list. NTC is located in Bemidji, Minnesota and has a very small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 103 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NTC are $6,380 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $32,265 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
NTC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
NTC also made our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list, coming in at #5.
North Hennepin 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. North Hennepin Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It awarded 102 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Hennepin Community College are $4,882 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $24,520 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that North Hennepin Community College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 86% took at least some of their classes online.
Anoka Technical College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. This small public school is located in Anoka, Minnesota, and it awarded 69 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Anoka Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,075 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $24,723 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Anoka Technical College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 47% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Anoka Technical College also did well on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
St Cloud Technical and Community College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 174 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
St Cloud Technical and Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,874 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $20,104 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
St Cloud Technical and 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. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, St Cloud Technical and Community College also is in the top 20% of our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
With a ranking of #11, Lake Region State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Lake Region State College is a small public school located in Devils Lake, North Dakota that handed out 47 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lake Region State College are $5,000 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,732 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Lake Region State College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Labette Community College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Labette Community College is located in Parsons, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 associate degrees to qualified students.
Labette Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,288 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,135 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Labette 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 66% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Mid-Plains Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. North Platte, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 61 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Mid-Plains Community College are $4,320 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,135 in student loans.
Mid-Plains Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 60% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #14, Alexandria Technical & Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Alexandria, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 43 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ATCC are $5,910 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,116 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since ATCC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 48% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
ATCC also claimed a spot on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
With a ranking of #15, Anoka-Ramsey Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a public institution located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 201 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus undergraduate students pay an average of $5,515 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,645 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 48% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Northeast Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Northeast Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Norfolk, Nebraska that handed out 139 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Northeast undergraduate students pay an average of $5,010 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,887 in student loans.
Northeast does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 35% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #17, Inver Hills Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 99 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
IHCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,809 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $22,611 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at IHCC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 85% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Century 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. Century College is a public institution located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 289 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Century College are $5,907 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,559 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Century College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Century College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Barton County Community College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Barton Community College is located in Great Bend, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 73 associate degrees to qualified students.
Barton Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,544 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,125 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Barton Community College. In 2019-2020 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Western Iowa Tech Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Sioux City, Iowa. It awarded 110 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Western Iowa Tech Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,826 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $17,167 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 Western Iowa Tech Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 53% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
North Dakota State College of Science landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Wahpeton, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 132 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at North Dakota State College of Science are $6,606 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,451 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that North Dakota State College of Science does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 32% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Dakota State College of Science also is in the top 15% of our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
Garden City Community College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Garden City Community College is a public institution located in Garden City, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Garden City Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,020 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,301 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Garden City Community College. In fact, around 67% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Flint Hills 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 #23 on the list. This small public school is located in Emporia, Kansas, and it awarded 26 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Flint Hills Technical College are $7,032 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,869 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Flint Hills Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 38% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Flint Hills Technical College also is in the top 10% of our Best Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
Northland Community and Technical College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree healthcare programs. Northland Community and Technical College is a small public school located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota that handed out 153 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Northland Community and Technical College are $6,052 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $20,969 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Northland Community and Technical College. In fact, around 48% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on Northland Community and Technical College
Seward County Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Liberal, Kansas, and it awarded 45 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SCCC are $4,832 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,565 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that SCCC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 23% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
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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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