2023 Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
A healthcare student has lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Healthcare Degree Search has created the Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 180 schools in the Southwest Region to see which ones were the most popular associate degree programs for healthcare students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our analysis found Central New Mexico Community College to be the most popular school for healthcare students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Southwest Region . Central New Mexico Community College is a fairly large public school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 720 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from New Mexico who attend CNM full time pay an average of $1,684 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,540. Associate Degree recipients from CNM accumulate an average of $13,658 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 79% were women.
CNM does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Out of the 180 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Tulsa Community College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the fairly large public school handed out 709 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $3,445 in tuition and fees if they attend Tulsa Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,845. Associate Degree recipients from Tulsa Community College accumulate an average of $20,665 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 84% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Tulsa Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 80% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lone Star College System. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. North Harris Montgomery is a large public school situated in The Woodlands, Texas. It awarded 683 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $4,848 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend North Harris Montgomery. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,168. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,481 in student loans. Around 84% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at North Harris Montgomery. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Out of the 180 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, San Jacinto Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in Pasadena, Texas, the large public school awarded 605 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,960 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 88% were women.
One thing to take note of is that San Jacinto 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.
You’ll be in good company if you attend Austin Community College District. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region list. Austin Community College District is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 595 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Austin Community College District is $8,580. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,590. On average, associate degree students take out $16,220 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Austin Community College District. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Southwest University at El Paso did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in El Paso, Texas, the small private for-profit school awarded 545 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Southwest University at El Paso is $16,000. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Southwest University at El Paso accumulate an average of $28,491 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 78% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Southwest University at El Paso does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 1% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #7, Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the small private for-profit school handed out 502 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio accumulate an average of $35,636 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 88% of those degree recipients were women.
Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 52% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #8, South Texas College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Located in McAllen, Texas, the large public school awarded 451 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $4,530 in tuition and fees if they attend South Texas College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,920. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,401 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 77% were women.
South Texas College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 94% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Del Mar College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Del Mar College is a fairly large public school located in Corpus Christi, Texas that handed out 440 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at DMC is $4,820. Out-of-state students pay an average of $5,930. On average, associate degree students take out $10,513 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 85% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at DMC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 85% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Houston Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree healthcare programs. Houston Community College is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 435 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $4,344 in tuition and fees if they attend Houston Community College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,460. Associate Degree recipients from Houston Community College accumulate an average of $23,597 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 81% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Houston Community College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 88% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #11, Tarrant County College District did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, the large public school handed out 431 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Associate Degree recipients from Tarrant County College accumulate an average of $17,198 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 83% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Tarrant County College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #12, Tyler Junior College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. Tyler Junior College is located in Tyler, Texas and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 423 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Tyler Junior College is $3,864. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $4,440. Associate Degree recipients from Tyler Junior College accumulate an average of $17,044 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 84% were women.
Online courses are available at Tyler Junior 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 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Pima Medical Institute - Tucson did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #13 on the list. PMI Tucson is a small private for-profit school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 418 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $28,963 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 79% were women.
One thing to take note of is that PMI Tucson does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 22% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Oklahoma City Community College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the fairly large public school awarded 389 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Students from Oklahoma who attend OCCC full time pay an average of $4,059 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,810. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,583 in student loans. Around 83% of those degree recipients were women.
OCCC is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
GateWay Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the small public school awarded 386 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $2,070 in tuition and fees if they attend GateWay Community College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,854. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,336 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.
One thing to take note of is that GateWay Community College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 74% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
El Centro College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in Dallas, Texas, the large public school awarded 385 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $18,961 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since El Centro College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 92% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Pima Community College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree healthcare programs. Pima Community College is a fairly large public school located in Tucson, Arizona that handed out 352 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Pima County Community College District is $2,250. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,566. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,202 in student loans. Around 74% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Pima County Community College District. In 2019-2020 about 52% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Amarillo College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree healthcare programs. Amarillo College is located in Amarillo, Texas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 323 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $3,168 in tuition and fees if they attend Amarillo College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,704. On average, associate degree students take out $18,641 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 86% were women.
Online courses are available at Amarillo College, 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, 57% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #19, Baptist Health System School of Health Professions did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. This very small private for-profit school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 297 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Baptist Health System School of Health Professions does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $17,000. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,314 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 85% were women.
Baptist Health System School of Health Professions is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Read full report on Baptist Health System School of Health Professions
Pima Medical Institute - Mesa landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree healthcare programs. PMI Mesa is a very small private for-profit school situated in Mesa, Arizona. It awarded 288 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $29,805 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 72% were women.
Weatherford College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree healthcare programs. Located in Weatherford, Texas, the medium-sized public school awarded 283 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend Weatherford College full time pay an average of $5,700 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,800. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,268 in student loans. Around 83% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Weatherford College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 37% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #22, San Antonio College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 264 students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $6,592 in tuition and fees if they attend San Antonio College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,122. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,504 in student loans. Around 77% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at San Antonio College, 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, 53% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for healthcare students to get an associate degree. It came in at #23 on the list. OSU-OKC is a public institution located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 262 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at OSU-OKC is $5,070. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,908. On average, associate degree students take out $20,762 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 84% were women.
Since OSU-OKC is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
El Paso Community College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. This large public school is located in El Paso, Texas, and it awarded 260 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $3,274 in tuition and fees if they attend El Paso Community College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $5,314. Associate Degree recipients from El Paso Community College accumulate an average of $10,989 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 82% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that El Paso Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #25, The College of Health Care Professions - Northwest did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for healthcare students working on their associate degree. CHCP - Northwest is located in Houston, Texas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 259 associate degrees to qualified students.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,541 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 88% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at CHCP - Northwest. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on The College of Health Care Professions - Northwest
Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Healthcare Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 28 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular healthcare schools ranking:
Rank | School | Location |
---|---|---|
29 | Mohave Community College | Kingman, AZ |
30 | Texas State Technical College | Waco, TX |
31 | Grayson College | Denison, TX |
31 | Glendale Community College | Glendale, AZ |
33 | McLennan Community College | Waco, TX |
34 | St Philip’s College | San Antonio, TX |
35 | Alvin Community College | Alvin, TX |
36 | Navarro College | Corsicana, TX |
37 | San Juan College | Farmington, NM |
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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