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Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region

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2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

20 Colleges
$8,783 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$43,832 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Construction Trades School for You

Out of all the majors we analyze each year, construction trades was ranked #35 in the country. In fact 35,794 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.

It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 20 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which programs offered the best value experiences for construction trades 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.

2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Value Construction Trades Colleges.

Top 10 Best Construction Trades Schools

#1

Western Technical College

La Crosse, WI
$6,687 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Western Technical College to be the best value school for construction trades students who want to pursue a degree in the Great Lakes Region . Located in the small city of La Crosse, Western Technical College is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Western Technical College are $6,687 a year. After completing their degree, construction trades graduates from Western Technical College carry an average student debtload of $5,500.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Western Technical College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Chippewa Valley Technical College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the city of Eau Claire, CVTC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CVTC are $6,683 a year. While working on their degree, construction trades majors at CVTC accumulate an average of around $6,267 in student debt.

CVTC also claimed a spot on our Best Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

The excellent programs at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best construction trades schools in the Great Lakes Region . Southwest Tech is a small public school located in the rural area of Fennimore.

Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, construction trades majors at Southwest Tech accumulate an average of around $5,500 in student debt.

Full Construction Trades at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Report

The excellent programs at Moraine Park Technical College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best construction trades schools in the Great Lakes Region . Moraine Park Technical College is a small public school located in the small city of Fond du Lac.

Moraine Park Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, construction trades graduates from Moraine Park Technical College carry an average student debtload of $4,000.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Moraine Park Technical College also is in the top 20% of our Best Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.

Read More…

#5

Ivy Tech Community College

Indianapolis, IN

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ivy Tech Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ivy Tech Community College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Indianapolis.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 a year. The average amount in student loans that construction trades majors at Ivy Tech Community College take out is $8,666.

In addition to its great value ranking, Ivy Tech Community College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Ivy Tech Community College

$10,760 Average Tuition & Fees

Lansing Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the city of Lansing, LCC is a public school with a fairly large student population.

LCC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,760 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, construction trades majors at LCC accumulate an average of around $11,710 in student debt.

Read full report on Construction Trades at Lansing Community College

$5,940 Average Tuition & Fees

Southwestern Illinois College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. SWIC is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Belleville.

SWIC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,940 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Construction Trades at Southwestern Illinois College Report

$7,860 Average Tuition & Fees

Alpena Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Construction Trades Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the rural area of Alpena, Alpena Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Alpena Community College are $7,860 per year. After completing their degree, construction trades graduates from Alpena Community College carry an average student debtload of $8,125.

Full Construction Trades at Alpena Community College Report

$14,430 Average Tuition & Fees

City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for construction trades students. It came in at #9 on the list. Kennedy-King College is a small public school located in the city of Chicago.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Kennedy-King College are $14,430 a year. Construction Trades majors at Kennedy-King College take out an average of $8,319 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Construction Trades at City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College

$18,828 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #10, Northern Michigan University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for construction trades students. Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public school located in the remote town of Marquette.

Northern Michigan University undergraduate students pay an average of $18,828 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, construction trades graduates from Northern Michigan University carry an average student debtload of $5,500.

Read More…

Best Construction Trades Colleges by State

Explore the best construction trades colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.

State Degrees Awarded
Indiana 748
Michigan 133
Ohio 24
Illinois 267
Wisconsin 30

Construction Trades Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Electrical & Power Transmission Installers 23,527
Building Management & Inspection 4,511
Carpentry 3,273
Plumbing & Water Supply 2,617
Construction 1,435
Masonry 274
Other Construction 157

Majors Similar to Construction Trades

Related Major Annual Graduates
Personal & Culinary Services 130,328
Mechanic & Repair Technologies 96,336
Precision Production 52,913
Transportation & Materials Moving 29,084

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 20 schools only.

  • 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 the rest 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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