2023 Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. 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, Course Advisor has created the Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 96 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best undergraduate certificate programs for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Washington University in St Louis the best school in the Plains States Region for students working on their undergraduate certificate.
If you want to attend WUSTL, expect to pay an average of $58,866 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at WUSTL. In 2019-2020 about 98% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Out of the 96 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Dakota landed the # 2 spot on the list.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UND is $10,596. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $15,037. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from UND accumulate an average of $29,316 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at UND, 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 88% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at Washburn University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Plains States Region .
In-state students pay an average of $8,872 in tuition and fees if they attend Washburn University full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $19,876. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,305 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Washburn University, 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 47% 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 Inver Hills Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.
If you want to attend IHCC, expect to pay an average of $5,809 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,912 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that IHCC does offer online classes in some areas. 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.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Northwest Iowa Community College is a great place for students working on their undergraduate certificate.
Students from Iowa who attend Northwest Iowa Community College full time pay an average of $6,540 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,840. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Northwest Iowa Community College accumulate an average of $14,120 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 Northwest Iowa Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 68% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #6, Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate.
Undergraduate Certificate recipients from MCC accumulate an average of $13,541 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 MCC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 92% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Alexandria Technical & Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.
If you want to attend ATCC, expect to pay an average of $5,910 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from ATCC accumulate an average of $17,612 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
ATCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 48% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #8, State Technical College of Missouri did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate.
Students from Missouri who attend STC full time pay an average of $7,095 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,780. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,100 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at STC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 21% took at least some of their classes online.
Rasmussen University - Minnesota ranked #9 on this year’s Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.
If you want to attend Rasmussen University - Minnesota, expect to pay an average of $13,558 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $20,381 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Rasmussen University - Minnesota. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Mitchell Technical College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best undergraduate certificate programs.
The average tuition and fees at Mitchell Tech is $7,524. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $8,822 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Mitchell Tech does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 27% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #11 on this year’s Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.
In-state students pay an average of $15,254 in tuition and fees if they attend UMN Twin Cities full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $33,818. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $19,410 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that UMN Twin Cities does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Central Lakes College - Brainerd did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #12 on the list.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $5,954 to cover tuition and fees at Central Lakes College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $15,176 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Central Lakes 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 32% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Century College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Century College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,907. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Century College accumulate an average of $20,685 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Century College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 91% took at least some of their classes online.
Bismarck State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #14 on the list.
In-state students pay an average of $4,926 in tuition and fees if they attend BSC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,930. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $13,883 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that BSC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 66% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Mesabi Range College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #15 on the list.
In-state students pay an average of $5,788 in tuition and fees if they attend Mesabi Range College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,086. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Mesabi Range College accumulate an average of $13,055 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 Mesabi Range College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Southeast Technical College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best undergraduate certificate programs.
The average tuition and fees at Southeast Tech is $7,650. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Southeast Tech accumulate an average of $20,041 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Southeast Tech does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 45% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Lake Area Technical Institute landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best undergraduate certificate programs.
LATI does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $6,718. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $14,587 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at LATI. In 2019-2020 about 44% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #18, Ridgewater College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate.
Ridgewater College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,914. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Ridgewater College accumulate an average of $16,133 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Ridgewater College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 60% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Rochester Community and Technical College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best undergraduate certificate programs.
Rochester Community and Technical College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,372. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,595 in student loans.
Rochester Community and Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on Rochester Community and Technical College
Hennepin Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #20 on the list.
Hennepin Technical College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,741. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Hennepin Technical College accumulate an average of $16,758 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Hennepin 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 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rasmussen University - North Dakota landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best undergraduate certificate programs.
If you want to attend Rasmussen University - North Dakota, expect to pay an average of $11,847 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,381 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Rasmussen University - North Dakota, 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, 100% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Saint Louis University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.
SLU does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $48,824. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $22,345 in loans while pursuing their degree.
SLU does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 83% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #23, Dakota County Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $6,208 to cover tuition and fees at DCTC. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $14,790 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since DCTC 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.
Saint Paul College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #24 on the list.
If you want to attend Saint Paul College, expect to pay an average of $6,041 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,089 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Saint Paul College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 75% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
St Cloud Technical and Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $5,874 to cover tuition and fees at St Cloud Technical and Community College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $13,211 in loans while pursuing their degree.
St Cloud Technical and Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 75% took at least some of their classes online.
Narrow Schools by State
View Best Undergraduate Certificate Undergraduate Certificate Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |