2023 Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region
A student has lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamps that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This report analyzed 299 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones were the most popular undergraduate certificate programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our analysis found Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City to be the most popular school for students who want to pursue a undergraduate certificate in the Plains States Region . MCC is located in Kansas City, Missouri and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,329 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,541 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 60% were women.
Online courses are available at MCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 92% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ozarks Technical Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Springfield, Missouri, the fairly large public school handed out 729 undergraduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Missouri pay an average of $4,924 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend OTC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,028. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $18,017 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 57% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that OTC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 43% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Out of the 299 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Wichita Technical Institute landed the # 3 spot on the list. This small private for-profit school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 603 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $20,834 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 50% of those degree recipients were women.
Out of the 299 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Community College landed the # 4 spot on the list. Central Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Grand Island, Nebraska. It awarded 597 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Students from Nebraska who attend Central Community College full time pay an average of $3,210 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,590. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,103 in student loans. Around 52% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Central Community College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you attend Hennepin Technical College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 475 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Hennepin Technical College, expect to pay an average of $5,741 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $16,758 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 27% were women.
Hennepin Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 64% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. WSU Tech is a small public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 424 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at WSU Tech is $5,963. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,875. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,553 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 40% were women.
One thing to take note of is that WSU Tech does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 48% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Western Iowa Tech Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. Western Iowa Tech Community College is located in Sioux City, Iowa and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 432 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $4,802 in tuition and fees if they attend Western Iowa Tech Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $4,826. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Western Iowa Tech Community College accumulate an average of $12,541 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
Western Iowa Tech Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 53% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Saint Paul College ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 369 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
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. Of those students who received their degree, 37% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Saint Paul College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Des Moines Area Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. Located in Ankeny, Iowa, the large public school awarded 369 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Undergraduate Certificate recipients from DMACC accumulate an average of $16,511 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 51% were women.
DMACC 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 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #10 on the list. Fergus Falls, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 348 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at M State is $5,862. 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 M State accumulate an average of $13,935 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 46% were women.
One thing to take note of is that M State does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 49% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Washburn Institute of Technology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in Topeka, Kansas, the small public school handed out 314 undergraduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Washburn Tech, expect to pay an average of $8,323 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,419 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 35% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Washburn Tech does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 1% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Kirkwood Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Kirkwood Community College is a fairly large public school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that handed out 315 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Iowa pay an average of $5,308 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Kirkwood Community College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,072. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,474 in student loans. Around 54% of those degree recipients were women.
Kirkwood 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 86% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Midwest Technical Institute - Springfield, Missouri came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. MTI - Springfield, Missouri is a very small private for-profit school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 303 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Undergraduate Certificate recipients from MTI - Springfield, Missouri accumulate an average of $12,103 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 47% were women.
Century College ranked #14 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Century College is a medium-sized public school located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota that handed out 301 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Century College is $5,907. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,685 in student loans. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Century College. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #15, Johnson County Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. JCCC is a public institution located in Overland Park, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 288 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $2,688 in tuition and fees if they attend JCCC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $5,352. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from JCCC accumulate an average of $16,810 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
JCCC 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.
St Cloud Technical and Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. St Cloud Technical and Community College is a small public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 274 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
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. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,211 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 42% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since St Cloud Technical and Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 75% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Iowa Western Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 269 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Iowa Western Community College is $6,330. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,480. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $12,734 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 65% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Iowa Western Community College. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Central Lakes College - Brainerd landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. Central Lakes College is located in Brainerd, Minnesota and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 266 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
If you want to attend Central Lakes College, expect to pay an average of $5,954 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $15,176 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 26% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Central Lakes College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 32% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #19, Three Rivers College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Three Rivers College is a small public school situated in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. It awarded 264 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Three Rivers College is $6,510. 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 $15,947 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 67% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Three Rivers College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 87% took at least some of their classes online.
Kansas City Kansas Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Kansas City, Kansas, the small public school awarded 262 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Kansas City Kansas Community College is $3,300. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,510. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $11,500 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 42% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Kansas City Kansas Community College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 43% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #21, Northland Community and Technical College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 249 undergraduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Northland Community and Technical College does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $6,052. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Northland Community and Technical College accumulate an average of $15,734 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 51% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at Northland 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 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
Ridgewater College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Ridgewater College is a small public school located in Willmar, Minnesota that handed out 239 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
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. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $16,133 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 41% were women.
Ridgewater 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 60% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #23, Pinnacle Career Institute-South Kansas City did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Pinnacle Career Institute-South Kansas City is a private for-profit institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 238 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,274 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 33% were women.
Pinnacle Career Institute-South Kansas City is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Anoka Technical College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Anoka, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 238 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Anoka Technical College is $6,075. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,931 in student loans. Around 44% of those degree recipients were women.
Anoka Technical 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 47% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Dakota County Technical College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Rosemount, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 242 students in 2020-2021.
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. Around 43% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at DCTC. In fact, around 80% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 44 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 schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge, IA |
| 47 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College | Minneapolis, MN |
| 48 | North Central Kansas Technical College | Beloit, KS |
| 49 | Western Dakota Technical Institute | Rapid City, SD |
| 50 | Academy of Hair Design - Springfield | Springfield, MO |
| 51 | Neosho County Community College | Chanute, KS |
| 52 | Mesabi Range College | Virginia, MN |
| 53 | Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa, IA |
| 54 | Flint Hills Technical College | Emporia, KS |
| 55 | Eric Fisher Academy | Wichita, KS |
| 56 | Butler Community College | El Dorado, KS |
| 56 | Mitchell Technical College | Mitchell, SD |
| 58 | State Technical College of Missouri | Linn, MO |
| 59 | Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center | Cape Girardeau, MO |
| 60 | State Fair Community College | Sedalia, MO |
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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