Best Online Colleges for Certificates

To earn a place on the Best Online Colleges for Certificates ranking list, an online college must meet two criteria. First, they must offer their online certificate programs at an annual tuition rate that students can reasonably pay off within 10 years of graduation. Second, they must offer a large number of online certificate programs to students (minimum of 10).

The online schools that meet these criteria are ranked against each other based on how well they meet each standard. For more information on this ranking please see the ranking methodology. Access the ranking seal, here.

Rank College Name Location # Online Certificate Programs Full Time, In-state Tuition Per Credit, In-state Tuition Full Time, Out-of-state Tuition Per Credit, Out-of-state Tuition
1
Mitchell Community College Statesville, NC 42 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
2
Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston, GA 40 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $176
3
Rasmussen College-Florida Ocala, FL 39 $9,360 $310 $9,360 $310
4
Madison Area Technical College Madison, WI 38 $3,911 $130 $5,866 $196
5
Rasmussen College-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN 38 $9,360 $310 $9,360 $310
6
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins, GA 36 $2,136 $89 $4,727 $178
7
American Public University System Charles Town, WV 33 $6,480 $270 $6,480 $270
8
Rasmussen College-Kansas Topeka, KS 33 $9,360 $310 $9,360 $310
9
Central Texas College Killeen, TX 32 $2,940 $98 $6,420 $214
10
Rasmussen College-Wisconsin Green Bay, WI 32 $9,360 $310 $9,360 $310
11
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome, GA 30 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
12
Albany Technical College Albany, GA 29 $2,140 $89 $4,280 $178
13
Rasmussen College-North Dakota Fargo, ND 29 $9,630 $310 $9,630 $310
14
Rio Salado College Tempe, AZ 28 $2,064 $86 $7,848 $327
15
University of Maryland-University College Adelphi, MD 28 $6,816 $284 $11,976 $499
16
Northwest Technical College Bemidji, MN 27 $5,138 $171 $5,138 $171
17
Rasmussen College-Illinois Rockford, IL 27 $9,360 $310 $9,360 $310
18
University of Phoenix-Arizona Tempe, AZ 27 $11,219 . $11,219 .
19
South Seattle College Seattle, WA 26 $3,393 $103 $3,800 $201
20
Southwestern Oregon Community College Coos Bay, OR 26 $4,092 $91 $4,092 $91
21
Allen County Community College Iola, KS 25 $1,800 $60 $1,800 $60
22
Seminole State College of Florida Sanford, FL 25 $2,393 $104 $9,494 $382
23
Northeastern Junior College Sterling, CO 25 $4,107 $137 $6,161 $205
24
Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood, PA 25 $7,320 $244 $10,980 $366
25
North Seattle College Seattle, WA 24 $3,393 $103 $3,800 $201
26
North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MN 23 $3,922 $182 $3,922 $182
27
Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls, MN 23 $4,824 $161 $4,824 $161
28
Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND 21 $2,916 $121 $7,785 $324
29
Columbus State Community College Columbus, OH 21 $3,808 $136 $8,430 $301
30
Three Rivers College Poplar Bluff, MO 21 $4,200 $173 $5,340 $211
31
Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC 20 $1,906 $76 $6,688 $268
32
Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH 20 $3,169 $146 $6,436 $282
33
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN 20 $4,055 $135 $7,932 $264
34
Jackson College Jackson, MI 20 $4,680 $195 $6,480 $270
35
Minnesota State College Southeast Winona, MN 20 $4,969 $166 $4,969 $166
36
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta, GA 19 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
37
Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC 19 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
38
Lanier Technical College San Francisco, CA 19 $2,670 $89 $5,340 $178
39
Great Basin College Oakwood, GA 19 $2,745 $92 $9,390 $192
40
Bluegrass Community and Technical College Elko, NV 19 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
41
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Lexington, KY 19 $5,094 $188 $10,190 $358
42
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Granite Falls, MN 19 $13,174 $542 $13,174 $542
43
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College University Park, PA 18 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
44
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Salisbury, NC 18 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
45
Pitt Community College Elizabethtown, KY 17 $1,824 $76 $6,432 $268
46
Southeastern Technical College Winterville, NC 17 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
47
St Petersburg College Vidalia, GA 17 $2,428 $113 $9,717 $389
48
Central Carolina Community College Clearwater, FL 17 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
49
Fayetteville Technical Community College Sanford, NC 17 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
50
Gateway Community and Technical College Fayetteville, NC 17 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
51
Big Sandy Community and Technical College Florence, KY 17 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
52
Coastal Pines Technical College Prestonsburg, KY 17 $4,005 $89 $4,005 $89
53
Mesa Community College Waycross, GA 16 $2,064 $86 $7,848 $327
54
West Georgia Technical College Mesa, AZ 16 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
55
Stark State College Waco, GA 16 $2,796 $117 $5,904 $246
56
Ashland Community and Technical College North Canton, OH 16 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
57
Jefferson Community and Technical College Ashland, KY 16 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
58
Northcentral Technical College Louisville, KY 16 $3,911 $130 $5,806 $194
59
Charter Oak State College Wausau, WI 16 $6,888 $287 $9,048 $377
60
Linfield College-Online and Continuing Education New Britain, CT 16 $12,960 $480 $12,960 $480
61
Southern Regional Technical College McMinnville, OR 15 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
62
Hutchinson Community College Thomasville, GA 15 $2,688 $103 $3,680 $134
63
Milwaukee Area Technical College Hutchinson, KS 15 $3,911 $148 $5,866 $213
64
University of Alaska Fairbanks Milwaukee, WI 15 $5,936 $212 $19,628 $701
65
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Fairbanks, AK 15 $8,141 $271 $28,727 $958
66
San Joaquin Delta College Indianapolis, IN 14 $1,104 $46 $6,168 $257
67
Craven Community College Stockton, CA 14 $1,824 $76 $6,432 $268
68
Yavapai College New Bern, NC 14 $2,280 $95 $9,120 $125
69
Stanly Community College Prescott, AZ 14 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
70
Riverland Community College Albemarle, NC 14 $4,888 $192 $4,888 $192
71
Pamlico Community College Austin, MN 13 $1,824 $76 $6,432 $268
72
Southern Crescent Technical College Grantsboro, NC 13 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
73
Laramie County Community College Griffin, GA 13 $2,136 $89 $6,408 $267
74
Holmes Community College Cheyenne, WY 13 $2,230 $127 $4,810 $237
75
Clovis Community College Goodman, MS 12 $1,008 $42 $2,136 $89
76
Garden City Community College Clovis, NM 12 $1,824 $57 $2,432 $76
77
Lenoir Community College Garden City, KS 12 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
78
Central Community College Kinston, NC 12 $2,520 $84 $3,780 $126
79
Dakota College at Bottineau Grand Island, NE 12 $3,469 $145 $5,204 $217
80
Chemeketa Community College Bottineau, ND 12 $3,600 $94 $10,890 $256
81
Columbia Southern University Salem, OR 12 $5,040 $210 $5,040 $210
82
Community College of Allegheny County Orange Beach, AL 12 $6,467 $216 $9,698 $323
83
University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus Pittsburgh, PA 12 $12,984 . $12,984 .
84
University of the Potomac-VA Campus Washington, DC 12 $12,984 . $12,984 .
85
Kaplan University-Davenport Campus Vienna, VA 12 $13,356 $371 $13,356 $371
86
Surry Community College Davenport, IA 11 $2,128 $76 $8,040 $268
87
Ogeechee Technical College Dobson, NC 11 $2,136 $89 $4,272 $178
88
Nash Community College Statesboro, GA 11 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
89
Spokane Community College Rocky Mount, NC 11 $2,688 $103 $7,625 $279
90
Shoreline Community College Spokane, WA 11 $3,328 $101 $6,054 $192
91
Seattle Central College Shoreline, WA 11 $3,393 $103 $3,800 $201
92
Eastern Gateway Community College Seattle, WA 11 $3,510 $117 $4,350 $145
93
Hazard Community and Technical College Steubenville, OH 11 $3,744 $156 $13,104 $546
94
Mountain Empire Community College Hazard, KY 11 $4,133 $138 $9,431 $314
95
Lincoln Land Community College Big Stone Gap, VA 11 $5,520 $230 $8,280 $345
96
University of Alaska Southeast Springfield, IL 11 $5,936 $212 $19,628 $701
97
Harrisburg Area Community College-Harrisburg Juneau, AK 11 $6,390 $260 $7,680 $308
98
Ferris State University Harrisburg, PA 11 $11,144 $398 $17,910 $597
99
Trinity Valley Community College Big Rapids, MI 10 $1,080 $36 $3,540 $118
100
Cerro Coso Community College Athens, TX 10 $1,288 $46 $7,196 $257
101
Arizona Western College Ridgecrest, CA 10 $1,920 $80 $7,512 $313
102
Broward College Yuma, AZ 10 $1,944 $114 $1,944 $369
103
Miami Dade College Fort Lauderdale, FL 10 $1,983 $118 $7,947 $403
104
Ozarka College Miami, FL 10 $2,112 $88 $4,464 $186
105
Barton County Community College Melbourne, AR 10 $2,304 $104 $3,296 $135
106
Montgomery Community College Great Bend, KS 10 $2,432 $76 $8,576 $268
107
Collin County Community College District Troy, NC 10 $2,460 $83 $4,260 $143
108
Hinds Community College McKinney, TX 10 $2,640 $110 $5,440 $220
109
North Central Missouri College Raymond, MS 10 $3,270 $109 $4,440 $148
110
Arapahoe Community College Trenton, MO 10 $3,288 $137 $13,488 $562
111
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Littleton, CO 10 $3,510 $117 $7,020 $234
112
Thomas Nelson Community College Hanceville, AL 10 $4,193 $140 $9,491 $316
113
Rochester Community and Technical College Hampton, VA 10 $4,874 $162 $4,874 $162
114
Thomas Edison State University Rochester, MN 10 $6,350 $385 $9,352 $499
115
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Trenton, NJ 10 $13,932 $596 $30,500 $1,286

See Other Best Colleges for Online Degree Lists

Methodology

To earn a rank on the Best Colleges for Online Certificates list, an online college needs to offer a wide variety of affordable online certificate programs. The online colleges on this list meet the following two criteria:

  1. Offer their online certificate programs for a reasonable annual tuition rate - $15,000 is the upper tuition limit (annual in-state tuition) for this list. The annual salary for those with "some college, no degree" according to the BLS is $39,312. BankRate recommends that students not accumulate more student debt than they will make the first year after graduation. As certificate programs can be 1-2 years, we used $15,000 as the maximum annual tuition.
  2. Offer a large number of certificate programs in a variety of study areas. We used 10 as the lowest number of certificate programs an online college could offer in this ranking list. If these conditions were met, online colleges were sorted from top to bottom based on the number of online certificate programs that they offer to students.

Sources