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Our analysis found to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school for associate degrees in the United States in this year’s ranking.
by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking is part of that endeavor. The amount of financial aid you could receive at various schools, including some with high sticker prices, may surprise you.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 1,308 schools across the United States to determine which have the best value Associate Degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best value schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking is to look at the school's average net price for students with families that make $0-$30k a year. The net price is the sum of tuition, fees, and room and board minus any financial aid awarded to the student. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school for associate degrees in the United States in this year’s ranking.
Out of the 1,308 associate degree schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #2 spot on the list. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Washington University in St Louis is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Missouri. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,263.
The quality degree programs at Purdue University - Main Campus helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k). Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Purdue University - Main Campus has the honor of being ranked #1 in Indiana for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,709.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Carolina State University. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, the school is a large public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, North Carolina State University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,784.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list means Southern Regional Technical College is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Thomasville, Georgia, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Southern Regional Technical College is ranked #12 for quality in the state of Georgia.
Learn More About Value at Southern Regional Technical College
South Texas College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Located in McAllen, Texas, the school is a large public institution.
South Texas College has the honor of being ranked #9 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,000.
Golden West College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Huntington Beach, California, the school is a fairly large public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Golden West College is ranked #2 for quality in the state of California. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,213.
Lee College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Baytown, Texas, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Not only is Lee College a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,786.
Fashion Institute of Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Fashion Institute of Technology is a medium-sized public school located in New York, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Fashion Institute of Technology is ranked #4 for quality in the state of New York. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,172.
With a ranking of #10, Eastern Gateway Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. This large public school is located in Steubenville, Ohio.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Eastern Gateway Community College is ranked #5 for quality in the state of Ohio. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,679.
El Centro College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #11. El Centro College is a large public school located in Dallas, Texas.
El Centro College has the honor of being ranked #7 in Texas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,693.
Cleveland Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Cleveland Community College is a small public school located in Shelby, North Carolina.
Cleveland Community College has the honor of being ranked #6 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value.
Central New Mexico Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. This fairly large public school is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central New Mexico Community College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of New Mexico. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,586.
Read full value report on Central New Mexico Community College
Southwestern College landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Southwestern College is a fairly large public school located in Chula Vista, California.
Not only is Southwestern College a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in California for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,657.
Florida State College at Jacksonville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. This large public school is located in Jacksonville, Florida.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Florida State College at Jacksonville is ranked #10 for quality in the state of Florida. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $875.
Central Georgia Technical College landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. CGTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Warner Robins, Georgia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central Georgia Technical College is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Georgia. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,291.
Moreno Valley College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #17. Moreno Valley College is located in Moreno Valley, California and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Moreno Valley College is ranked #32 for quality in the state of California. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $551.
With a ranking of #18, Coastal Pines Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Waycross, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Coastal Pines Technical College is ranked #13 for quality in the state of Georgia. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $681.
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is University of South Florida - Main Campus a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Florida for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,454.
Read full value report on University of South Florida - Main Campus
Northwest Vista College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Northwest Vista College is a fairly large public school located in San Antonio, Texas.
Not only is Northwest Vista College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,018.
Pasadena City College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Pasadena City College is a public institution located in Pasadena, California.
Pasadena City College has the honor of being ranked #10 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,960.
With a ranking of #22, Elgin Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Elgin, Illinois, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Elgin Community College has the honor of being ranked #6 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,633.
West Valley College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Saratoga, California, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
West Valley College has the honor of being ranked #21 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,967.
Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, the school is a large private not-for-profit institution.
Brigham Young University - Idaho has the honor of being ranked #1 in Idaho for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,447.
Ventura College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #25. Ventura College is a fairly large public school situated in Ventura, California.
Ventura College has the honor of being ranked #44 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa, CA | Value Report |
| 52 | Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills, IL | Value Report |
| 53 | Fresno City College | Fresno, CA | Value Report |
| 54 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | Value Report |
| 55 | Metropolitan Community College | Omaha, NE | Value Report |
| 55 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick | New Brunswick, NJ | Value Report |
| 57 | Delta College | University Center, MI | Value Report |
| 58 | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY | Value Report |
| 59 | Seminole State College of Florida | Sanford, FL | Value Report |
| 60 | Houston Community College | Houston, TX | Value Report |
| 61 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College | Rome, GA | Value Report |
| 62 | Riverside City College | Riverside, CA | Value Report |
| 63 | Foothill College | Los Altos Hills, CA | Value Report |
| 64 | San Antonio College | San Antonio, TX | Value Report |
| 65 | St Charles Community College | Cottleville, MO | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 191 | Utah State University | Logan, UT | Value Report |
| 192 | Los Angeles Southwest College | Los Angeles, CA | Value Report |
| 192 | City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College | Chicago, IL | Value Report |
| 194 | Western Technical College | La Crosse, WI | Value Report |
| 195 | Mt. San Jacinto College | San Jacinto, CA | Value Report |
| 196 | College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island, NY | Value Report |
| 197 | Kent State University at Stark | North Canton, OH | Value Report |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 198 | Hinds Community College | Raymond, MS | Value Report |
| 199 | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Kirkland, WA | Value Report |
| 200 | Weber State University | Ogden, UT | Value Report |
| 201 | Delaware Technical Community College - Terry | Dover, DE | Value Report |
| 202 | Lorain County Community College | Elyria, OH | Value Report |
| 203 | Truckee Meadows Community College | Reno, NV | Value Report |
| 203 | College of the Sequoias | Visalia, CA | Value Report |
| 205 | Midland College | Midland, TX | Value Report |
| 206 | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence, SC | Value Report |
| 207 | Palo Alto College | San Antonio, TX | Value Report |
| 208 | St Cloud Technical and Community College | Saint Cloud, MN | Value Report |
| 209 | Chesapeake College | Wye Mills, MD | Value Report |
| 210 | Chipola College | Marianna, FL | Value Report |
| 211 | Hagerstown Community College | Hagerstown, MD | Value Report |
| 212 | Community College of Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 252 | Wayne Community College | Goldsboro, NC | Value Report |
| 254 | Howard Community College | Columbia, MD | Value Report |
| 254 | Odessa College | Odessa, TX | Value Report |
| 256 | Rowan College at Burlington County | Mount Laurel, NJ | Value Report |
| 257 | Victoria College | Victoria, TX | Value Report |
| 258 | Dakota County Technical College | Rosemount, MN | Value Report |
| 259 | Spokane Community College | Spokane, WA | Value Report |
| 260 | Bishop State Community College | Mobile, AL | Value Report |
| 261 | Northeast Alabama Community College | Rainsville, AL | Value Report |
| 262 | Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA | Value Report |
| 262 | Holmes Community College | Goodman, MS | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.