2023 Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
It's not easy to decide which computer science program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Computer Science Degree Search has created its Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 49 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for computer science 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.
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Top Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Fox Valley Technical College the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for computer science students working on their associate degree. FVTC is located in Appleton, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 120 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at FVTC are $6,861 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,318 in loans while pursuing their degree.
FVTC 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. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 42% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, FVTC is ranked #1 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
The excellent associate degree programs at Madison Area Technical College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value computer science schools in the Great Lakes Region . Madison College is located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 113 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Madison College are $6,769 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $21,947 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 Madison College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 77% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Madison College is ranked #2 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Chippewa Valley Technical College is a great place for computer science students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 80 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CVTC are $6,683 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $20,208 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at CVTC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 60% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, CVTC is ranked #3 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a small public school located in Shell Lake, Wisconsin that handed out 33 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at WITC are $6,960 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $14,285 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at WITC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 88% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, WITC is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Out of the 49 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Waukesha County Technical College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 78 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,603 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $20,402 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at WCTC. In fact, around 17% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its great value ranking, WCTC is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Sinclair Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for computer science students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Sinclair Community College is located in Dayton, Ohio and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 98 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Sinclair Community College are $8,076 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,728 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Sinclair Community College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 80% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Sinclair Community College also took the #5 spot in our Best Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region rankings.
Mid-State Technical College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree computer science programs. Mid-State is located in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Mid-State are $6,351 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,908 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Mid-State, 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, 52% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #8, Moraine Park Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for computer science students working on their associate degree. Fond du Lac, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Moraine Park Technical College are $6,683 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,836 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Moraine Park Technical College. In 2019-2020 about 12% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Oakland Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for computer science students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. This fairly large public school is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 68 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Oakland Community College are $5,200 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,050 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Oakland Community College. In 2019-2020 about 27% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NWTC is a fairly large public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 86 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at NWTC are $6,849 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,312 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at NWTC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 51% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 47 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Cincinnati State undergraduate students pay an average of $9,090 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,224 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Cincinnati State, 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, 88% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Cincinnati State also did well on our Best Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Gateway Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 72 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gateway Technical College are $6,803 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,525 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Gateway Technical College. 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 Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the small public school handed out 27 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Western Technical College are $6,687 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,870 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 Western Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 88% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Washtenaw Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Washtenaw Community College is a fairly large public school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 82 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Washtenaw Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,856 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $20,975 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Washtenaw Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 96% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Lakeshore Technical College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Lakeshore Technical College is a small public school located in Cleveland, Wisconsin that handed out 40 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
LTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,056 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,752 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since LTC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 82% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Milwaukee Area Technical College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree computer science programs. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 96 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MATC are $6,908 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $21,921 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MATC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Ivy Tech Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for computer science students to get an associate degree. It came in at #17 on the list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the large public school awarded 532 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ivy Tech Community College are $8,927 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,984 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Ivy Tech Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 81% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Ivy Tech Community College also is in the top 15% of our Best Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Southwestern Illinois College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree computer science programs. SWIC is located in Belleville, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 associate degrees to qualified students.
SWIC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,940 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,561 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 SWIC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 53% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Wayne County Community College District ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Wayne County Community College District is a fairly large public school located in Detroit, Michigan that handed out 30 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCCCD are $3,998 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,369 in student loans.
Online courses are available at WCCCD, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 32% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #20, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for computer science students working on their associate degree. Fennimore, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.
Southwest Tech undergraduate students pay an average of $6,683 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,718 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Southwest Tech. In 2019-2020 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #21, Henry Ford College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for computer science students working on their associate degree. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.
Henry Ford College undergraduate students pay an average of $7,192 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $24,961 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Henry Ford College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 93% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Cuyahoga Community College District ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Cuyahoga Community College District is located in Cleveland, Ohio and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 83 associate degrees to qualified students.
Cuyahoga Community College District undergraduate students pay an average of $8,586 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,998 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Cuyahoga Community College District does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 80% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Herzing University - Akron came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Herzing University - Akron is a very small private not-for-profit school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 3 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Herzing Akron undergraduate students pay an average of $14,200 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,509 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Herzing Akron does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 79% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Herzing Akron is ranked #4 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
Lansing Community College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Lansing, Michigan, the fairly large public school awarded 46 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
LCC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,760 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,441 in student loans.
Online courses are available at LCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 93% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #25, Stark State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for computer science students working on their associate degree. Located in North Canton, Ohio, the fairly large public school handed out 86 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Stark State College are $7,406 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $21,837 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Stark State 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 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
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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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