Cheap can sometimes, if not all the time, be acceptable. We all love saving a penny or two when it comes to paying for college courses. With so many colleges opening up day in day out, there is a lot of competition, and many of them are offering cheap college courses to attract more students in both online and land-based studies.
Thanks to college education’s cheap cost, many people can afford to go through college and study their favorite courses. Gone are the days when only the who and who in the society could join colleges and boast of being educated, while the middle-class people could only afford to educate their children up-to high school levels.
We have carefully come up with a list of cheap college courses designed for professional development, accreditation, and educational purposes. You can have your choice in many different systems that are of high quality and can help you attain your goals regardless of whether they are of modern techniques, new to the job market, or seeking a career change.
Let us look at some of the cheapest college courses.
Administration
2020 Median Salary: $33,127
Quickest Program Length: 2 years
Career Outlook:
A decline of 9%
One of the cheapest courses offered in colleges in the United States is administration. The administration is an essential element of any business or organization. It involves managing the drift and rate of offices, jobs, and projects.
The administration is a basic course that gives you the requisite skills to run industry and is also a requirement for all professionals.
You can study the course independently, for instance, business administration or healthcare administration. You can combine it with an administration degree or as a professional evolution.
The administration course is mainly pursued by professionals in office administration, human resources, project management, and management.
When it comes to administration course tuition fees, many colleges charge between $3,000 and $11,000 in total for full-time students and a slightly cheaper cost for part-time undergraduate students. This cost is quite affordable for most students willing to pursue the course, either online, full-time, or part-time. You can enroll in some of the cheapest and best colleges that include
- The University of Texas at Brownsville
- Southern University at New Orleans
- Mississippi Valley State University
- Delta State University
- Alcorn State University
- Minot State University
- Bellevue University
- New Mexico Highlands University
- West Texas A&M University
Language courses
2020 Median Salary: $70,704
Quickest Program Length: 2 years
Career Outlook:
An increase of 9%
Languages courses are offered at cheap costs in USA colleges at an average tuition fee of between $6500 – $13,200. If you are a lover of languages, then you can enroll for one or two languages in any college of your choice, be it public or private. You can advance your skills in new languages from beginner to expert levels. Language courses in colleges cover a varying scope of the study, such as
- Professional-grade comprehension
- Daily usage
- Specific dialect/context
You will learn a lot of grammar and order with your chosen language’s vital communication and cultural factors.
If it is your dream to engage in a course with various professional and life paths, you can always choose to pursue languages at a pocket-friendly fee that will not strain you or your guardians’ finances from colleges such as
- Harvard University
- Columbia University
- Princeton University
- Carleton College
- University of Chicago
You can choose the best college to get the best linguistic courses of your choice.
Tourism and Hospitality Course
2020 Median Salary: $57001
Quickest Program Length: 2 years
Career Outlook: An increase of 9%
If you are interested in the tourism and hospitality industry, you will be one lucky person to study at a cheap cost. Being one of the affordable courses in US colleges, you can make your culinary dreams come true in some of the below colleges
- Columbia Southern University
- American Public University
- Granite State College
- Troy University
- Fort Hays State University
- University of South Alabama
- North Central State University
- San Francisco State University
- National American University
The course covers broad studies such as customer service, marketing, events, different cultures, gaming and casino, tourist sites, sales, food services, vehicle hire, and rentals. You will also gain management theories and principles that will put you on the track towards a fulfilling career in different hospitality industry sectors.
Once you graduate from this course after spending affordable fees, you will be illegible to work in positions such
- Front desk assistant manager,
- Concierge supervisor
- Event coordinator,
- Banquet Captain,
- The customer service manager,
- Beverage operations supervisor.
Tourism and hospitality courses will cost you between $1200-$2400 tuition fees, depending on the number of units and the college you enroll yourself.
Sports Courses
2020 Median Salary: $ 100000
Quickest program length: 2 years
Career Outlook: Increase by 24%
Are a sports lover and your willing to pursue your career in football, basketball, hockey, swimming, and athletics? You can enroll in a sports academy or colleges which offer low and reasonable tuition rate. What’s right, there are no extra fees for examinations and textbooks. You will save a lot in this course of your college program since most colleges have one price for each class. Some of the best and cheapest colleges include
- The University of Minnesota in Minneapolis
- Madonna University
- Coastal Carolina University
- The University of Akron
- Towson University
- Southern Illinois University
- University of Houston
- Old Dominion University
- Western Michigan University
- Trinity Baptist College
- The University of Iowa
Sports colleges allow pursuing overall sports management, Sports Coaching, Athletic Training, Recreation Administration, Sports Marketing, Exercise Science, and Sports Business.
Generally, sports courses are offered at cheap tuition fees regardless of whether you want to pursue it from a private or public college. Most colleges offer classes in Marketing Principles, Strategic Sport Management, Sport Governance and Policy, Psychology of Exercise and Health, Contemporary Issues in Sport, Managing People and Ideas.
Educational Courses
2020 Median Salary: $65,248
Quickest program length: 2-4 years
Career Outlook: Increase by 15%
Do you have a dream of influencing the next generation? If that is the case, a diploma/ degree in education would be an honorable teaching career. You can make your dreams come true by enrolling in some colleges in The US that offer the course at a cheap tuition fee of about $43,250. Some of the cheapest colleges include
- The City University of New York
- University of the People
- California State University, Long Beach
- Alcorn State University in Mississippi
- Minot State University
- South Texas College
According to research, colleges in the US offer education courses at reasonable tuition fees that don’t strain your pocket. If you are lucky enough, you can apply and get a full or half scholarship, which means you will either pay little or no fee for your studies.
You can learn a lot of theoretical studies such as sociology, history, and psychology. Moreover, you will be exposed to child behavior, understanding the youth, children, and the environment.
After completing your studies, you can teach in primary, secondary, and even colleges, depending on your education level.
Social Sciences
2020 Median Salary: $85847
Quickest program length: 2-4 years
Career Outlook: Increase by 14%
Another cheap and exciting course that you can undertake in a college is social sciences. The approach nurtures you better to comprehend the interconnection and structure in human society. Subjects covered include
- How the community and population form the government.
- Making laws
- Developing economic systems
- How people make choices.
You can choose to pursue either economics, linguistics, psychology, political science, History, Sociology, and Anthropology.
Each college has many different courses in its social sciences department. Some may incorporate accounting, international relations, and media studies as part of social science units.
The tuition fees for social sciences is affordable in many colleges, and it ranges from $600 to$ 800 per semester from some of the best colleges like
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Oxford
- Stanford University
- Harvard University
- University of California, Berkley
Life Skill Courses
2020 Median Salary: $24,600
Quickest program length: 2-4 years
Career Outlook: Increase by 8%
Maybe you’re that student who wants to pursue a life course at a cheap fee. Worry not as this is one course offered at a fair tuition fee that you can afford. Some colleges offer this course for as little as $3270. You can enroll in colleges like
- Boston University
- South Western Illinois College
- Southampton College
You can familiarize yourself with the fundamental features of life skills and its innovative treatment, theoretical view, and practical life skills education scheme. All the cheap colleges aim to provide you with a systematic understanding of life skill education’s theoretical foundation.
Once you complete your life skill course from your chosen college, you can apply your knowledge in various life spheres. For instance, you will be able to make effective decisions, acquire skills in personal awareness and management, and live well with the surrounding community.
Cheap Short College Courses That Pay Well
Some students may not like taking a diploma for two years or a degree for four or more years. They, therefore, opt for a few months’ certificate courses that are very marketable. Some of these courses include
Electrician
2020 Median Salary: $49203
Fastest Program Length: 4 months
Career Outlook: Expected to rise by 20%, which is above average
Taking an electrical course is an excellent choice for electrical lovers. Nowadays, the system is offered at affordable tuition fees in various colleges. Electrical systems cover units such as
- Electrical Certification
- Building Maintenance
- Domestic Installation in residential areas
- Electrical Circuit Installation
- Earthing and Bonding
- Building regulations for domestic electrical Installation
- Domestic lighting circuits
You can also learn how to install cameras, smart gadgets, and monitoring systems. Once you finish your course and get certified, you will be working in various locations or different job positions. You have to be ready to work in extremely cold or hot temperatures to finish your work. Undoubtedly, the electrical course is a high paying course which makes it a peak certificate to own.
You can pursue your electrical course at an affordable rate at Ashworth College, either online or land-based. You only need to part with $ 999 per month for online classes with no extra charges for books and learning equipment.
Surgical Technologist
2020 Median Salary: $56,752
Quickest Course Length: 18 months
Career Outlook: Expected to rise by 14%-quicker than normal
Ever dreamt of being a surgical technologist? Well, you can make your dreams come true by enrolling for a cheap course at Nashville State and Community College for a certificate opportunity. You can pursue this course with a tuition fee of $3753 and $1721 for books.
The college has several units to offer that give you both practical and real-world experiences. The units include
· Patient care
· Human and Animal anatomy and physiology
· Surgical procedures
- Sterilization techniques
- Pharmacology for surgical technicians
- Introduction to surgical technologies
Once you have completed your course, you will know enough to assist doctors, patients, and nurses in hospitals. Your duties may vary from preparing operating rooms and sterilizing and arranging surgical equipment. Your preliminary work will help doctors perform surgery in theatre, gather necessary tools, dispose of disposable items, and take patients to their recovery rooms.
To become a surgical technologist, you have to be an influential person who can withstand to see agonizing patients and blood. You also need to have quick feet and hands to be able to handle emergency cases. Apart from working in hospitals, you can find a job in a dental clinic, vet clinic, or set up your surgical equipment store.
EMT and Paramedic
2020 Median Salary: $43877- $67600 depending on your work station
Fastest Program duration: 3 months
Career Outlook: Expected to rise by 32%, which is faster than normal
You can pursue an EMT and Paramedic course at a cheap fee at the National Medical Education & Training Center. The college charges students a tuition fee of approximately $2000 for both online and land-based classes.
EMT or paramedic courses are one of the best career choices you can ever take. In this certification course, you will learn several things: stabilizing patients, inserting IV lines, learning how to provide oxygen, managing fractures, doing CPRs, and delivering babies.
You will have the privilege of assisting people and working in a high-stress environment once you are through with your studies. You could be the person in the position of rushing a cardiac arrest victim or saving a non-swimmer from drowning. You can get employed by fire departments, ambulance services, government health services, hospitals, municipal EMTs agencies, and other private sectors.
You will be providing medical care as instructed by a physician in this fast-paced career. EMT and paramedic courses will provide you with a magnitude of excitement that you seldom find in the workforce.
Travel Agent
2020 Median salary: $57,833
Fastest Program Length: 4 months
The career outlook: Expected to decrease by 26%
How about pursuing a career as a travel agent? Well, this is an exciting course that you can undertake at Stratford Career Institute at an affordable rate. The institute is one of the cheapest colleges that offer you the course at a tuition fee of $ 805, including down payment of $ 10. How cheap is that?
Through your travel agent course, you will learn how to operate computer reservation systems, study different types of travelers, special considerations for international travel, vacations available globally, and transportation systems. You will also be taught concepts in
- Marketing
- Geography
- Professionalism
- Aviation
- Rental cars
- Pricing and packages
- Reservations
You can choose to pursue this course at a certificate level, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree.
Once you are through with your course, you can get employed in a travel agency company, or build your travel and tours company. You will enjoy traveling and accompanying travelers to different parts of the world, where you get to see beautiful places and familiarize yourself with other cultures. With this kind of job, you can decide to either work in the office or at the comfort of your home while making reservations for travelers.
Commercial Truck Driver
2020 Median salary: $54,348
Fastest program length: 3 weeks
Career Outlook: Expected to increase by 16%- above average
One of the cheapest colleges you can pursue a commercial truck driver course is Pensacola State College. The college offers you the course at a tuition fee of $4,840. The career prepares you to acquire a license as well as a job in the trucking industry. The college course will offer you programs such as
- Simulation
- Theoretical
- Hands-on-instruction
Once you’re through with the course, you will be able to drive long hauls, which involves at least two overnight stays, or a short-haul, which involves a short driving distance. Be prepared to sit for long hours every day as you transport stuff to different destinations.
Other best cheap truck driving colleges include
- Alabama-ESD School, LLC
- Alaska-Northern Industrial Training, LLC (NIT)
- Arizona-Phoenix Truck Driving Institute
- Arkansas-C1 Truck Driver Training
- California- California Truck Driving Academy
- Colorado-The Northern Colorado Truck Driving Academy
- Connecticut-A.B. CDL Driver Training Center
- Delaware-American Driver Training Academy, INC.
- Florida-Sun coast Trucking Academy
- Georgia-CDL of GA
- Hawaii-Leeward Community College
- Idaho-Idaho CDL Training
- Illinois-160 Driving Academy
- Indiana-Sage Truck Driving School
- Iowa – Des Moines Area Community College
- Kansas – White Line CDL Training
- Kentucky – Luke Cumberland CDL Training School
- Louisiana – Diesel Driving Academy
- Maine – Region 9 Professional Truck Driver Training
Generally, this is a great career and a high paying one that you can ever come across in trade schools.
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
2020 Median Salary: $48,730
Fastest Program Length: 6 Months
Career Outlook: Expected to increase by 26%- faster than normal
Heating, air conditioning, refrigeration mechanics, and installers is a career that is fast growing. The good thing is that the course is offered cheaply in colleges such as The Refrigeration School. Other colleges with a similar system at affordable rates include
- George Piedmont Technical College
- Ferris State University
- Austin Community College
- Northwest Louisiana technical college
- William Moore College of Technology
- Indian River State College
- Palm Beach State College
- Florida State College at Jacksonville
- Moraine Valley Community College
- Lewis-Clark State College
Tuition fees for the HVAC course range from $1200-$15,000, depending on your course duration.
HVAC colleges teach you how to install and fix significant heating and air conditioning systems. You can work in hospitals, residential areas, and office buildings. As an HVAC technician, you will sometimes be required to use irregular hours to test and fix the system problems.
HVAC is an excellent and well paying course, but before you pursue the trade certificate, it is advisable to check with your state which certificate they require.
Flight Attendant
2020 Median Salary: $77197
Quickest Program Length: 4 weeks
Career Outlook: Expected to increase by 17% from 2019, which is faster than normal
How about a career as a flight attendant? Well, this is one of the best courses that you can ever decide to take as a young person, especially women. The time is available at an affordable tuition fee of $2,410 in various colleges such as
- Glendale Community College
- Community College of Baltimore County
- Moraine valley community College
- Orange Coast College
- Gwinnett Technical College
- Ball State University
- Liberty University
- International Air and Hospitality Academy
You will be taught how to become a flight attendant in the college with skills such as serving food and drinks to passengers. You can work for local and international flights and get to travel the world for free while earning.
However, before you enroll for the course, ensure that you meet the standard requirements of a flight attendant, which include
- Vision: Your vision needs to be 20/30 with or without glasses or lenses
- Weight: Average adult weight
- Height: 158-185 CM.
- Age: 18+
Carpenter
2020 Median Salary: $56727
Quickest program length: 6 months
The career outlook: Expected to increase by 14%- above average
If you are a talented person and would like to pursue a skilled course, then carpentry can be your niche. Various colleges offer the time at affordable tuition fees ranging from $4,626- $8,148, depending on your course study duration.
You will be taught how to create structures and customers’ goods from locally available materials like concrete and wood. You may also learn other skills such as
Safety and awareness
Blueprint reading
Building layout design
Once you become a qualified ad professional carpenter, you can create your workshop and take contracts in building homes, structural frameworks, repairing wooden structures, furniture, and buildings.
You will be required to have loads of physical strength and energy. Your work will be mainly outdoor based.
Some of the best and cheapest colleges that offer carpentry courses at affordable fees include
- Central New Mexico Community College
- Bryant and Stratton College
- Green River College
- Peralta Community College District
- Seattle Central Community College
- Vista College
- Ranken Technical College
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Rice University
- Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
- University of Michigan
- Vanderbilt University
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic
2020 Median Salary: $45,183
Quickest Program Length: 6 Months
The career outlook: Expected decline by 4%
Do you love cars? Then you can consider pursuing a career as an automotive service technician and mechanic. The course is exciting and offered at an affordable fee in various colleges across the US. The tuition fee for the procedure ranges from $5,000-$5,500 depending on your school choice.
Let us look at some cheap colleges that offer automotive service technician and mechanic courses.
- Houston Community College
- Northern Virginia Community College
- Lone Star College System
- Tarrant County College District
- Riverside City College
- Austin Community College
- City College of San Francisco
- American River College
- Pima Community College
- Broward College
In the mentioned trade schools, you will be taught how to work on various car makes and models, regardless of whether they are heavy or lightweight. Once you have completed your course, you will be able to diagnose issues, carry out repairs, and handle regular maintenance. When it comes to employment, you can choose to be employed in a garage or set up your workshop to repair and sell automotive spares.
Book Keeper
2020 Median Salary: $58,536
Quickest Program Length: 4-6 months
Career Outlook: Little to no change
Are you a lover of numbers and accounting as a whole? Do you love spending time in the office for eight or more hours? Well, then bookkeeping must be the right course for you. If so, you can pursue the time in various colleges that offer bookkeeping at favorable/cheap fees. Some of the best affordable colleges that offer bookkeeping courses include:
- Auburn University Montgomery
- Stamford University
- University of Alaska Southeast (PU)
- Arizona State University West (PU)
- Arkansas Technical University (PU)
- John Brown University
- University of California Los Angeles
- La Sierra University (PR)
- The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (PU)
- Eastern Connecticut State University (PU)
- University of Delaware
