Find Nursing Colleges

What Do You Want to Study?

Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region

Find Schools Near

2023 Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region

100 Colleges
$37,423 Avg Salary
$11,714 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants School for You

With 85,339 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022, practical nursing & nursing assistants is the #2 most popular major in the United States.

It's not easy to decide which nursing program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This report analyzed 100 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best programs for nursing students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region

Check out the practical nursing programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 15% Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools

#1

Cass Career Center

Harrisonville, MO

Our analysis found Cass Career Center to be the best school for practical nursing & nursing assistants students who want to pursue a degree in the Plains States Region . Cass RIX School District is a small public school located in the fringe town of Harrisonville.

Practical Nursing majors at Cass RIX School District take out an average of $9,500 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Cass Career Center

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lex La-Ray Technical Center. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the distant town of Lexington, LLRTC is a public school with a small student population.

On average, practical nursing graduates from LLRTC take out $10,167 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Lex La-Ray Technical Center Report

#3

Applied Technology Services

Sunset Hills, MO

The excellent programs at Applied Technology Services helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best practical nursing & nursing assistants schools in the Plains States Region . Located in the suburb of Sunset Hills, Applied Technology Services is a public school with a small student population.

Practical Nursing majors at Applied Technology Services take out an average of $14,750 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read More…

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Saline County Career Center. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the remote town of Marshall, SCCC is a public college with a small student population.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at SCCC accumulate an average of around $14,027 in student debt.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Saline County Career Center Report

Out of the 100 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Carthage Technical Center landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the fringe town of Carthage, Carthage Technical Center is a public college with a fairly small student population.

Practical Nursing majors at Carthage Technical Center take out an average of $14,638 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read More…

Clinton Technical School did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students. It came in at #6 on the list. Clinton Technical School is a small public school located in the town of Clinton.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from Clinton Technical School carry an average student debtload of $13,110.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Clinton Technical School

Washburn Institute of Technology landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best practical nursing & nursing assistants programs. Washburn Tech is a small public school located in the midsize city of Topeka.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Washburn Tech accumulate an average of around $9,750 in student debt.

Read More…

#8

Four Rivers Career Center

Washington, MO

Four Rivers Career Center ranked #8 on this year’s Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Four Rivers Career Center is a fairly small public school located in the town of Washington.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Four Rivers Career Center accumulate an average of around $14,913 in student debt.

Read More…

North Dakota State College of Science landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best practical nursing & nursing assistants programs. North Dakota State College of Science is a small public school located in the town of Wahpeton.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from North Dakota State College of Science carry an average student debtload of $16,090.

Read More…

With a ranking of #10, Rasmussen University - Minnesota did quite well on this year’s best schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a small private for-profit school located in the city of St. Cloud.

Practical Nursing majors at Rasmussen University - Minnesota take out an average of $14,167 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $141.

Read More…

Hannibal - LaGrange University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in the remote town of Hannibal, HLGU is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at HLGU accumulate an average of around $9,500 in student debt.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Hannibal - LaGrange University

#12

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN

Century College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Read More…

Lake Area Technical Institute did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students. It came in at #13 on the list. LATI is a small public school located in the town of Watertown.

Practical Nursing majors at LATI take out an average of $9,500 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Lake Area Technical Institute

Texas County Technical College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best practical nursing & nursing assistants programs. Bolivar Technical College is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the rural area of Houston.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Bolivar Technical College accumulate an average of around $9,969 in student debt.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Texas County Technical College

#15

Southeast Technical College

Sioux Falls, SD

With a ranking of #15, Southeast Technical College did quite well on this year’s best schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students. Southeast Tech is a small public school located in the rural area of Sioux Falls.

On average, practical nursing graduates from Southeast Tech take out $11,000 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Southeast Technical College

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region award.

Rank College Location
16 Rolla Technical Institute/Center Rolla, MO
17 Alexandria Technical & Community College Alexandria, MN
18 Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls, MN
19 Kirksville Area Technical Center Kirksville, MO
20 North Central Kansas Technical College Beloit, KS

Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges by State

Explore the best practical nursing & nursing assistants colleges for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 22
South Dakota 0
North Dakota 70
Nebraska 0

Practical Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training 45,031
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 35,655
Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants 4,653

Majors Similar to Practical Nursing

Related Major Annual Graduates
Nursing 319,502

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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 the rest 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Find Nursing Schools Near You

Our free matching tool for schools matches students with nursing schools across the U.S.