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

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

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

100 Colleges
$5,166 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$37,423 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants School for You

In 2020-2021, 84,274 practical nursing and nursing assistants students received a degree or certificate, making the major the #2 most popular in the country.

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.

The Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 100 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best value programs for practical nursing students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

Top 15% Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools

$3,780 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Southeast Community College Area to be the best value school for practical nursing and nursing assistants students who want to pursue a degree in the Plains States Region . Southeast Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Lincoln.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,780 per year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from Southeast Community College carry an average student debtload of $18,486.

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$3,570 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Cloud County Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best practical nursing and nursing assistants schools in the Plains States Region . Cloud County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Concordia.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cloud County Community College are $3,570 per year.

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$4,000 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Neosho County Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best practical nursing and nursing assistants schools in the Plains States Region . Located in the town of Chanute, Neosho County Community College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,000 per year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from Neosho County Community College carry an average student debtload of $13,137.

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#4

Central Community College

Grand Island, NE
$4,590 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Central Community College is a great value for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. Located in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Central Community College are $4,590 a year. The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Central Community College take out is $10,322.

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$4,470 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Hutchinson Community College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the distant town of Hutchinson, Hutchinson Community College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Hutchinson Community College are $4,470 a year. The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Hutchinson Community College take out is $14,905.

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$4,826 Average Tuition & Fees

Western Iowa Tech Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Western Iowa Tech Community College are $4,826 a year. On average, practical nursing graduates from Western Iowa Tech Community College take out $13,346 in student loans while working on their degree.

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$4,680 Average Tuition & Fees

Metropolitan Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. It came in at #7 on the list. MCC is a large public school located in the large city of Omaha.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MCC are $4,680 a year.

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#8

Garden City Community College

Garden City, KS
$4,020 Average Tuition & Fees

Garden City Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the remote town of Garden City, Garden City Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Garden City Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,020 in tuition and fees each year. On average, practical nursing graduates from Garden City Community College take out $12,012 in student loans while working on their degree.

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#9

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN
$5,907 Average Tuition & Fees

Century College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Century College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,907 in tuition and fees each year.

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Alexandria Technical & Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the town of Alexandria, ATCC is a public college with a small student population.

ATCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,910 in tuition and fees each year. On average, practical nursing graduates from ATCC take out $11,238 in student loans while working on their degree.

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#11

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS
$5,352 Average Tuition & Fees

Johnson County Community College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. JCCC is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Overland Park.

JCCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,352 in tuition and fees each year. On average, practical nursing graduates from JCCC take out $13,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

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North Dakota State College of Science came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. North Dakota State College of Science is a small public school located in the distant town of Wahpeton.

North Dakota State College of Science undergraduate students pay an average of $6,606 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from North Dakota State College of Science carry an average student debtload of $23,197.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, North Dakota State College of Science also did well on our Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

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$6,052 Average Tuition & Fees

Northland Community and Technical College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the town of Thief River Falls, Northland Community and Technical College is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Northland Community and Technical College are $6,052 a year. While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Northland Community and Technical College accumulate an average of around $21,363 in student debt.

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#14

Dodge City Community College

Dodge City, KS
$4,830 Average Tuition & Fees

Dodge City Community College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the town of Dodge City, Dodge City Community College is a public school with a small student population.

Dodge City Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,830 in tuition and fees each year.

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#15

Lake Region State College

Devils Lake, ND
$5,000 Average Tuition & Fees

Lake Region State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. It came in at #15 on the list. Lake Region State College is a small public school located in the town of Devils Lake.

Lake Region State College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,000 in tuition and fees each year.

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Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great value schools for Nursing & Nursing Assistants students in the Plains States Region seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region award.

Rank College Location
16 Anoka Technical College Anoka, MN
17 Inver Hills Community College Inver Grove Heights, MN
18 Mid-Plains Community College North Platte, NE
19 Seward County Community College Liberal, KS
20 Lake Area Technical Institute Watertown, SD

Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges by State

Explore the best practical nursing and 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 44,900
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 34,557
Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants 4,817

Majors Similar to Practical Nursing

Related Major Annual Graduates
Nursing 322,592

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • 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.

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