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Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region

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2023 Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region

377 Colleges
$34,880 Avg Salary
$14,590 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants School for You

With 84,274 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, practical nursing and nursing assistants is the #2 most popular major in the United States.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right for you. 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 to be a better alternative for you.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. This report analyzed 377 schools in the Southeast Region to see which ones were the most popular programs for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants program at each school on the list.

The colleges and universities below are the most popular for practical nursing majors pursuing a .

#1

ECPI University

Virginia Beach, VA

Our analysis found ECPI University to be the most popular school for practical nursing and nursing assistants students who want to pursue a degree in the Southeast Region . Located in the city of Virginia Beach, ECPI University is a private for-profit school with a fairly large student population.

Practical Nursing majors at ECPI University take out an average of $25,850 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $137, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Out of the 377 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Bluegrass Community and Technical College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Bluegrass Community and Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Lexington.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Bluegrass Community and Technical College accumulate an average of around $13,050 in student debt.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Bluegrass Community and Technical College Report

The excellent programs at Jefferson Community and Technical College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best practical nursing and nursing assistants schools in the Southeast Region . Jefferson Community and Technical College is a large public school located in the large city of Louisville.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Jefferson Community and Technical College take out is $16,579.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Jefferson Community and Technical College Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region list. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a small public school located in the small suburb of Valdosta.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College take out is $8,000.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means West Kentucky Community and Technical College is a great place for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. West Kentucky Community and Technical College is a small public school located in the remote town of Paducah.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from West Kentucky Community and Technical College carry an average student debt load of $8,857.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at West Kentucky Community and Technical College

Maysville Community and Technical College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Maysville Community and Technical College is a small public school located in the rural area of Maysville.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Maysville Community and Technical College accumulate an average of around $16,203 in student debt.

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Gateway Community and Technical College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region list. Gateway is a small public school located in the large suburb of Florence.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Gateway accumulate an average of around $10,088 in student debt.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Gateway Community and Technical College Report

#8

Infinity College

Lafayette, LA

With a ranking of #8, Infinity College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. Located in the midsize city of Lafayette, Infinity College is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

On average, practical nursing graduates from Infinity College take out $24,245 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Infinity College Report

#9

Madisonville Community College

Madisonville, KY

Madisonville Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the rural area of Madisonville, Madisonville Community College is a public college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Madisonville Community College take out is $7,292.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Madisonville Community College Report

With a ranking of #10, Ashland Community and Technical College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. ACTC is a small public school located in the small city of Ashland.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from ACTC carry an average student debt load of $9,750.

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Arkansas State University - Newport landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the rural area of Newport, ASUN is a public school with a small student population.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at ASUN accumulate an average of around $12,000 in student debt.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Arkansas State University - Newport Report

#12

Central Georgia Technical College

Warner Robins, GA

Central Georgia Technical College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. CGTC is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Warner Robins.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from CGTC carry an average student debt load of $15,788.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Central Georgia Technical College

Arkansas State University Three Rivers came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. ASU Three Rivers is a small public school located in the town of Malvern.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Arkansas State University Three Rivers Report

Coastal Pines Technical College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the town of Waycross, Coastal Pines Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Coastal Pines Technical College accumulate an average of around $6,326 in student debt.

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Southern Regional Technical College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Southwest Georgia Technical College is a small public school located in the town of Thomasville.

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

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Big Sandy Community and Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in the town of Prestonsburg, Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Big Sandy Community and Technical College

Louisiana Delta Community College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the rural area of Monroe, LDCC is a public college with a small student population.

While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at LDCC accumulate an average of around $16,541 in student debt.

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Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the city of Bowling Green, SKYCTC is a public college with a small student population.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from SKYCTC carry an average student debt load of $18,875.

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With a ranking of #19, Wallace State Community College, Hanceville did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. Located in the distant town of Hanceville, Wallace State, Hanceville is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

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With a ranking of #20, Northwest Mississippi Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. NWCC is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Senatobia.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from NWCC carry an average student debt load of $9,500.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Northwest Mississippi Community College

South Florida Institute of Technology landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. South Florida Institute of Technology is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Miami.

After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from South Florida Institute of Technology carry an average student debt load of $9,247.

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Northshore Technical Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the rural area of Bogalusa, Northshore Technical College-Sullivan Main Campus is a public school with a small student population.

On average, practical nursing graduates from Northshore Technical College-Sullivan Main Campus take out $18,640 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Northshore Technical Community College Report

#23

Somerset Community College

Somerset, KY

Somerset Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the town of Somerset, SCC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

On average, practical nursing graduates from SCC take out $9,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Somerset Community College

#24

Ozarka College

Melbourne, AR

Ozarka College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. It came in at #24 on the list. Located in the remote area of Melbourne, Ozarka College is a public school with a small student population.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Ozarka College

Orange Technical College - Orlando Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. OTC Orlando is a fairly small public school located in the large city of Orlando.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at OTC Orlando take out is $10,790.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Orange Technical College - Orlando Campus

#27

Hopkinsville Community College

Hopkinsville, KY
#36

Lanier Technical College

Oakwood, GA
#41

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL
#42

Black River Technical College

Pocahontas, AR
#50

Palm Beach State College

Lake Worth, FL

Additional Award Winners

This section represents the remainder of the schools awarded a Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 377 different Southeast practical nursing and nursing assistants schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
50 Jones County Junior College Ellisville, MS
52 Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin, GA
53 Savannah Technical College Savannah, GA
53 Suncoast Technical College Sarasota, FL
55 Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College Minden, LA
56 Wallace Community College, Dothan Dothan, AL

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also popular but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Most Popular Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Southeast Region award.

Rank College Location
57 Sheridan Technical College Hollywood, FL
57 Hinds Community College Raymond, MS
59 Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro, GA
59 Arkansas State University - Mountain Home Mountain Home, AR
59 Arkansas Tech University Russellville, AR
62 York Technical College Rock Hill, SC
62 Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown, KY
64 University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Hope, AR
65 Medical Institute of Palm Beach Greenacres, FL
66 Pearl River Community College Poplarville, MS
66 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston, MS
68 Holmes Community College Goodman, MS
68 South College Knoxville, TN
70 South Louisiana Community College Lafayette, LA
70 Rappahannock Community College Glenns, VA
72 Delgado Community College New Orleans, LA
72 Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Cumberland, KY
72 University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville Batesville, AR
75 Lorenzo Walker Technical College Naples, FL
75 Cambridge Institute of Allied Health & Technology Altamonte Springs, FL

Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges by State

Explore the best practical nursing and nursing assistants colleges for a specific state in the Southeast region.

State Degrees Awarded
Alabama 15
Kentucky 47
Tennessee 14
Louisiana 21
Mississippi 0
Florida 0
Arkansas 31

Practical Nursing Focus Areas

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

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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