2023 Best Value Nursing Schools
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Nursing School for You
Nursing is the most popular major in the United States with 322,592 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.
There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 1,850 schools in the United States to see which programs offered the best value experiences for nursing students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Nursing
Our analysis found Sentara College of Health Sciences to be the best value school for nursing students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. Sentara College of Health Sciences is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Chesapeake.
Sentara College of Health Sciences undergraduate students pay an average of $2,637 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from Sentara College of Health Sciences take out $27,686 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $155.
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The excellent programs at La Salle University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in the United States. La Salle is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia.
La Salle undergraduate students pay an average of $33,150 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at La Salle accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $478.
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Out of the 1,850 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico Junior College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the remote town of Hobbs, New Mexico Junior College is a public school with a small student population.
New Mexico Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $2,280 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from New Mexico Junior College take out $17,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Aspen University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the city of Denver, Aspen University is a private for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.
Aspen University undergraduate students pay an average of $5,170 in tuition and fees each year. Nursing majors at Aspen University take out an average of $35,922 in student loans while working on their egree.
In addition to its great value ranking, Aspen University is in the top 1% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools list.
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The excellent programs at Coahoma Community College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in the United States. Coahoma Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Clarksdale.
Coahoma Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,003 in tuition and fees each year. On average, nursing graduates from Coahoma Community College take out $20,875 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Graham Hospital School of Nursing came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Located in the distant town of Canton, Graham Hospital School of Nursing is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Graham Hospital School of Nursing are $7,206 a year.
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Oglala Lakota College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Located in the rural area of Kyle, Oglala Lakota College is a public college with a small student population.
Oglala Lakota College undergraduate students pay an average of $2,684 in tuition and fees each year.
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Clovis Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the remote town of Clovis, Clovis Community College is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Clovis Community College are $2,984 a year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Clovis Community College carry an average student debtload of $11,473.
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Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the city of Los Angeles, L.A. County School of Nursing is a public school with a fairly small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at L.A. County School of Nursing accumulate an average of around $19,688 in student debt.
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Southeast Community College Area came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. 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. While working on their degree, nursing majors at Southeast Community College accumulate an average of around $28,750 in student debt.
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Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Located in the distant town of Sandusky, Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing are $6,992 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing take out is $30,000.
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Seattle Central College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle Central is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Seattle Central are $4,670 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Seattle Central take out is $21,512.
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Highline College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Highline is a small public school located in the suburb of Des Moines.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highline are $4,813 per year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Highline carry an average student debtload of $15,000.
In addition to its great value ranking, Highline is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools list.
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Central Arizona College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Pinal County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Coolidge.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Pinal County Community College are $5,160 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Pinal County Community College take out is $15,679.
In addition to its great value ranking, Pinal County Community College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools list.
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Panola College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #15 on the list. Panola College is a small public school located in the distant town of Carthage.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Panola College are $4,680 a year.
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Amarillo College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the midsize city of Amarillo, Amarillo College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Amarillo College are $4,704 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Amarillo College take out is $21,240.
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Arkansas State University - Newport did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #17 on the list. ASUN is a small public school located in the rural area of Newport.
ASUN undergraduate students pay an average of $4,320 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at ASUN accumulate an average of around $17,302 in student debt.
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With a ranking of #18, College of the Mainland did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Texas City, COM is a public school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at COM are $3,873 per year. On average, nursing graduates from COM take out $20,290 in student loans while working on their degree.
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With a ranking of #19, Neosho County Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. Located in the town of Chanute, Neosho County Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,000 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Neosho County Community College take out is $17,450.
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Cloud County Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Cloud County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Concordia.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Cloud County Community College are $3,570 a year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Cloud County Community College carry an average student debtload of $23,397.
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SOWELA Technical Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in the city of Lake Charles, SOWELA is a public school with a small student population.
SOWELA undergraduate students pay an average of $4,265 in tuition and fees each year.
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South Plains College landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. South Plains College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Levelland.
South Plains College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,276 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at South Plains College take out is $12,750.
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Wayne County Community College District landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the large city of Detroit, WCCCD is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCCCD are $3,998 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at WCCCD take out is $18,389.
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United States University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the city of San Diego, USU is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at USU are $5,700 a year.
USU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools list.
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Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. West Penn Hospital School of Nursing is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Pittsburgh.
West Penn Hospital School of Nursing undergraduate students pay an average of $10,660 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at West Penn Hospital School of Nursing take out is $20,000.
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Remaining Award Winners
This section represents the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Value Nursing Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 1850 different United States nursing schools we analyzed.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great value schools for Nursing students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Nursing Schools award.
Nursing by Region
View the Best Value Nursing Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Nursing Rankings
Majors Related to Nursing
Nursing Focus Areas
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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