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.
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2023 Best Value Nursing Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Best Value Nursing Colleges.
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 small private not-for-profit school located in the 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.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend La Salle University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools list. La Salle is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large 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.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New Mexico Junior College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the town of Hobbs, New Mexico Junior College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at New Mexico Junior College are $2,280 a year. On average, nursing graduates from New Mexico Junior College take out $17,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Aspen University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the large city of Denver, Aspen University is a private for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Aspen University are $5,170 per year. Nursing majors at Aspen University take out an average of $35,922 in student loans while working on their egree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Aspen University also is in the top 1% of our Best Nursing Schools ranking.
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.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Coahoma Community College are $3,003 per year. On average, nursing graduates from Coahoma Community College take out $20,875 in student loans while working on their degree.
Graham Hospital School of Nursing ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the distant town of Canton, Graham Hospital 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 Graham Hospital School of Nursing are $7,206 a year.
Oglala Lakota College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the remote area of Kyle, Oglala Lakota College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Oglala Lakota College are $2,684 a year.
Clovis Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Located in the remote town of Clovis, Clovis Community College is a public school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clovis Community College are $2,984 per year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Clovis Community College carry an average student debtload of $11,473.
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 college 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health
Southeast Community College Area landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Southeast Community College is a medium-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.
Read full report on Nursing at Southeast Community College Area
Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing
Seattle Central College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value nursing programs. Located in the large city of Seattle, Seattle Central is a public school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Seattle Central are $4,670 per year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Seattle Central take out is $21,512.
With a ranking of #13, Highline College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. Highline is a small public school located in the suburb of Des Moines.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Highline are $4,813 a year. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Highline carry an average student debtload of $15,000.
Highline excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Nursing Schools list.
Central Arizona College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #14 on the list. 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.
Pinal County Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Panola College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Panola College is a small public school located in the town of Carthage.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Panola College are $4,680 per year.
Amarillo College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the city of Amarillo, Amarillo College is a public school with a moderately-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.
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.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ASUN are $4,320 per year. While working on their degree, nursing majors at ASUN accumulate an average of around $17,302 in student debt.
College of the Mainland ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the midsize suburb of Texas City, COM is a public college 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.
Neosho County Community College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the remote town of Chanute, Neosho County Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Neosho County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,000 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Neosho County Community College take out is $17,450.
Cloud County Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. 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. After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Cloud County Community College carry an average student debtload of $23,397.
Read full report on Nursing at Cloud County Community College
SOWELA Technical Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in the city of Lake Charles, SOWELA is a public college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SOWELA are $4,265 per year.
With a ranking of #22, South Plains College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students. South Plains College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Levelland.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at South Plains College are $4,276 a year. The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at South Plains College take out is $12,750.
Wayne County Community College District did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for nursing students. It came in at #23 on the list. Located in the 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Wayne County Community College District
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.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, USU also is in the top 10% of our Best Nursing Schools ranking.
Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. West Penn Hospital School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing
Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Nursing Schools
Remaining Award Winners
This section shows the rest of the colleges awarded a Best Value Nursing Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college 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 |
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| 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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