2023 Best Value Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
With all the nursing programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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 or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Nursing Degree Search has created its Best Value Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 248 schools in the Southeast Region to see which bachelor's degree 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.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found American Public University System to be the best value school for nursing students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the Southeast Region . American Military University is a private for-profit institution located in Charles Town, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 126 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
American Military University undergraduate students pay an average of $7,360 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,030 in student loans.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out American Military University. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
American Military University also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Western Carolina University is a great place for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. This fairly large public school is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and it awarded 167 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
WCU undergraduate students pay an average of $8,367 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,228 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that WCU does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, WCU also did well on our Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Out of the 248 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Mississippi University for Women landed the # 3 spot on the list. MUW is located in Columbus, Mississippi and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 441 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MUW are $7,756 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,097 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at MUW. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 83% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 248 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Nicholls State University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Nicholls State University is a public institution located in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 148 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Nicholls State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,039 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,984 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Nicholls State University. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 55% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Chipola College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value nursing schools in the Southeast Region . Located in Marianna, Florida, the small public school handed out 25 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Chipola are $8,950 per year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $7,236 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Chipola. During the 2019-2020 year, about 64% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #6, Henderson State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Henderson State University is a small public school located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas that handed out 58 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Henderson State University are $9,768 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,312 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Henderson State University. In 2019-2020 about 90% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Henderson State University also did well on our Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Delta State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Delta State University is a small public school located in Cleveland, Mississippi that handed out 45 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Delta State University are $8,360 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,494 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Delta State University does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 70% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #8, University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. UNC Pembroke is located in Pembroke, North Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 94 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
UNC Pembroke undergraduate students pay an average of $7,495 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $26,823 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at UNC Pembroke, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 89% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Miami Dade College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Miami Dade College is a large public school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 229 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
MDC undergraduate students pay an average of $9,661 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,535 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at MDC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Tifton, Georgia, the small public school handed out 33 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ABAC Tifton are $10,471 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,087 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since ABAC Tifton does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Georgia Highlands College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. GHC is located in Rome, Georgia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at GHC are $9,696 per year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,762 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since GHC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 86% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Bradenton, Florida, the medium-sized public school awarded 164 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota undergraduate students pay an average of $11,595 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $24,156 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota. During the 2019-2020 year, about 90% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
West Virginia University at Parkersburg did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #13 on the list. West Virginia University at Parkersburg is a small public school located in Parkersburg, West Virginia that handed out 28 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at West Virginia University at Parkersburg are $8,642 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $18,636 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 43% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Indian River State College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, the fairly large public school handed out 132 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Indian River State College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,201 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,910 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Indian River State College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Santa Fe College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, the fairly large public school handed out 89 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Santa Fe College are $9,189 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,221 in student loans.
Santa Fe College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 73% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Middle Georgia State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Middle Georgia State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macon, Georgia. It awarded 180 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Middle Georgia State University undergraduate students pay an average of $11,389 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $29,345 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Middle Georgia State University. During the 2019-2020 year, about 70% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Broward College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #16 on the list. BC is a public institution located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 106 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BC are $8,952 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,551 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at BC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 87% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
South Georgia State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in Douglas, Georgia, the small public school handed out 35 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at South Georgia State College are $9,662 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,821 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at South Georgia State College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 76% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Rasmussen University - Florida ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. This medium-sized private for-profit school is located in Ocala, Florida, and it awarded 354 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Florida undergraduate students pay an average of $13,635 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $37,026 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Rasmussen University - Florida. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Rasmussen University - Florida also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Florida Gateway College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in Lake City, Florida, the small public school handed out 36 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
FGC undergraduate students pay an average of $11,747 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $12,693 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that FGC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 73% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Saint Johns River State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. St. Johns River Community College is a public institution located in Palatka, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 59 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at St. Johns River Community College are $10,347 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,257 in student loans.
Online courses are available at St. Johns River Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 79% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #21, Valencia College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Valencia College is a large public school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 110 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Valencia College are $9,383 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,285 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Valencia College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Alcorn State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. Located in Alcorn State, Mississippi, the small public school handed out 29 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Alcorn State are $8,176 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $32,331 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Alcorn State does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 70% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
University of Memphis landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the large public school awarded 304 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UofM are $14,088 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,159 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that UofM does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 53% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, UofM also did well on our Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Polk State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Polk State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winter Haven, Florida. It awarded 91 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Polk State are $12,271 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $21,461 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Polk State does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 90% took at least some of their classes online.
Rest of the Best Value Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our best nursing schools ranking:
Rank | School | Location |
---|---|---|
39 | University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, MS |
40 | Winston - Salem State University | Winston-Salem, NC |
41 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA |
42 | McNeese State University | Lake Charles, LA |
43 | Palm Beach State College | Lake Worth, FL |
44 | Louisiana State University - Alexandria | Alexandria, LA |
45 | Tallahassee Community College | Tallahassee, FL |
46 | Arkansas State University - Main Campus | Jonesboro, AR |
47 | Florida SouthWestern State College | Fort Myers, FL |
48 | Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville, NC |
48 | Shepherd University | Shepherdstown, WV |
50 | Northwest Florida State College | Niceville, FL |
More Southeast Rankings
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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