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Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington

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2023 Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices

12 Schools Ranked
$7,506 Avg Tuition & Fees*

With all the nursing programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best 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 or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.

The Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 12 schools in Washington to see which basic certificate 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.

Top Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Centralia College

Centralia, Washington
45 Total Awards
$5,239 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Centralia College the best value school in Washington for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Centralia College is a public institution located in Centralia, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 basic certificates in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Centralia College are $5,239 a year.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Centralia College. In fact, around 66% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Centralia College is ranked #1 for overall quality in Washington.

Read More…

#2

Olympic College

Bremerton, Washington
59 Total Awards
$9,638 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Olympic College is a great place for nursing students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Bremerton, Washington, the small public school awarded 59 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.

OC undergraduate students pay an average of $9,638 in tuition and fees each year.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since OC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 83% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, OC is ranked #3 for overall quality in Washington.

Read More…

#3

Bellingham Technical College

Bellingham, Washington
50 Total Awards
$5,227 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Bellingham Technical College is a great place for nursing students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 basic certificates in 2020-2021.

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute undergraduate students pay an average of $5,227 in tuition and fees each year.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 72% took at least some of their classes online.

Read full report on Bellingham Technical College

7 Total Awards
$10,146 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lake Washington Institute of Technology. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington list. This small public school is located in Kirkland, Washington, and it awarded 7 basic certificates in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LWTech are $10,146 per year.

Online courses are available at LWTech, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 75% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

LWTech not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington list.

Read full report on Lake Washington Institute of Technology

#5

Skagit Valley College

Mount Vernon, Washington
76 Total Awards
$7,507 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent basic certificate programs at Skagit Valley College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value nursing schools in Washington. Located in Mount Vernon, Washington, the small public school handed out 76 basic certificate awards in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Skagit Valley College are $7,507 a year.

Online courses are available at Skagit Valley 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 75% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on Skagit Valley College

#6

Whatcom Community College

Bellingham, Washington
58 Total Awards
$10,473 Average Tuition & Fees

Whatcom Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #6 on the list. Whatcom Community College is located in Bellingham, Washington and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 basic certificates to qualified students.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Whatcom Community College are $10,473 per year.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Whatcom Community College. In 2019-2020 about 99% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Whatcom Community College is ranked #2 for overall quality in Washington.

Full Whatcom Community College Report

#7

Big Bend Community College

Moses Lake, Washington
40 Total Awards
$5,098 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, Big Bend Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Located in Moses Lake, Washington, the small public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Big Bend Community College are $5,098 per year.

Big Bend Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Big Bend Community College Report

#8

Lower Columbia College

Longview, Washington
9 Total Awards
$5,403 Average Tuition & Fees

Lower Columbia College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington list. Located in Longview, Washington, the small public school handed out 9 basic certificate awards in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LCC are $5,403 per year.

One thing to take note of is that LCC does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 95% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#9

Tacoma Community College

Tacoma, Washington
12 Total Awards
$10,391 Average Tuition & Fees

Tacoma Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington ranking. Tacoma Community College is located in Tacoma, Washington and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 basic certificates to qualified students.

Tacoma Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,391 in tuition and fees each year.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Tacoma Community College. In fact, around 85% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Tacoma Community College also made our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington list, coming in at #5.

Full Tacoma Community College Report

#10

Grays Harbor College

Aberdeen, Washington
5 Total Awards
$10,040 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #10, Grays Harbor College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Grays Harbor College is a small public school located in Aberdeen, Washington that handed out 5 basic certificates in 2020-2021.

GHC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,040 in tuition and fees each year.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at GHC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 82% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Grays Harbor College Report

#11

Renton Technical College

Renton, Washington
22 Total Awards
$6,131 Average Tuition & Fees

Renton Technical College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington list. Located in Renton, Washington, the small public school awarded 22 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Renton Technical College are $6,131 per year.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Renton Technical College. In 2019-2020 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Renton Technical College Report

#12

Peninsula College

Port Angeles, Washington
3 Total Awards
$4,779 Average Tuition & Fees

Peninsula College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Washington list. Peninsula College is a small public school situated in Port Angeles, Washington. It awarded 3 basic certificates in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Peninsula College are $4,779 per year.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Peninsula College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 72% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Peninsula College Report

Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in the Far Western US Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 12 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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