2023 Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
It's not easy to decide which nursing program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 236 schools in the United States to see which graduate 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. 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.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found La Salle University to be the best value school for nursing students who want to pursue a graduate certificate in the United States. La Salle is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 graduate certificates to qualified students.
La Salle graduate students pay an average of $1,455 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since La Salle does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 83% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Morningside College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Morningside is located in Sioux City, Iowa and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 graduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Morningside are $6,516 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, Morningside is an excellent choice, since graduate classes are offered online.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mount Marty University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Yankton, South Dakota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Mount Marty graduate students pay an average of $9,650 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Mount Marty does offer online graduate classes in some areas. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 91% took at least some of their classes online.
In addition to its great value ranking, Mount Marty is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Youngstown State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. This fairly large public school is located in Youngstown, Ohio, and it awarded 2 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Youngstown State University are $6,931 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Youngstown State University. During the 2019-2020 year, about 60% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, the fairly large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at SIUE are $9,316 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at SIUE. In fact, around 86% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Delta State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Cleveland, Mississippi, the small public school handed out 1 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Delta State University are $8,360 per year.
Online graduate courses are available at Delta State University, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
Grand Canyon University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 76 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Grand Canyon University are $11,538 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Grand Canyon University. In fact, around 96% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Grand Canyon University also did well on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #8, Concordia University, Wisconsin did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. Concordia University, Wisconsin is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Mequon, Wisconsin that handed out 69 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Concordia University, Wisconsin are $11,760 per year.
Online graduate courses are available at Concordia University, Wisconsin, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 67% took at least some of their classes online.
Concordia University, Wisconsin also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
Herzing University - Madison came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools ranking. Herzing University - Madison is a private not-for-profit institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 62 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Herzing University - Madison graduate students pay an average of $11,680 in tuition and fees each year.
Since the graduate programs at Herzing University - Madison are primarily online, it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Herzing University - Madison also is in the top 15% of our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools ranking.
Wheeling University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools ranking. This very small private not-for-profit school is located in Wheeling, West Virginia, and it awarded 2 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Wheeling University graduate students pay an average of $10,160 in tuition and fees each year.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Wheeling University. Every graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
With a ranking of #11, Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. This medium-sized public school is located in Moorhead, Minnesota, and it awarded 1 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
MSU Moorhead graduate students pay an average of $11,052 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MSU Moorhead does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 84% took at least some of their classes online.
Liberty University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 92 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Liberty University are $8,360 per year.
Liberty University does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 97% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Winona State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #13 on the list. Winona State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 12 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Winona State are $12,836 a year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Winona State. In 2019-2020 about 66% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Winona State also is in the top 5% of our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools ranking.
Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #14 on the list. Graceland Lamoni is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lamoni, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Graceland Lamoni are $11,187 per year.
Graceland Lamoni is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. PLNU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 3 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
PLNU graduate students pay an average of $11,880 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at PLNU. In 2019-2020 about 56% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, PLNU also did well on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
University of St Francis ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. University of St Francis is a small private not-for-profit school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 27 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
University of Saint Francis graduate students pay an average of $13,839 in tuition and fees each year.
University of Saint Francis does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 89% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
University of Saint Francis also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Briar Cliff University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools ranking. Sioux City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 8 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Briar Cliff are $10,530 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Briar Cliff does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 64% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Illinois State University landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate nursing programs. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Illinois State graduate students pay an average of $11,773 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Illinois State. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 81% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Rivier University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate nursing programs. Rivier is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashua, New Hampshire. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Rivier are $12,195 a year.
Rivier does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 75% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 1 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at MSMU are $13,099 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at MSMU. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, MSMU is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list.
Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in Teaneck, New Jersey, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 7 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at FDU are $10,722 per year.
FDU is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Maryville University of Saint Louis ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Maryville U is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 352 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Maryville U graduate students pay an average of $15,696 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Maryville U does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 91% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Maryville U also did well on our Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Purdue University Global did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #22 on the list. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out graduate certificates to 115 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Purdue University Global are $10,582 a year. On average, graduate certificate students take out $33,486 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Purdue University Global. Every graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Gardner - Webb University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools list. Located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Gardner - Webb graduate students pay an average of $10,130 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Gardner - Webb does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 59% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Walden University landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate nursing programs. Walden University is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Walden University are $10,092 per year.
Walden University is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Rest of the Best Value Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the United States
Not only did these schools make the list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Narrow Schools by Region
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our best nursing schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Purdue University Northwest | Hammond, IN |
| 38 | California State University - Dominguez Hills | Carson, CA |
| 39 | Anderson University South Carolina | Anderson, SC |
| 40 | Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, IL |
| 41 | California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach, CA |
| 42 | Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA |
| 43 | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, ND |
| 44 | Angelo State University | San Angelo, TX |
| 45 | Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global | Marion, IN |
| 46 | Gannon University | Erie, PA |
| 47 | Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond, KY |
| 47 | University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL |
| 47 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | Steubenville, OH |
More Nationwide 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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