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Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

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2023 Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

21 Schools Ranked
$43,992 Avg Student Debt

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right 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. 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 Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 21 schools in the Plains States Region to see which online graduate certificate programs were the most popular for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from schools with online programs.

Learn more about these popular schools with online programs:

#1

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
429 Total Awards
$15,696 Average Tuition & Fees
$41,996 Avg Student Debt

Our 2023 rankings named Maryville University of Saint Louis the most popular school in the Plains States Region for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. Maryville U is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 429 graduate certificates to qualified students.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $41,996 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.

Around 89% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Maryville University of Saint Louis

20 Total Awards
$11,905 Average Tuition & Fees
$46,047 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you attend Graceland University - Lamoni. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Graceland Lamoni is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lamoni, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $46,047 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 95% were women.

To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 89% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
1,251 Total Awards
$12,564 Average Tuition & Fees
$86,053 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, the large public school awarded 1,251 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.

By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $86,053 in student loans. Around 58% of those degree recipients were women.

Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 37% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#4

Capella University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
633 Total Awards
$49,705 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you attend Capella University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Capella University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 633 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $49,705 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 88% of those degree recipients were women.

Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Capella University. Every graduate student at the school took at least one class online.

Read More…

#5

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
114 Total Awards
$12,370 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you attend University of Missouri - Kansas City. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out graduate certificates to 114 students in 2021-2022.

Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.

Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 43% took at least some of their classes online.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Report

#7

Morningside College

Sioux City, Iowa
1 Total Awards

Morningside College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs. Morningside College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Sioux City, Iowa that handed out 1 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Of those students who received their degree, 100% were women.

Morningside is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.

Read full report on Morningside College

#7

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, Iowa
5 Total Awards
$9,554 Average Tuition & Fees

Briar Cliff University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, the very small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.

Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.

Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 64% took at least some of their classes online.

Read full report on Briar Cliff University

#9

Clarkson College

Omaha, Nebraska
15 Total Awards
$26,544 Avg Student Debt

Clarkson College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #9 on the list. Clarkson College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 15 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $26,544 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 93% were women.

Around 97% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#10

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
55 Total Awards
$9,094 Average Tuition & Fees
$31,617 Avg Student Debt

Winona State University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs. Winona State is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 55 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $31,617 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 78% were women.

To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 87% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Winona State University

#11

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
57 Total Awards
$13,677 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #11, University of North Dakota did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. University of North Dakota is a fairly large public school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 57 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Of those students who received their degree, 74% were women.

In 2020-2021 about 73% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on University of North Dakota

50 Total Awards
$11,290 Average Tuition & Fees

Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 50 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.

Around 76% of those degree recipients were women.

In 2020-2021 about 86% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on Minnesota State University - Moorhead

2 Total Awards
$12,533 Average Tuition & Fees

Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health ranked #11 on this year’s Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Nebraska Methodist College is located in Omaha, Nebraska and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 graduate certificates to qualified students.

Around 100% of those degree recipients were women.

If you are interested in distance education, Nebraska Methodist College is an excellent choice, since graduate classes are offered online.

Read full report on Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health

#11

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
366 Total Awards
$11,046 Average Tuition & Fees
$24,997 Avg Student Debt

University of Kansas landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs. University of Kansas is a large public school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 366 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

On average, graduate certificate students take out $24,997 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 59% were women.

In 2020-2021 about 42% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full University of Kansas Report

275 Total Awards
$9,648 Average Tuition & Fees

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 275 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Of those students who received their degree, 76% were women.

Around 51% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Minnesota State University - Mankato

#15

Baker University

Baldwin City, Kansas
1 Total Awards
$12,246 Average Tuition & Fees

Baker University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs. Located in Baldwin City, Kansas, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.

Around 100% of those degree recipients were women.

Around 97% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Baker University

#15

Allen College

Waterloo, Iowa
6 Total Awards
$19,200 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #15, Allen College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. Allen College is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Waterloo, Iowa. It awarded 6 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Around 100% of those degree recipients were women.

In 2020-2021 about 78% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read More…

#15

Cox College

Springfield, Missouri
3 Total Awards
$14,383 Average Tuition & Fees

Cox College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Cox College is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 3 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Of those students who received their degree, 67% were women.

Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Cox College Report

#15

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, Missouri
13 Total Awards
$17,620 Average Tuition & Fees

Rockhurst University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 graduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.

Around 54% of those degree recipients were women.

Around 74% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#15

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
35 Total Awards
$10,570 Average Tuition & Fees

Metropolitan State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Metropolitan State University is a medium-sized public school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 35 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Around 43% of those degree recipients were women.

To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 60% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#15

University of Missouri - Columbia

Columbia, Missouri
526 Total Awards
$11,794 Average Tuition & Fees
$24,716 Avg Student Debt

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 526 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.

Graduate Certificate recipients from Mizzou accumulate an average of $24,716 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.

Around 53% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read More…

View Most Popular Online Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 21 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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