2023 Best Value Colleges for Nursing
1,728
Ranked Colleges
322,592
Degrees Awarded
$13,300
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Nursing Schools” ranking - to help you make that decision.
With 322,592 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, nursing is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,916 and had an average of $25,426 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools” ranking analyzed 1,728 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great nursing programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the nursing program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Nursing Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Nursing Schools” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Nursing Schools
The colleges and universities below are the best for nursing students.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Nursing
Out of the 1,728 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Governors University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 13,940 degrees to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
WGU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It costs about $9,969 for nursing students per year to attend WGU.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at WGU
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools list. Mayo Clinic School of Medicine is located in Rochester, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Mayo Clinic School of Medicine also took the #3 spot in our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Mayo Clinic School of Medicine Nursing Report
Out of the 1,728 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Capella University landed the #3 spot on the list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s nursing degrees to 4,027 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Capella University is in the top on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $16,545 for nursing students per year to attend Capella University.
Full Capella University Nursing Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend United States University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Nursing Schools. USU is a small school located in San Diego, California that handed out 451 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, USU also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $16,260 for Nursing students per year to attend United States University.
Read more about Nursing at United States University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Nursing Schools. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 1,327 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, UOPX - Arizona is in the top on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona is $13,038 for Nursing students.
Full UOPX - Arizona Nursing Report
Grand Canyon University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Grand Canyon University is a large private for-profit school situated in Phoenix, Arizona. It awarded 6,909 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Grand Canyon University is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Grand Canyon University is $20,585 for Nursing students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at Grand Canyon University
Walden University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Walden University is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5,207 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Walden University is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at Walden University
South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools ranking, coming in at #8. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 342 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, South Dakota State is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $18,578 for nursing students per year to attend South Dakota State University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full South Dakota State University Nursing Report
Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 151 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, BYU also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,474 for Nursing students.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at BYU
Southern Regional Technical College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Southwest Georgia Technical College is a small public school situated in Thomasville, Georgia. It awarded 105 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Southern Regional Technical College is $-1,172 for Nursing students. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.
Read more about Nursing at Southern Regional Technical College
Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. L.A. County School of Nursing is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 75 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, L.A. County School of Nursing also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at L.A. County School of Nursing
El Centro College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools ranking, coming in at #12. El Centro College is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 203 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
El Centro College excels when it comes to nursing quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for El Centro College is $4,739 for nursing students.
Full El Centro College Nursing Report
Rasmussen University - Illinois did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools ranking, coming in at #13. Rasmussen University - Illinois is located in Rockford, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 450 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Rasmussen University - Illinois also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $18,908 for nursing students per year to attend Rasmussen University - Illinois.
Full Rasmussen University - Illinois Nursing Report
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is a medium-sized school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 1,131 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
TTUHSC also made our “Best Nursing Schools” list, coming in at #11.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Nursing at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Mount Marty University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Mount Marty University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Yankton, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 76 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Mount Marty also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It costs about $19,593 for Nursing students per year to attend Mount Marty University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Mount Marty Nursing Report
Wilmington University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Located in New Castle, Delaware, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 571 diplomas to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Wilmington University also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Wilmington University is $15,186 for nursing students.
Full Wilmington University Nursing Report
With a ranking of #17, Lone Star College System did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools list. Lone Star College System is a large school located in The Woodlands, Texas that handed out 697 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
North Harris Montgomery excels when it comes to nursing quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for North Harris Montgomery is $8,711 for Nursing students.
Read full report on Nursing at North Harris Montgomery
Delaware Technical Community College - Terry ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Delaware Technical Community College - Terry is located in Dover, Delaware and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 420 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Delaware Tech is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $8,479 for Nursing students per year to attend Delaware Tech.
Full Delaware Technical Community College - Terry Nursing Report
With a ranking of #19, Gateway Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools list. Gateway Technical College is a medium-sized school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 114 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Gateway Technical College is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It costs about $8,487 for Nursing students per year to attend Gateway Technical College.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Nursing at Gateway Technical College
Valencia College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. Valencia College is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida. It awarded 388 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Valencia College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It costs about $5,354 for nursing students per year to attend Valencia College.
Read full report on Nursing at Valencia College
Rasmussen University - Florida came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Ocala, Florida, and it awarded 1,443 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Rasmussen University - Florida is in the top on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Rasmussen University - Florida is $19,249 for nursing students.
Read full report on Nursing at Rasmussen University - Florida
Tarrant County College District came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools ranking. This large school is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and it awarded 293 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Tarrant County College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,147 for Nursing students per year to attend Tarrant County College.
Read more about Nursing at Tarrant County College District
Clarkson College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. Clarkson College is a small school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 216 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Clarkson College also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Clarkson College is $18,147 for nursing students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at Clarkson College
Maryville University of Saint Louis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nursing Schools ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 1,452 degrees to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Maryville U is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Maryville University of Saint Louis is $27,290 for nursing students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Maryville U Nursing Report
Purdue University Global ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools list. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 1,207 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue University Global also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools” list.
Read full report on Nursing at Purdue University Global