2026 Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in the Far Western Region
[Clinical Nurse Leader](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/clinical-nurse-leader/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical nurse leader students.
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2026 Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in clinical nurse leader, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools
Our analysis ranked California State University Stanislaus the best value for a degree in clinical nurse leader in the Far Western Region. Set in the suburb of Turlock, California State University Stanislaus is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,242, compared with $20,842 for out-of-state students. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates carry a median of $23,450 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical nurse leader degree recipients from California State University Stanislaus generally make around $46,807. Set against $23,450 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
University Of Nevada Reno is a great value for students pursuing a degree in clinical nurse leader, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Nevada Reno is a very large public school located in the city of Reno. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,578, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for clinical nurse leader graduates is $20,813. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of University Of Nevada Reno earn a median of $50,691 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,813 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Pacific Lutheran University earned it the #3 place for clinical nurse leader. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $50,916. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median of $91,961 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwest Christian University earned it the #4 place for clinical nurse leader. Located in the city of Eugene, Northwest Christian University is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $35,800 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for clinical nurse leader graduates is $28,704. Early-career clinical nurse leader graduates make about $102,985. Set against $28,704 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 67%.
Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical nurse leader schools. Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $23,000. Students borrow a median of $27,250 to complete the clinical nurse leader program here. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science earn a median of $132,827 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 39%.
University Of San Diego earned the #6 position for value in clinical nurse leader this year. University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. In-state tuition and fees average $59,486. Students borrow a median of $23,795 to complete the clinical nurse leader program here. Soon after graduation, clinical nurse leader degree recipients from University Of San Diego generally make around $124,795. That is a strong return on a $23,795 median debt. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Seattle University earned the #7 position for value in clinical nurse leader this year. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $56,721 in tuition and fees. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of Seattle University earn a median of $63,214 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
