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2026 Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in the Southwest Region

[Clinical Nurse Leader](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/clinical-nurse-leader/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical nurse leader students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in the Southwest Region

2026 Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in the Southwest Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in clinical nurse leader, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Clinical Nurse Leader Schools

1

University Of The Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX

$37,090 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,574 Avg Student Debt

$56,733 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is University Of The Incarnate Word, our #1 best value for clinical nurse leader in the Southwest Region. University Of The Incarnate Word is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Antonio. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,090. Typical student debt for clinical nurse leader graduates is $27,574. Early-career clinical nurse leader graduates make about $51,876. That is a strong return on a $27,574 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Mary Hardin Baylor
Belton, TX

$34,300 In-State Tuition & Fees

$28,656 Avg Student Debt

$56,132 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Mary Hardin Baylor came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical nurse leader schools. Set in the suburb of Belton, University Of Mary Hardin Baylor is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $34,300. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates carry a median of $28,656 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical nurse leader degree recipients from University Of Mary Hardin Baylor generally make around $54,062. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.

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Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.