2026 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in Washington
[Nursing Practice](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/nursing-practice/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong nursing practice education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for nursing practice students.
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2026 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing practice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Nursing Practice Schools
Leading the list is University Of Washington Seattle Campus, our #1 best value for nursing practice in Washington. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $18,750. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $65,681 early in their careers. Set against $18,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 39%.
A rank of #2 makes Pacific Lutheran University one of the best values for nursing practice. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $50,916. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Pacific Lutheran University generally make around $91,961. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in nursing practice will find it at Seattle Pacific University, which ranked #3. Seattle Pacific University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. In-state tuition and fees average $40,407. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the nursing practice program here. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $81,671. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Seattle University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nursing practice, landing the #4 spot 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. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Seattle University generally make around $100,549. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Gonzaga University earned it the #5 place for nursing practice. Gonzaga University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $55,480. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the nursing practice program here. Nursing Practice graduates of Gonzaga University earn a median of $114,954 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
