2026 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in Alabama

[Nursing Practice](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/nursing-practice/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for nursing practice students.
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2026 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing practice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Nursing Practice Schools
For return on investment in nursing practice, no school beat University Of North Alabama this year. Set in the city of Florence, University Of North Alabama is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,120 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,320 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of North Alabama earn a median of $41,357 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Troy University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing practice schools. Set in the town of Troy, Troy University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,176, while out-of-state students pay about $20,352. Students borrow a median of $27,153 to complete the nursing practice program here. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $75,680. That is a strong return on a $27,153 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Auburn University At Montgomery one of the best values for nursing practice. Located in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,700, compared with $20,668 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $26,375 in student loans. Nursing Practice graduates of Auburn University At Montgomery earn a median of $69,625 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Jacksonville State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing practice schools. Jacksonville State University is a large public school located in the suburb of Jacksonville. In-state tuition and fees average $12,894, while out-of-state students pay about $23,334. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Jacksonville State University generally make around $74,453. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Alabama earned it the #5 place for nursing practice. University Of South Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Mobile. In-state tuition and fees average $10,116, while out-of-state students pay about $19,092. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the nursing practice program here. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of South Alabama earn a median of $100,588 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham landed the #6 spot for nursing practice value this year. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,098 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,562 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $21,911 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from University Of Alabama At Birmingham generally make around $98,091. Set against $21,911 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Alabama At Huntsville landed the #7 spot for nursing practice value this year. University Of Alabama At Huntsville is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Huntsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,132, with out-of-state students paying around $26,408. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $28,500 in student loans. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $93,830. Set against $28,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Alabama At Huntsville admits about 69% of applicants.
The University Of Alabama ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing practice schools. The University Of Alabama is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $25,006 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $103,352. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Auburn University landed the #9 spot for nursing practice value this year. Auburn University is a very large public school located in the city of Auburn. In-state tuition and fees average $12,890, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $20,449 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Auburn University generally make around $83,847. That is a strong return on a $20,449 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Samford University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing practice schools. Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Birmingham. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,150. Students borrow a median of $25,750 to complete the nursing practice program here. Nursing Practice graduates of Samford University earn a median of $109,608 early in their careers. Set against $25,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
More Nursing Practice Rankings
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.