2026 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in Missouri
[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.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value nursing practice schools.
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2026 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in Missouri
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 Missouri St Louis this year. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $15,120 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $100,122. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri Kansas City came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing practice schools. University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public school located in the city of Kansas City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,371, with out-of-state students paying around $32,271. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $107,719. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Missouri State University Springfield came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing practice schools. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Students borrow a median of $26,631 to complete the nursing practice program here. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $132,297. Set against $26,631 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in nursing practice will find it at University Of Missouri Columbia, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $23,250. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $92,946 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in nursing practice will find it at Columbia College Missouri, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Columbia, Columbia College Missouri is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,276. Students borrow a median of $32,750 to complete the nursing practice program here. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Columbia College Missouri generally make around $68,520. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Maryville University Of Saint Louis placed #6 among the best values for nursing practice. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,166. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $29,881 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Maryville University Of Saint Louis generally make around $103,656. Set against $29,881 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Saint Louis University Main Campus earned the #7 position for value in nursing practice this year. Set in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $55,760 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $25,000. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $84,374. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% 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 · 8 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.
