2027 Best Value Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools
[Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/perioperative-operating-room-and-surgical-nurse-nursing/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing schools.
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Finding the Best Value Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing School for You
The perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
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Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
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2027 Best Value Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools
For return on investment in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing, no school beat El Centro College this year. El Centro College is a very large public school located in the city of Dallas. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,730, while out-of-state students pay about $6,900. Typical student debt for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates is $17,187. Soon after graduation, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree recipients from El Centro College generally make around $41,295. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Oakton Community College earned it the #2 place for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing. Oakton Community College is a large public school located in the city of Des Plaines. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,985, compared with $12,462 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,000 to complete the perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program here. Early-career perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates make about $69,434. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Sinclair Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Dayton, Sinclair Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,675, with out-of-state students paying around $8,556. Typical student debt for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates is $21,667. Early-career perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates make about $35,348. Set against $21,667 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Delaware County Community College one of the best values for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing. Set in the suburb of Media, Delaware County Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,930, while out-of-state students pay about $15,540. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program here. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of Delaware County Community College earn a median of $72,491 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Quinsigamond Community College one of the best values for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing. Quinsigamond Community College is a large public school located in the city of Worcester. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,262, while out-of-state students pay about $11,206. Typical student debt for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates is $26,789. Soon after graduation, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree recipients from Quinsigamond Community College generally make around $46,631. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Barranquitas earned the #6 position for value in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing this year. Set in the suburb of Barranquitas, Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Barranquitas is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,742. Typical student debt for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates is $5,850. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Barranquitas earn a median of $12,170 early in their careers. Set against $5,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Aguadilla earned the #7 position for value in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing this year. Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Aguadilla is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Aguadilla. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,742. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $8,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree recipients from Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Aguadilla generally make around $12,797. That is a strong return on a $8,500 median debt. Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Aguadilla admits about 42% of applicants.
Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Guayama ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing schools. Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Guayama is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Guayama. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,780. Typical student debt for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates is $12,718. Soon after graduation, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree recipients from Inter American University Of Puerto Rico Guayama generally make around $26,771. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
Gateway Community College Phoenix came in at #9 for value in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing this year. Set in the city of Phoenix, Gateway Community College Phoenix is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,358 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,959. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $21,225 in student loans. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of Gateway Community College Phoenix earn a median of $74,062 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,225 median debt.
Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Ponce ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing schools. Set in the city of Ponce, Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Ponce is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,650. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico Ponce earn a median of $18,132 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Rockhurst University earned the #11 position for value in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing this year. Set in the city of Kansas City, Rockhurst University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $44,966 in tuition and fees. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of Rockhurst University earn a median of $87,778 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Rockhurst University admits about 70% of applicants.
University Of Pennsylvania earned the #12 position for value in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,686 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,410 to complete the perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program here. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $137,262 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,410 median debt. The acceptance rate is 5%.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing schools. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,926, with out-of-state students paying around $41,430. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program here. Soon after graduation, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree recipients from University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus generally make around $98,377. Set against $25,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus admits about 58% of applicants.
Hofstra University landed the #14 spot for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing value this year. Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hempstead. In-state tuition and fees average $57,660. Typical student debt for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates is $24,848. Early-career perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates make about $55,705. Set against $24,848 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 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.
