2026 Best Value Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing Schools in California
[Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-nursing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing students.
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2026 Best Value Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing Schools
Our analysis ranked Vanguard University Of Southern California the best value for a degree in psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing in California. Set in the city of Costa Mesa, Vanguard University Of Southern California is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $41,700 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $20,832 to complete the psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing program here. Soon after graduation, psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing degree recipients from Vanguard University Of Southern California generally make around $80,727. Set against $20,832 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing schools. Located in the suburb of Los Angeles, Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $23,000 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,250 to complete the psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing program here. Early-career psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates make about $132,827. That is a strong return on a $27,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 39%.
Brandman University Part Of The Chapman University System is a great value for students pursuing a degree in psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Aliso Viejo, Brandman University Part Of The Chapman University System is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,540. Typical student debt for psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates is $27,471. Early-career psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates make about $128,766. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of San Francisco is a great value for students pursuing a degree in psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $60,522 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates is $27,000. Psychiatric/mental Health Nurse/nursing graduates of University Of San Francisco earn a median of $127,760 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of San Francisco admits about 62% of applicants.
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
