2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing in the Plains States Region
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 313,362 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $67,065 and had an average of $26,282 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Plains States region, there were 29,923 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,148 and $28,004 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 13,753 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 114 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great nursing programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the nursing program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing in the Plains States Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Capella University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 2,035 students in 2019-2020.
Capella University also made our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $17,619 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students per year to attend Capella University.
Out of the 114 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Minot State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Minot State University is a public institution located in Minot, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for MSU is $11,898 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Clarkson College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Clarkson College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 118 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Clarkson College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Clarkson College is $20,123 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. South Dakota State is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 313 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
South Dakota State also made our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $19,252 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at South Dakota State University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. North Dakota State University is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 202 bachelors’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
North Dakota State University also made our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $16,584 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students per year to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at North Dakota State University - Main Campus
Bemidji State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Bemidji, Minnesota, and it awarded 150 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $15,868 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students.
Walden University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Walden University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 892 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Winona State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Winona State is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 248 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Winona State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Winona State University is $17,656 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #9, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 120 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $15,738 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #10, Dickinson State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Dickinson, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,855 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students per year to attend DSU.
With a ranking of #11, University of South Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Vermillion, South Dakota, and it awarded 238 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for USD is $18,555 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #12, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Marshall, Minnesota. It awarded 43 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $14,397 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students.
Read more about Nursing at Southwest Minnesota State University
Truman State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Truman State is a small school located in Kirksville, Missouri that handed out 50 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Truman State is $12,462 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Mayville State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Mayville State University is a small public school situated in Mayville, North Dakota. It awarded 46 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,378 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students per year to attend Mayville State University.
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 170 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Nebraska Methodist College is $25,311 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
Bryan College of Health Sciences did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #16. Bryan College of Health Sciences is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 97 bachelors’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Bryan College of Health Sciences also took the #20 spot in our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bryan College of Health Sciences is $26,122 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Mercy College of Health Sciences did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and it awarded 189 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Mercy College of Health Sciences is $21,989 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 229 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State Mankato is $16,221 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at Minnesota State University - Mankato
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Southeast Health is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences is $22,395 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Mary came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Mary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bismarck, North Dakota. It awarded 94 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $17,410 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students per year to attend University of Mary.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Saint Cloud State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 99 degrees to qualified bachelors’s nursing students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Saint Cloud State University is $14,267 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a public institution located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for MSU Moorhead is $16,893 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 410 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students list, Goldfarb School of Nursing has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #24, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. FHSU is a public institution located in Hays, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 142 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Fort Hays State University is $12,053 for plains states region bachelor’s degree nursing students.
College of Saint Mary ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. College of Saint Mary is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $14,325 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Nursing students per year to attend College of Saint Mary.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
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