by our College Data Analytics Team
[Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for nursing students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Trinity Washington University, our #1 best value for nursing in District of Columbia. Trinity Washington University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $26,610. Nursing graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career nursing graduates make about $79,349. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 100%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Catholic University Of America earned it the #2 place for nursing. Located in the city of Washington, Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,378. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the nursing program here. Nursing graduates of Catholic University Of America earn a median of $108,768 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
George Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nursing, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $67,710 in tuition and fees. Nursing graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. Early-career nursing graduates make about $107,851. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 47%.
Students looking for strong value in nursing will find it at Georgetown University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $68,089 in tuition and fees. Nursing graduates carry a median of $17,417 in student loans. Nursing graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of $131,652 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 13%.
Saint Michael College Of Allied Health came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing schools. Saint Michael College Of Allied Health is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $19,405. Typical student debt for nursing graduates is $23,260. Soon after graduation, nursing degree recipients from Saint Michael College Of Allied Health generally make around $74,782. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Howard University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing schools. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,810. Nursing graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career nursing graduates make about $79,646. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 41%.
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.