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2024 Best Value Colleges for Nursing in the Southwest Region

166 Ranked Colleges
39,944 Degrees Awarded
$7,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 322,592 nursing students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,916 and had an average of $25,426 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 39,944 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,137 and $24,797 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 166 colleges that offer 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the nursing program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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 in the Southwest Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region nursing students.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Nursing in the Southwest Region

1
South Texas College crest
South Texas College
McAllen, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Texas College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nursing degrees to 320 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region nursing students list, South Texas College has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Texas College is $1,504 for southwest region nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at South Texas College

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Jacinto Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Pasadena, Texas, and it awarded 225 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jacinto College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jacinto College is $9,638 for Southwest Region Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at San Jacinto College

3
El Centro College crest
El Centro College
Dallas, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 203 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

El Centro College also made our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for El Centro College is $4,739 for Southwest Region Nursing students.

Full El Centro College Nursing Report

4
DMC crest
Del Mar College
Corpus Christi, Texas

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Del Mar College landed the #4 spot on the list. Del Mar College is located in Corpus Christi, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 153 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

DMC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Del Mar College is $5,630 for southwest region nursing students.

Full DMC Nursing Report

5
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

Out of the 166 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Canyon University landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it awarded 6,909 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Grand Canyon University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $20,585 for southwest region nursing students per year to attend Grand Canyon University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Grand Canyon University

6

University of Phoenix - Arizona did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #6. UOPX - Arizona is located in Phoenix, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,327 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region nursing students list, UOPX - Arizona has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UOPX - Arizona is $13,038 for Southwest Region Nursing students.

Full University of Phoenix - Arizona Nursing Report

7
North Harris Montgomery crest
Lone Star College System
The Woodlands, Texas

Lone Star College System came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Lone Star College System is a large public school situated in The Woodlands, Texas. It awarded 697 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

North Harris Montgomery also made our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $8,711 for southwest region nursing students per year to attend Lone Star College System.

Read full report on Nursing at North Harris Montgomery

8

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is a medium-sized school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 1,131 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southwest region nursing students list, TTUHSC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Nursing Report

9

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small public school awarded 445 diplomas to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.

UT Health San Antonio did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Nursing Report

10

West Coast University - Dallas ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. West Coast University - Dallas is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 296 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region nursing students list, West Coast University - Dallas has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend West Coast University - Dallas is $15,468 for southwest region nursing students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full West Coast University - Dallas Nursing Report

11

Houston Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #11. Houston Community College is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 154 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Houston Community College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Houston Community College is $4,813 for southwest region nursing students.

Full Houston Community College Nursing Report

12
Pinal County Community College crest
Central Arizona College
Coolidge, Arizona

Central Arizona College landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Coolidge, Arizona, this small public school handed out 53 degrees to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Pinal County Community College also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,804 for Southwest Region Nursing students per year to attend Pinal County Community College.

Read more about Nursing at Central Arizona College

13
Panola College crest
Panola College
Carthage, Texas

Panola College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. This small school is located in Carthage, Texas, and it awarded 43 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,492 for southwest region nursing students per year to attend Panola College.

Read full report on Nursing at Panola College

14

With a ranking of #14, Tarrant County College District did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. Tarrant County College District is located in Fort Worth, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 293 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

Tarrant County College excels when it comes to nursing quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Tarrant County College is $5,147 for southwest region nursing students.

Full Tarrant County College District Nursing Report

15
GateWay Community College crest
GateWay Community College
Phoenix, Arizona

GateWay Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Phoenix, Arizona is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nursing degrees to 272 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, GateWay Community College also did well on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $10,106 for Southwest Region Nursing students per year to attend GateWay Community College.

Read more about Nursing at GateWay Community College

16
Weatherford College crest
Weatherford College
Weatherford, Texas

Weatherford College did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Weatherford, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 169 degrees to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Weatherford College is in the top on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,323 for southwest region nursing students per year to attend Weatherford College.

Full Weatherford College Nursing Report

17

With a ranking of #17, The University of Texas Medical Branch did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. UTMB Galveston is located in Galveston, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 579 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

UTMB Galveston not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. The undergraduate 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.

Read more about Nursing at UTMB Galveston

18
Amarillo College crest
Amarillo College
Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo College did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #18. Amarillo College is a medium-sized school located in Amarillo, Texas that handed out 204 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,098 for Southwest Region Nursing students per year to attend Amarillo College.

Full Amarillo College Nursing Report

19
Pima County Community College District crest
Pima Community College
Tucson, Arizona

Pima Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Pima County Community College District is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 197 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Pima County Community College District is in the top on our “Best Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Pima County Community College District is $3,846 for southwest region nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at Pima County Community College District

20
Lee College crest
Lee College
Baytown, Texas

Lee College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Lee College is a medium-sized public school situated in Baytown, Texas. It awarded 34 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,831 for Southwest Region Nursing students per year to attend Lee College.

Read more about Nursing at Lee College

21
COM crest
College of the Mainland
Texas City, Texas

With a ranking of #21, College of the Mainland did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. This small school is located in Texas City, Texas, and it awarded 81 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $2,032 for southwest region nursing students per year to attend COM.

Read full report on Nursing at College of the Mainland

22

Alvin Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in Alvin, Texas, this small public school awarded 61 diplomas to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,261 for Southwest Region Nursing students per year to attend Alvin Community College.

Read full report on Nursing at Alvin

23
South Plains College crest
South Plains College
Levelland, Texas

South Plains College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Levelland, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nursing degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for South Plains College is $6,358 for southwest region nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at South Plains College

24

Wharton County Junior College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Wharton County Junior College is a public institution located in Wharton, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 49 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,315 for southwest region nursing students per year to attend Wharton County Junior College.

Read full report on Nursing at Wharton County Junior College

25
Grayson College crest
Grayson College
Denison, Texas

With a ranking of #25, Grayson College did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Nursing Schools in the Southwest Region list. Grayson College is a small school located in Denison, Texas that handed out 200 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Grayson College is $3,053 for southwest region nursing students.

Read full report on Nursing at Grayson College

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