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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Registered Nursing

941 Ranked Colleges
152,243 Degrees Awarded
$16,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor's

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Registered Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 259,493 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 152,243 registered nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 941 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in registered nursing. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent registered nursing programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

More Ways to Rank Registered Nursing Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Registered Nursing

#1

Western Governors University

Salt Lake City, Utah
Top 5% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Governors University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s. Western Governors University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 11,863 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, WGU is in the top on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $9,805 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students per year to attend Western Governors University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full WGU Registered Nursing Report

Top 20% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UOPX - Arizona is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 789 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UOPX - Arizona is in the top on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $12,944 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students per year to attend UOPX - Arizona.

Read more about Registered Nursing at University of Phoenix - Arizona

#3

University of Phoenix - California

Costa Mesa, California
Top 20% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Phoenix - California. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Phoenix - California is a private for-profit institution located in Costa Mesa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 203 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UOPX - California is in the top on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UOPX - California is $12,664 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at University of Phoenix - California

#4

Capella University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Top 10% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Capella University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 2,035 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Capella University is in the top on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $17,619 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students per year to attend Capella University.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Capella University

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Brigham Young University - Provo is a private not-for-profit institution located in Provo, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 130 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,322 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students per year to attend BYU.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full BYU Registered Nursing Report

With a ranking of #6, Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. BYU - I is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Rexburg, Idaho. It awarded 276 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at BYU - I

#12 in overall quality

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. SUNY Downstate is a small school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 125 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree registered nursing students list, SUNY Downstate has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Registered Nursing Report

#8

United States University

San Diego, California

United States University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. United States University is a private for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Read more about Registered Nursing at USU

#9

Wilmington University

New Castle, Delaware
Top 25% in overall quality

Wilmington University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Wilmington University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Castle, Delaware. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 461 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Wilmington University is $14,683 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

Full Wilmington University Registered Nursing Report

Top 5% in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, West Coast University - Dallas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. West Coast University - Dallas is a private for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 182 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, West Coast University - Dallas is also in the top of our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for West Coast University - Dallas is $27,473 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at West Coast University - Dallas

#11

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. Minot State University is located in Minot, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 54 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for MSU is $11,898 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students.

Full MSU Registered Nursing Report

#12

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, New York
Top 5% in overall quality

The Graduate Center, CUNY ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. The Graduate Center, CUNY is a medium-sized public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 170 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, The Graduate Center is in the top on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

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 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at The Graduate Center

#13

Clarkson College

Omaha, Nebraska
Top 20% in overall quality

Clarkson College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Clarkson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 118 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarkson College excels when it comes to registered nursing quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Clarkson College is $20,123 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Clarkson College

#14

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana
Top 15% in overall quality

Purdue University Northwest landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Hammond, Indiana, this medium-sized public school awarded 100 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue Northwest also did well on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $11,250 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students per year to attend Purdue University Northwest.

Full Purdue Northwest Registered Nursing Report

#15

Kettering College

Kettering, Ohio
Top 15% in overall quality

Kettering College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Kettering, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 108 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Kettering College also did well on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Kettering College is $18,853 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students.

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 low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Kettering College

#16

Thomas Edison State University

Trenton, New Jersey

Thomas Edison State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. TESU is a fairly large public school situated in Trenton, New Jersey. It awarded 193 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at TESU

#17

Mississippi University for Women

Columbus, Mississippi

Mississippi University for Women landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. MUW is a small school located in Columbus, Mississippi that handed out 371 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend MUW is $12,054 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Mississippi University for Women

#3 in overall quality

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Lubbock, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 1,051 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at TTUHSC, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full TTUHSC Registered Nursing Report

#19

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 313 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at South Dakota State University

#20

Denver College of Nursing

Denver, Colorado
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Denver College of Nursing did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Denver College of Nursing is located in Denver, Colorado and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 382 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, Denver College of Nursing is in the top on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.

The low student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%.

Full Denver College of Nursing Registered Nursing Report

#7 in overall quality

West Coast University - Orange County did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. West Coast University - Orange County is a small private for-profit school situated in Anaheim, California. It awarded 759 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

West Coast University - Orange County also made our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend West Coast University - Orange County is $39,100 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County

Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 202 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University excels when it comes to registered nursing quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University Registered Nursing Report

#23

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. Bemidji State University is a small public school situated in Bemidji, Minnesota. It awarded 150 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Bemidji State University is $15,868 for Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Bemidji State University

#24

Walden University

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Walden University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Walden University is a large private for-profit school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 892 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Walden University

With a ranking of #25, Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 136 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,945 for bachelor’s degree registered nursing students per year to attend Baptist College of Health Sciences.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Baptist College of Health Sciences Registered Nursing Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, New Hampshire
#27

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#28

Touro University Nevada

Henderson, Nevada
#29

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, Arizona
#31

Arizona State University - Skysong

Scottsdale, Arizona
#32

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#33

Dickinson State University

Dickinson, North Dakota
#35

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota
#36

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#37

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas
#39

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#40

Hunter College

New York, New York
#42

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
#45

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas
#46

University of the Cumberlands

Williamsburg, Kentucky
#48

Mayville State University

Mayville, North Dakota

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha, NE
52 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC
53 Bryan College of Health Sciences Lincoln, NE
54 Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA
55 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
56 Wenatchee Valley College Wenatchee, WA
57 The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences Cincinnati, OH
57 West Coast University-Miami Doral, FL
59 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
60 Chamberlain University - Texas Houston, TX
61 Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord, NC
62 Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA
63 Bellin College Green Bay, WI
64 Chamberlain University - Florida Jacksonville, FL
65 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Weatherford, OK
Rank College Location
66 Rasmussen University - Florida Ocala, FL
67 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
68 Chipola College Marianna, FL
69 Valencia College Orlando, FL
70 William Carey University Hattiesburg, MS
71 Nevada State College Henderson, NV
72 Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Marion, IN
73 Chamberlain University - Virginia Arlington, VA
74 Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY
75 SUNY Delhi Delhi, NY
76 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, AR
77 Chamberlain University - Nevada Las Vegas, NV
78 Columbia Basin College Pasco, WA
79 Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences Cape Girardeau, MO
80 Chamberlain University - New Jersey North Brunswick, NJ
81 University of Mary Bismarck, ND
82 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
83 Franklin University Columbus, OH
83 University of Phoenix - Hawaii Honolulu, HI
85 Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, GA
86 Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA
87 North Florida College Madison, FL
88 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
89 Maine College of Health Professions Lewiston, ME
90 National University La Jolla, CA
Rank College Location
91 Mercy College of Ohio Toledo, OH
92 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
93 Westfield State University Westfield, MA
94 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
95 California State University - Stanislaus Turlock, CA
96 Indian River State College Fort Pierce, FL
97 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
98 Santa Fe College Gainesville, FL
99 Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FL
100 The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa, TX
101 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
102 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX
103 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
104 Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA
105 Lehman College Bronx, NY
106 Minnesota State University - Moorhead Moorhead, MN
107 University of Puerto Rico - Humacao Humacao, PR
108 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
109 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
110 Western Illinois University Macomb, IL
110 Monroe College Bronx, NY
110 Chamberlain University - North Carolina Charlotte, NC
113 Saint Anthony College of Nursing Rockford, IL
114 Mount Carmel College of Nursing Columbus, OH
115 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
Rank College Location
116 New Mexico Highlands University Las Vegas, NM
116 University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC
118 Excelsior University Albany, NY
119 Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva, OK
119 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
121 Henderson State University Arkadelphia, AR
122 Fort Hays State University Hays, KS
123 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
124 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
125 AdventHealth University Orlando, FL
126 Purdue University Global Indianapolis, IN
127 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans New Orleans, LA
128 Chamberlain University - Ohio Columbus, OH
129 Bellevue College Bellevue, WA
130 McNeese State University Lake Charles, LA
131 California University of Pennsylvania California, PA
132 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
133 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
134 Brandman University Irvine, CA
134 California State University - San Marcos San Marcos, CA
136 University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR
136 St Petersburg College Clearwater, FL
138 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield, PA
139 Miami Dade College Miami, FL
140 Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
Rank College Location
141 Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences Canton, OH
142 University of South Alabama Mobile, AL

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.

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