by our College Data Analytics Team
[Registered Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/registered-nursing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong registered nursing education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for registered nursing students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the registered nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in registered nursing, no school beat Mitchell Technical Institute this year. Located in the town of Mitchell, Mitchell Technical Institute is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $7,524 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $12,730 to complete the registered nursing program here. Early-career registered nursing graduates make about $47,686. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Western Dakota Technical Institute one of the best values for registered nursing. Western Dakota Technical Institute is a small public school located in the city of Rapid City. In-state tuition and fees average $8,294. Registered Nursing graduates carry a median of $15,620 in student loans. Registered Nursing graduates of Western Dakota Technical Institute earn a median of $37,839 early in their careers. Set against $15,620 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in registered nursing will find it at Lake Area Technical Institute, which ranked #3. Lake Area Technical Institute is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Watertown. In-state tuition and fees average $6,718. Registered Nursing graduates carry a median of $26,212 in student loans. Registered Nursing graduates of Lake Area Technical Institute earn a median of $66,233 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southeast Technical Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in registered nursing, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Sioux Falls, Southeast Technical Institute is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,650. Typical student debt for registered nursing graduates is $28,239. Soon after graduation, registered nursing degree recipients from Southeast Technical Institute generally make around $62,601. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Dakota Wesleyan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in registered nursing, landing the #5 spot this year. Dakota Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Mitchell. Students from in state pay about $33,790 in tuition and fees. Registered Nursing graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career registered nursing graduates make about $67,981. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
South Dakota State University earned the #6 position for value in registered nursing this year. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. Typical student debt for registered nursing graduates is $28,000. Soon after graduation, registered nursing degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $99,864. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
University Of South Dakota landed the #7 spot for registered nursing value this year. Set in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,432 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for registered nursing graduates is $32,298. Registered Nursing graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $71,758 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Sioux Falls ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value registered nursing schools. University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $21,750. Typical student debt for registered nursing graduates is $31,000. Registered Nursing graduates of University Of Sioux Falls earn a median of $70,622 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Sioux Falls admits about 83% of applicants.
Mount Marty College placed #9 among the best values for registered nursing. Located in the town of Yankton, Mount Marty College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,600. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the registered nursing program here. Early-career registered nursing graduates make about $152,247. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
Augustana College South Dakota landed the #10 spot for registered nursing value this year. Augustana College South Dakota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. Students from in state pay about $40,160 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for registered nursing graduates is $27,000. Early-career registered nursing graduates make about $72,237. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Augustana College South Dakota admits about 68% of applicants.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.