2026 Best Value School Nursing Schools in New York

[School Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/school-nursing/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for school nursing students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value School Nursing Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the school nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value School Nursing Schools
Cuny Hunter College tops our 2026 list of the best value school nursing schools in New York. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,382, compared with $15,332 for out-of-state students. School Nursing graduates carry a median of $16,944 in student loans. School Nursing graduates of Cuny Hunter College earn a median of $51,372 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 54%.
Cuny Lehman College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in school nursing, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Bronx, Cuny Lehman College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,410, while out-of-state students pay about $15,360. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $20,055. School Nursing graduates of Cuny Lehman College earn a median of $54,729 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,055 median debt. Cuny Lehman College admits about 57% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Stony Brook University earned it the #3 place for school nursing. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,931, compared with $32,741 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the school nursing program here. School Nursing graduates of Stony Brook University earn a median of $117,350 early in their careers. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 49% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University At Buffalo earned it the #4 place for school nursing. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,936, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. Students borrow a median of $26,117 to complete the school nursing program here. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $52,403. Set against $26,117 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Molloy College earned it the #5 place for school nursing. Molloy College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Rockville Centre. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,790. School Nursing graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career school nursing graduates make about $137,197. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Rochester earned the #6 position for value in school nursing this year. Located in the city of Rochester, University Of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,080. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $31,000. Early-career school nursing graduates make about $89,788. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. University Of Rochester admits about 40% of applicants.
New York University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value school nursing schools. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. In-state tuition and fees average $62,796. School Nursing graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from New York University generally make around $138,833. Set against $25,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
More School Nursing Rankings
View All School Nursing Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.