2027 Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in Massachusetts

[Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants](/majors/health-care-professions/practical-nursing-assistants/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for practical nursing & nursing assistants students.
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2027 Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in Massachusetts
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the practical nursing & nursing assistants degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools
Northern Essex Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value practical nursing & nursing assistants schools in Massachusetts. Set in the suburb of Haverhill, Northern Essex Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,732 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,516. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $11,452. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $50,770. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Massachusetts Bay Community College earned it the #2 place for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Set in the suburb of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts Bay Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,856, compared with $10,800 for out-of-state students. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $11,008 in student loans. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $44,553. Set against $11,008 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Greenfield Community College earned it the #3 place for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Greenfield Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Greenfield. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,810, with out-of-state students paying around $11,930. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $12,123 in student loans. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $56,658. That is a strong return on a $12,123 median debt.
Mount Wachusett Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in practical nursing & nursing assistants, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Gardner, Mount Wachusett Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,160, with out-of-state students paying around $11,080. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $14,435 in student loans. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of Mount Wachusett Community College earn a median of $62,720 early in their careers. Set against $14,435 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Southeastern Technical Institute one of the best values for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Located in the suburb of South Easton, Southeastern Technical Institute is a small public university. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $14,499 in student loans. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $62,482. Southeastern Technical Institute admits about 71% of applicants.
North Shore Community College landed the #6 spot for practical nursing & nursing assistants value this year. Located in the suburb of Danvers, North Shore Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,352, compared with $10,920 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $13,119. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $55,336. Set against $13,119 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Quinsigamond Community College earned the #7 position for value in practical nursing & nursing assistants this year. Quinsigamond Community College is a large public school located in the city of Worcester. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,262, compared with $11,206 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,771 to complete the practical nursing & nursing assistants program here. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of Quinsigamond Community College earn a median of $54,629 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School came in at #8 for value in practical nursing & nursing assistants this year. Set in the rural area of Bourne, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School is a small public institution. Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School admits about 71% of applicants.
Berkshire Community College placed #9 among the best values for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Located in the rural area of Pittsfield, Berkshire Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,712, with out-of-state students paying around $11,328. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $14,905 in student loans. Soon after graduation, practical nursing & nursing assistants degree recipients from Berkshire Community College generally make around $49,764. Set against $14,905 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Tri County Regional Vocational Technical High School landed the #10 spot for practical nursing & nursing assistants value this year. Set in the suburb of Franklin, Tri County Regional Vocational Technical High School is a small public institution. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $53,693.
Charles H Mccann Technical School placed #11 among the best values for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Charles H Mccann Technical School is a small public school located in the rural area of North Adams. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of Charles H Mccann Technical School earn a median of $54,802 early in their careers.
Greater Lowell Technical School came in at #12 for value in practical nursing & nursing assistants this year. Located in the suburb of Tyngsboro, Greater Lowell Technical School is a small public university. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $8,859. Soon after graduation, practical nursing & nursing assistants degree recipients from Greater Lowell Technical School generally make around $67,281. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Diman Regional Technical Institute landed the #13 spot for practical nursing & nursing assistants value this year. Diman Regional Technical Institute is a small public school located in the suburb of Fall River. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $10,182. Soon after graduation, practical nursing & nursing assistants degree recipients from Diman Regional Technical Institute generally make around $55,341. The acceptance rate is 39%.
Shawsheen Valley School Of Practical Nursing ranked #14 on our 2027 list of the best value practical nursing & nursing assistants schools. Set in the suburb of Billerica, Shawsheen Valley School Of Practical Nursing is a small public institution. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $9,397 in student loans. Soon after graduation, practical nursing & nursing assistants degree recipients from Shawsheen Valley School Of Practical Nursing generally make around $72,230.
Monty Tech ranked #15 on our 2027 list of the best value practical nursing & nursing assistants schools. Monty Tech is a small public school located in the suburb of Fitchburg. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $10,711. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $53,902. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 15 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.