2026 Best Value Clinical Nurse Specialist Schools in the Far Western Region
[Clinical Nurse Specialist](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/clinical-nurse-specialist/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical nurse specialist students.
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2026 Best Value Clinical Nurse Specialist Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the clinical nurse specialist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Clinical Nurse Specialist Schools
California State University Dominguez Hills tops our 2026 list of the best value clinical nurse specialist schools in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,454 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,054. Clinical Nurse Specialist graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical nurse specialist degree recipients from California State University Dominguez Hills generally make around $52,683. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California State University Dominguez Hills admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Mount St Marys College earned it the #2 place for clinical nurse specialist. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Mount St Marys College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,564. Typical student debt for clinical nurse specialist graduates is $25,167. Early-career clinical nurse specialist graduates make about $82,213. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Mount St Marys College admits about 73% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of San Francisco earned it the #3 place for clinical nurse specialist. University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. Students from in state pay about $60,522 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for clinical nurse specialist graduates is $27,000. Clinical Nurse Specialist graduates of University Of San Francisco earn a median of $127,760 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
