2026 Best Critical Care Nursing Schools in the The Plains States Region

Critical Care Nursing programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools to find the best for critical care nursing students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Critical Care Nursing Schools in the The Plains States Region

Best Schools for Critical Care Nursing in the The Plains States Region

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the critical care nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Critical Care Nursing

1

Winona State University
Winona, MN

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

13 Critical Care Nursing Degrees Awarded

$101,220 Median Starting Salary

Winona State University tops our 2026 ranking of the best critical care nursing schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Winona. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. Winona State University awarded about 13 critical care nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, critical care nursing degree recipients from Winona State University generally make around $101,220. Winona State University graduates carry a median of $26,252 in student loans. See the full critical care nursing program report for Winona State University

2

Maryville University Of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

92 Critical Care Nursing Degrees Awarded

$103,656 Median Starting Salary

Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in critical care nursing, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 66% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 92 critical care nursing students who graduated with this degree at Maryville University Of Saint Louis in the most recent data year. Students who receive their critical care nursing degree from Maryville University Of Saint Louis earn around $103,656 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $29,881. See the full critical care nursing program report for Maryville University Of Saint Louis

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.

• 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.