2026 Best Value Nursing Administration Schools in Virginia

[Nursing Administration](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/nursing-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for nursing administration students.
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2026 Best Value Nursing Administration Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Nursing Administration Schools
Leading the list is Old Dominion University, our #1 best value for nursing administration in Virginia. Old Dominion University is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. In-state tuition and fees average $12,750, while out-of-state students pay about $33,780. Nursing Administration graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing administration degree recipients from Old Dominion University generally make around $57,131. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in nursing administration will find it at Radford University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Radford, Radford University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,548, with out-of-state students paying around $25,633. Nursing Administration graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Nursing Administration graduates of Radford University earn a median of $85,443 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Radford University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Regent University one of the best values for nursing administration. Set in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,650. Nursing Administration graduates carry a median of $29,451 in student loans. Nursing Administration graduates of Regent University earn a median of $50,406 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Mennonite University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value nursing administration schools. Eastern Mennonite University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Harrisonburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $43,920. Typical student debt for nursing administration graduates is $28,979. Early-career nursing administration graduates make about $73,478. Set against $28,979 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Liberty University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nursing administration, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,173. Nursing Administration graduates carry a median of $27,457 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing administration degree recipients from Liberty University generally make around $83,872. Set against $27,457 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
Shenandoah University landed the #6 spot for nursing administration value this year. Located in the city of Winchester, Shenandoah University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $36,950 in tuition and fees. Nursing Administration graduates carry a median of $29,749 in student loans. Early-career nursing administration graduates make about $62,948. That is a strong return on a $29,749 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.