2026 Best Value School Nursing Schools in the The Plains States Region
[School Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/school-nursing/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong school nursing education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for school nursing students.
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2026 Best Value School Nursing Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in school nursing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value School Nursing Schools
University Of Missouri St Louis earned the #1 spot for value among school nursing schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,120, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $100,122. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in school nursing will find it at University Of Missouri Kansas City, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,371, compared with $32,271 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the school nursing program here. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from University Of Missouri Kansas City generally make around $107,719. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for school nursing. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,811 to complete the school nursing program here. School Nursing graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $96,368 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at St Catherine University earned it the #4 place for school nursing. Set in the city of Saint Paul, St Catherine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $38,428. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $32,610. School Nursing graduates of St Catherine University earn a median of $89,336 early in their careers. Set against $32,610 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in school nursing, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $27,166. Students borrow a median of $29,881 to complete the school nursing program here. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from Maryville University Of Saint Louis generally make around $103,656. Set against $29,881 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Maryville University Of Saint Louis admits about 95% of applicants.
Saint Louis University Main Campus came in at #6 for value in school nursing this year. Located in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,760. Typical student debt for school nursing graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, school nursing degree recipients from Saint Louis University Main Campus generally make around $84,374. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
