2026 Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in North Dakota
[Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants](/majors/health-care-professions/practical-nursing-assistants/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for practical nursing & nursing assistants students.
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2026 Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in North Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in practical nursing & nursing assistants, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools
Leading the list is Williston State College, our #1 best value for practical nursing & nursing assistants in North Dakota. Williston State College is a small public school located in the town of Williston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,114. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $19,726. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of Williston State College earn a median of $42,984 early in their careers. Set against $19,726 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bismarck State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in practical nursing & nursing assistants, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Bismarck, Bismarck State College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,247, compared with $7,331 for out-of-state students. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $18,297 in student loans. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $61,629. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in practical nursing & nursing assistants will find it at North Dakota State College Of Science, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Wahpeton, North Dakota State College Of Science is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,974, with out-of-state students paying around $6,973. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $24,385 in student loans. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of North Dakota State College Of Science earn a median of $41,956 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,385 median debt.
Lake Region State College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value practical nursing & nursing assistants schools. Set in the town of Devils Lake, Lake Region State College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,520 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates is $14,000. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of Lake Region State College earn a median of $48,331 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,000 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Dakota College At Bottineau one of the best values for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Located in the rural area of Bottineau, Dakota College At Bottineau is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,388, compared with $6,294 for out-of-state students. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $17,648 in student loans. Early-career practical nursing & nursing assistants graduates make about $60,969. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Dickinson State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value practical nursing & nursing assistants schools. Set in the town of Dickinson, Dickinson State University is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,118. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $18,807 in student loans. Soon after graduation, practical nursing & nursing assistants degree recipients from Dickinson State University generally make around $51,049. That is a strong return on a $18,807 median debt. The acceptance rate is 37%.
Rasmussen College North Dakota placed #7 among the best values for practical nursing & nursing assistants. Located in the city of Fargo, Rasmussen College North Dakota is a small private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,404. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates carry a median of $21,274 in student loans. Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants graduates of Rasmussen College North Dakota earn a median of $45,271 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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.
