2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 313,362 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $67,065 and had an average of $26,282 in loans still to pay off.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 50,422 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 522 colleges that offer a degree in nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great nursing programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the nursing program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k)
Out of the 522 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 234 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Duke also made our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at Duke are $59,140, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 371 students in 2019-2020.
UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Pennsylvania are $41,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 116 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Yale, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Yale are $44,500, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 522 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 277 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 333 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Vanderbilt University are $50,624, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Wake Forest University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 24 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Wake Forest University also did well on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Wake Forest University are $39,216, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Johns Hopkins University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 264 students in 2019-2020.
Johns Hopkins not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins are $59,425, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Hunter College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 221 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Hunter excels when it comes to nursing quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter College are $20,828, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 87 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
U-M also made our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #16. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 99 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UNC Chapel Hill also did well on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Chapel Hill are $30,248, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Nursing at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 78 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Florida International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. FIU is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 180 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
FIU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Florida International University are $24,211.
Read full report on Nursing at Florida International University
Georgetown University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 291 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree nursing students whose families make $30-$48k list, Georgetown has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Georgetown University are $53,591.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Edinburg, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are $15,151.
Full The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Nursing Report
California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large school located in Turlock, California that handed out 21 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Stan State are $18,540, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Nursing at California State University - Stanislaus
Northeastern University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northeastern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 91 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Northeastern is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern are $25,558, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #17, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified masters’s nursing students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUDH are $17,884, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Lehman College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lehman College is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 83 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Lehman College are $21,000.
The University of West Florida came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. The University of West Florida is located in Pensacola, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 69 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UWF are $24,894, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Los Angeles landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 149 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree nursing students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCLA has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Fullerton came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 68 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Emory University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emory University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 149 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Emory also made our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #8. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Emory are $44,676.
California State University - Fresno ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 23 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Fresno State are $17,581.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 18 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle excels when it comes to nursing quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 25 masters’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Purdue is also in the top of our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Nursing Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Franklin University | Columbus, OH |
| 52 | Oakland University | Rochester Hills, MI |
| 53 | Purdue University Northwest | Hammond, IN |
| 54 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL |
| 55 | California State University - Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
| 56 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville, IL |
| 57 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro, NC |
| 58 | Indiana University - South Bend | South Bend, IN |
| 58 | College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island, NY |
| 60 | Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus | Teaneck, NJ |
| 61 | McNeese State University | Lake Charles, LA |
| 62 | Augusta University | Augusta, GA |
| 63 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA |
| 64 | The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN |
| 65 | Marshall University | Huntington, WV |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay | Green Bay, WI |
| 67 | Indiana University - Kokomo | Kokomo, IN |
| 68 | MSU Texas | Wichita Falls, TX |
| 69 | University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, GA |
| 70 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV |
| 71 | Brigham Young University - Provo | Provo, UT |
| 72 | University of Illinois at Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 73 | San Jose State University | San Jose, CA |
| 74 | Appalachian State University | Boone, NC |
| 75 | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, ND |
| 76 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY |
| 77 | California State University - San Marcos | San Marcos, CA |
| 78 | University of Mississippi | University, MS |
| 79 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, LA |
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $0-$30k)
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Nursing students with family income $75-$110k
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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