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2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

98 Ranked Colleges
12,924 Degrees Awarded
$10,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 259,493 registered nursing students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country.

Across the Plains States region, there were 24,654 registered nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 12,924 registered nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 98 colleges that offer a degree in registered nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great registered nursing programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the registered nursing program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Registered Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#12 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 130 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $8,418 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Registered Nursing at UMN Twin Cities

#2

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
Top 25% in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Truman State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Truman State University is a small school located in Kirksville, Missouri that handed out 50 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,269 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Truman State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Truman State University

#3

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 98 schools in the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, St Olaf College landed the #3 spot on the list. St Olaf College is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 22 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Olaf did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Olaf is $12,276 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at St Olaf College

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #6 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,843 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Iowa State University

#5

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minot State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This small school is located in Minot, North Dakota, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,187 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MSU.

Read more about Registered Nursing at MSU

#6

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. UMSL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 197 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $6,838 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Missouri - St Louis.

Full UMSL Registered Nursing Report

#7

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, Nebraska

College of Saint Mary came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Saint Mary is $8,336 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Saint Mary

#17 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Missouri - Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 215 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

Mizzou also took the #17 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Columbia is $11,595 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Registered Nursing Report

#9

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#9 in overall quality

Winona State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 248 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Winona State also made our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $13,606 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Winona State

#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school handed out 229 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato also took the #21 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,781 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Minnesota State Mankato

#11

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 150 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,658 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bemidji State University.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Bemidji State University

#12

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. St. Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 99 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for St. Cloud State University is $11,274 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Saint Cloud State University

#14 in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 202 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Dakota State University, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,544 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

#14

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#16 in overall quality

University of North Dakota ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Dakota is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 120 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

UND also took the #16 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,916 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UND.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at UND

#15

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pittsburg State University is a medium-sized school located in Pittsburg, Kansas that handed out 120 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Pittsburg State University is $11,973 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Pitt State Registered Nursing Report

#16

Dickinson State University

Dickinson, North Dakota

Dickinson State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Dickinson, North Dakota, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,955 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dickinson State University.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Dickinson State University

Missouri Southern State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Joplin, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 62 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Southern State University is $8,416 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Missouri Southern

With a ranking of #18, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. FHSU is a public institution located in Hays, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 142 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Fort Hays State University is $9,882 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at FHSU

Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $11,410 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Southwest Minnesota State University.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Southwest Minnesota State University

#20

Mayville State University

Mayville, North Dakota

Mayville State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Mayville, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Mayville State University is $10,298 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Mayville State University

#21

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

With a ranking of #21, Missouri Western State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Saint Joseph, Missouri, this small public school handed out 99 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Missouri Western State University is $9,096 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Missouri Western Registered Nursing Report

#22

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCM is located in Warrensburg, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 156 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,022 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCM.

Read more about Registered Nursing at UCM

#23

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 313 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State also made our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $16,273 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at South Dakota State University

#24

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

With a ranking of #24, Southeast Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 96 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri State University is $10,217 for plains states region bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Southeast Missouri State University

#25

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

Rockhurst University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 269 students in 2019-2020.

Rockhurst also made our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $15,261 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Rockhurst University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Rockhurst University Registered Nursing Report

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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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