Find Healthcare Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region

Find Schools Near

2023 Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

100 Colleges
$5,166 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$37,423 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants School for You

Out of all the majors we analyze each year, practical nursing and nursing assistants was ranked #21 in the country. In fact 84,274 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.

Today's healthcare students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Healthcare Degree Search has created the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 100 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best value programs for practical nursing students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region

Check out the practical nursing programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 15% Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools

$3,780 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Southeast Community College Area the best value school in the Plains States Region for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. Southeast Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Lincoln.

Southeast Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,780 in tuition and fees each year. Practical Nursing majors at Southeast Community College take out an average of $18,486 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read More…

$3,570 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 100 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Cloud County Community College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Cloud County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Concordia.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Cloud County Community College are $3,570 a year.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Cloud County Community College Report

$4,000 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Neosho County Community College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the remote town of Chanute, Neosho County Community College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Neosho County Community College are $4,000 per year. Practical Nursing majors at Neosho County Community College take out an average of $13,137 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Neosho County Community College

#4

Central Community College

Grand Island, NE
$4,590 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Central Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best practical nursing and nursing assistants schools in the Plains States Region . Located in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Community College are $4,590 per year. While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Central Community College accumulate an average of around $10,322 in student debt.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Central Community College

$4,470 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hutchinson Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the town of Hutchinson, Hutchinson Community College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hutchinson Community College are $4,470 per year. While working on their degree, practical nursing majors at Hutchinson Community College accumulate an average of around $14,905 in student debt.

Read More…

$4,826 Average Tuition & Fees

Western Iowa Tech Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Western Iowa Tech Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,826 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from Western Iowa Tech Community College carry an average student debtload of $13,346.

Read More…

$4,680 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, Metropolitan Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. MCC is a large public school located in the city of Omaha.

MCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,680 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

#8

Garden City Community College

Garden City, KS
$4,020 Average Tuition & Fees

Garden City Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the town of Garden City, Garden City Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Garden City Community College are $4,020 per year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from Garden City Community College carry an average student debtload of $12,012.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Garden City Community College Report

#9

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN
$5,907 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #9, Century College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Century College are $5,907 per year.

Read More…

$5,910 Average Tuition & Fees

Alexandria Technical & Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the town of Alexandria, ATCC is a public school with a small student population.

ATCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,910 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from ATCC carry an average student debtload of $11,238.

Read More…

#11

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS
$5,352 Average Tuition & Fees

Johnson County Community College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. JCCC is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Overland Park.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JCCC are $5,352 per year. After completing their degree, practical nursing graduates from JCCC carry an average student debtload of $13,500.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Johnson County Community College Report

$6,606 Average Tuition & Fees

North Dakota State College of Science came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. North Dakota State College of Science is a small public school located in the distant town of Wahpeton.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at North Dakota State College of Science are $6,606 a year. Practical Nursing majors at North Dakota State College of Science take out an average of $23,197 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at North Dakota State College of Science

$6,052 Average Tuition & Fees

Northland Community and Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for practical nursing and nursing assistants students. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in the town of Thief River Falls, Northland Community and Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Northland Community and Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,052 in tuition and fees each year. On average, practical nursing graduates from Northland Community and Technical College take out $21,363 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Northland Community and Technical College

#14

Dodge City Community College

Dodge City, KS
$4,830 Average Tuition & Fees

Dodge City Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the town of Dodge City, Dodge City Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Dodge City Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,830 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

#15

Lake Region State College

Devils Lake, ND
$5,000 Average Tuition & Fees

Lake Region State College landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Lake Region State College is a small public school located in the remote town of Devils Lake.

Lake Region State College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,000 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Lake Region State College Report

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great value schools for Nursing & Nursing Assistants students in the Plains States Region seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in the Plains States Region award.

Rank College Location
16 Anoka Technical College Anoka, MN
17 Inver Hills Community College Inver Grove Heights, MN
18 Mid-Plains Community College North Platte, NE
19 Seward County Community College Liberal, KS
20 Lake Area Technical Institute Watertown, SD

Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges by State

Explore the best practical nursing and nursing assistants colleges for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 22
Nebraska 0
South Dakota 0
North Dakota 70

One of 30 majors within the healthcare area of study, practical nursing and nursing assistants has other similar majors worth exploring.

Practical Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training 44,900
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 34,557
Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants 4,817

Majors Similar to Practical Nursing

Related Major Annual Graduates
Nursing 322,592
Health & Medical Administrative Services 89,359
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 84,492
Allied Health Professions 82,308
Public Health 40,596

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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.

Featured Schools

Find Healthcare Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited healthcare schools across the U.S.