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Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

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2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

128 Colleges
$64,238 Avg Salary
$28,730 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree School for You

With 322,592 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, nursing is the #3 most popular major in the United States.

Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This report analyzed 128 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones were the most popular bachelor's degree programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Nursing program at each school on the list.

The colleges and universities below are the most popular for nursing majors pursuing a bachelor's degree.

#1

Capella University

Minneapolis, MN

Our 2023 rankings named Capella University the most popular school in the Plains States Region for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a private for-profit college with a very large student population.

Women make up 90% of the nursing majors at the school.

Nursing majors at Capella University take out an average of $28,936 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Read More…

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Saint Paul. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the large city of Saint Paul, Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.

Of the 415 students majoring in nursing at Concordia University, Saint Paul, 16% are male and 84% are female.

On average, nursing graduates from Concordia University, Saint Paul take out $36,494 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

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The in-demand bachelor’s degree programs at University of Nebraska Medical Center helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular nursing schools in the Plains States Region . UNMC is a small public school located in the large city of Omaha.

Of the 392 students majoring in nursing at UNMC, 14% are male and 86% are female.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at UNMC accumulate an average of around $24,990 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $236, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Goldfarb School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Saint Louis.

Of the 365 students majoring in nursing at Goldfarb School of Nursing, 13% are male and 87% are female.

On average, nursing graduates from Goldfarb School of Nursing take out $28,828 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $350.

Read full report on Nursing at Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College

The College of Saint Scholastica came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the city of Duluth, St. Scholastica is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Women make up 84% of the nursing majors at the school.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from St. Scholastica carry an average student debt load of $32,525. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $314.

Full Nursing at The College of Saint Scholastica Report

South Dakota State University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. South Dakota State is a large public school located in the town of Brookings.

About 87% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 13% are male.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from South Dakota State carry an average student debt load of $29,938. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $162, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Nursing at South Dakota State University Report

#8

Creighton University

Omaha, NE

Creighton University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Creighton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Omaha.

Of the 308 students majoring in nursing at Creighton, 10% are male and 90% are female.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Creighton accumulate an average of around $28,316 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $483.

Read full report on Nursing at Creighton University

Mercy College of Health Sciences came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the city of Des Moines, Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

About 86% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 14% are male.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Mercy College of Health Sciences accumulate an average of around $32,347 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $330.

Read More…

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Minnesota State Mankato is a large public school located in the small city of Mankato.

About 89% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 11% are male.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from Minnesota State Mankato carry an average student debt load of $28,013.

Read More…

#11

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, MO

Rockhurst University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the city of Kansas City, Rockhurst is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Women make up 91% of the nursing majors at the school.

Nursing majors at Rockhurst take out an average of $28,482 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $275, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Nursing at Rockhurst University Report

Central Methodist University - College of Graduate & Extended Studies ranked #12 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. CMU CGES is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Fayette.

Women make up 87% of the nursing majors at the school.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at CMU CGES accumulate an average of around $29,850 in student debt.

Full Nursing at Central Methodist University - College of Graduate & Extended Studies Report

#13

Winona State University

Winona, MN

Winona State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Winona.

Of the 230 students majoring in nursing at Winona State, 12% are male and 88% are female.

Nursing majors at Winona State take out an average of $25,953 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $190.

Read full report on Nursing at Winona State University

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Mizzou is a very large public school located in the midsize city of Columbia.

Women make up 90% of the nursing majors at the school.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Mizzou accumulate an average of around $23,696 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $425.

Full Nursing at University of Missouri - Columbia Report

#15

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

University of Iowa came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public college with a very large student population.

About 86% of the students majoring in nursing at the school are women while 14% are male.

While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Iowa accumulate an average of around $25,295 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $221.

Read More…

MidAmerica Nazarene University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the large suburb of Olathe, MNU is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Of the 208 students majoring in nursing at MNU, 17% are male and 83% are female.

After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from MNU carry an average student debt load of $28,384. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $429.

Full Nursing at MidAmerica Nazarene University Report

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #17 on the list. UMSL is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis.

Of the 205 students majoring in nursing at UMSL, 12% are male and 88% are female.

Nursing majors at UMSL take out an average of $28,760 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $164, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

#18

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS

University of Kansas landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in the city of Lawrence, KU is a public school with a very large student population.

Of the 204 students majoring in nursing at KU, 10% are male and 90% are female.

Nursing majors at KU take out an average of $23,714 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Read More…

North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in the midsize city of Fargo, North Dakota State University is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Women make up 88% of the nursing majors at the school.

On average, nursing graduates from North Dakota State University take out $30,764 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Read More…

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also popular but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region award.

Rank College Location
20 Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO
21 University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD
22 Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO
23 Wichita State University Wichita, KS
24 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
25 St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN

Best Nursing Colleges by State

Explore the best nursing schools for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Missouri 6,840
Minnesota 14,890
Kansas 2,633
Iowa 2,966
Nebraska 1,908
North Dakota 976
South Dakota 1,022

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

Majors Similar to Nursing

Related Major Annual Graduates
Health & Medical Administrative Services 89,359
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 84,492
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274
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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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