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2023 Best Value Schools in Nevada

Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

9 Schools Ranked
$18,574 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$22,161 Avg Student Debt*

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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 or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Schools in Nevada ranking. Our analysis looked at 9 schools in Nevada to see which programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

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.

Top Value Schools in Nevada

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

2,686 Total Awards
$10,620 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Truckee Meadows Community College to be the best value school for students in Nevada. Truckee Meadows Community College is located in Reno, Nevada and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,686 degrees to qualified students.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Truckee Meadows Community College are $10,620 per year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $16,046 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, Truckee Meadows Community College graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $43,454 during the early year of their career.

Full Truckee Meadows Community College Report

#2

Western Nevada College

Carson City, Nevada
1,081 Total Awards
$11,434 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Western Nevada College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value schools in Nevada. WNC is a small public school situated in Carson City, Nevada. It awarded 1,081 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WNC are $11,434 per year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $16,788 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, WNC graduates make an average of $49,309 annually.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, WNC is ranked #5 for overall quality in Nevada.

Read full report on Western Nevada College

#3

College of Southern Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
4,725 Total Awards
$11,534 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 9 schools in Nevada that were part of this year’s ranking, College of Southern Nevada landed the # 3 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it awarded 4,725 degrees in 2020-2021.

CSN undergraduate students pay an average of $11,534 in tuition and fees each year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $14,327 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, CSN graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $34,877 during the early year of their career.

Full College of Southern Nevada Report

#4

Great Basin College

Elko, Nevada
855 Total Awards
$10,399 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Great Basin College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Nevada list. Located in Elko, Nevada, the small public school handed out 855 degrees in 2020-2021.

Great Basin College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,399 in tuition and fees each year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $20,315 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Great Basin College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $50,709 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

#5

Nevada State College

Henderson, Nevada
780 Total Awards
$19,440 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Nevada State College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Nevada list. Located in Henderson, Nevada, the medium-sized public school awarded 780 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at NSC are $19,440 a year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,936 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, NSC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $42,494 during the early year of their career.

NSC not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Schools in Nevada list.

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5,266 Total Awards
$24,827 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Nevada - Reno ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Nevada list. Reno, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 5,266 students in 2020-2021.

UNR undergraduate students pay an average of $24,827 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,835 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $322 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, UNR graduates make an average of $43,406 annually.

UNR also took the #1 spot in our Best Schools in Nevada rankings.

Read More…

#7

University of Nevada - Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada
6,574 Total Awards
$24,828 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Nevada - Las Vegas landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value programs. University of Nevada - Las Vegas is a large public school located in Las Vegas, Nevada that handed out 6,574 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UNLV are $24,828 per year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $23,884 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $246 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, UNLV graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $47,200 during the early year of their career.

UNLV did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Schools in Nevada list.

Full University of Nevada - Las Vegas Report

#8

University of Phoenix - Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
76 Total Awards
$9,552 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Phoenix - Nevada came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Nevada ranking. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the very small private for-profit school awarded 76 diplomas to qualifed students in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UOPX - Nevada are $9,552 per year. On average, students take out $39,203 in loans while pursuing their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $147.After graduating from UOPX - Nevada, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $47,907 during the early years of their career.

UOPX - Nevada also took the #4 spot in our Best Schools in Nevada rankings.

Full University of Phoenix - Nevada Report

#9

Sierra Nevada College

Incline Village, Nevada
215 Total Awards
$35,508 Average Tuition & Fees

Sierra Nevada College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Nevada list. SNC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Incline Village, Nevada. The school has a very small population, and it awarded 215 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SNC are $35,508 a year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,104 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, SNC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $44,134 during the early year of their career.

Read full report on Sierra Nevada College

Best Value Schools in the Far Western US Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 9 schools only.

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%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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