Northwestern ranked top 10 school in nation for affordable online nursing education
November 2, 2023
Northwestern Oklahoma State University has been named one of the nation’s most affordable online nursing programs by BestColleges.com. Northwestern’s online nursing programs have earned top honors for emphasizing community engagement, affordability, and overall access to higher education.
“Our ranking of ninth in the nation for affordability in online nursing programs is a direct result of the values of our university and division of nursing,” Dr. Leslie Collins, Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing Chair and associate professor of nursing, said. “Here at Northwestern we strive to ensure programs are affordable and accessible for students. In the current state of healthcare it is imperative to build pathways for students to obtain degrees in nursing in an affordable manner.”
Take a look at BestColleges full rankings online to see Northwestern ranked ninth in the nation: www.bestcolleges.com/nursing/bachelors/affordable/
“Our rankings are based on statistical data and consistent principles such as academic quality, affordability, and online competency,” Eden Glass, communications associate for BestColleges, said. “Since 2014, our aim with college rankings is to provide an objective assessment of relative quality, considering academic outcomes, affordability, and the breadth and depth of online learning opportunities.”
BestColleges evaluates academic quality by examining the number of students graduating in specific majors, indicating a school's commitment to those programs. Their affordability score considers program cost, student loan rates, and post-graduation loan repayment ability. They also assess the quality of online offerings based on program availability, student enrollment, and the school’s investment in remote learners.
“While Northwestern prides itself on the affordability of its nursing program, what truly sets it apart is the quality of its faculty and programs,” Dr. James Bell, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Northwestern, said. “Small class sizes and engaged nurse educators ensure that students receive the guidance and support they need to thrive in the nursing field. These attributes make the affordability of the program even more remarkable.”
“A direct example of this commitment to students is the fact that Northwestern has not raised tuition for the last three years,” Collins said. “We want to ensure that students can meet their educational goals and healthcare training needs with as little financial stress as possible.”
Northwestern offers an online RN to BSN program, is one of only two public universities in Oklahoma to offer a Family Nurse Practitioner program, was the first public university with a BSN to DNP offering, and the only program in the state with an emphasis on nursing in rural communities.
For more information on Northwestern’s nursing degree programs visit www.nwosu.edu/school-of-professional-studies/nursing or contact Collins at (580) 327-8489 or lncollins@nwosu.edu.
For more information about the BestColleges methodology, visit BestColleges.com.
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CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
sjdoherty@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480