# Best Community Colleges for Nursing

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-06-02 | Schools: 50 | Category: By Major
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-community-colleges-nursing

## Methodology

Associate's-degree institutions with nursing programs, ranked by outcomes, program concentration, and federal field-of-study earnings for nursing graduates.

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Mendocino College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mendocino-college) | Ukiah, CA | 28% | $40,243 | $8,330 | $10,836 | 0.27x |
| 2 | [Mount Wachusett Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mount-wachusett-community-college) | Gardner, MA | 27% | $41,118 | $7,931 | $10,252 | 0.25x |
| 3 | [Temple College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/temple-college) | Temple, TX | 29% | $38,678 | $10,682 | $12,813 | 0.33x |
| 4 | [Salem Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/salem-community-college) | Carneys Point, NJ | 39% | $38,020 | $10,816 | $9,500 | 0.25x |
| 5 | [North Shore Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-shore-community-college) | Danvers, MA | 18% | $45,391 | $9,000 | $9,000 | 0.2x |
| 6 | [Independence Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/independence-community-college) | Independence, KS | 30% | $34,941 | $3,265 | $6,115 | 0.18x |
| 7 | [Lake Area Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-area-technical-college) | Watertown, SD | 69% | $45,473 | $15,979 | $12,000 | 0.26x |
| 8 | [Victoria College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/victoria-college) | Victoria, TX | 27% | $42,382 | $3,043 | $10,500 | 0.25x |
| 9 | [Orange County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/orange-county-community-college) | Middletown, NY | 24% | $44,117 | $6,794 | $12,000 | 0.27x |
| 10 | [Manor College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/manor-college) | Jenkintown, PA | 25% | $46,825 | $13,078 | $19,000 | 0.41x |
| 11 | [Northern Essex Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-essex-community-college) | Haverhill, MA | 20% | $42,862 | $6,046 | $9,000 | 0.21x |
| 12 | [Northern Wyoming Community College District](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-wyoming-community-college-district) | Sheridan, WY | 43% | $40,477 | $9,346 | $8,622 | 0.21x |
| 13 | [Massachusetts Bay Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/massachusetts-bay-community-college) | Wellesley Hills, MA | 16% | $52,654 | $7,169 | $6,500 | 0.12x |
| 14 | [Lake Region State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-region-state-college) | Devils Lake, ND | 51% | $49,502 | $13,577 | $10,293 | 0.21x |
| 15 | [Piedmont Virginia Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/piedmont-virginia-community-college) | Charlottesville, VA | 37% | $40,752 | $5,963 | $8,750 | 0.21x |
| 16 | [Barton County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/barton-county-community-college) | Great Bend, KS | 38% | $40,428 | $9,905 | $9,501 | 0.24x |
| 17 | [Western Nebraska Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-nebraska-community-college) | Scottsbluff, NE | 36% | $38,729 | $5,474 | $9,000 | 0.23x |
| 18 | [Muskegon Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/muskegon-community-college) | Muskegon, MI | 30% | $36,549 | $4,005 | $9,125 | 0.25x |
| 19 | [Casper College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/casper-college) | Casper, WY | 41% | $40,935 | $9,593 | $9,534 | 0.23x |
| 20 | [Williston State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/williston-state-college) | Williston, ND | 41% | $44,017 | $5,932 | $10,099 | 0.23x |
| 21 | [North Country Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-country-community-college) | Saranac Lake, NY | 27% | $38,276 | $11,868 | $12,000 | 0.31x |
| 22 | [North Central Missouri College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-missouri-college) | Trenton, MO | 57% | $40,837 | $13,626 | $10,500 | 0.26x |
| 23 | [Quincy College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/quincy-college) | Quincy, MA | 16% | $52,506 | $17,126 | $13,874 | 0.26x |
| 24 | [North Iowa Area Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-iowa-area-community-college) | Mason City, IA | 58% | $43,462 | $10,010 | $9,500 | 0.22x |
| 25 | [Lower Columbia College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lower-columbia-college) | Longview, WA | 24% | $40,691 | $7,630 | $10,506 | 0.26x |
| 26 | [Lehigh Carbon Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-carbon-community-college) | Schnecksville, PA | 29% | $42,436 | $9,203 | $11,000 | 0.26x |
| 27 | [Iowa Central Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/iowa-central-community-college) | Fort Dodge, IA | 43% | $42,046 | $9,328 | $11,000 | 0.26x |
| 28 | [Central Ohio Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/central-ohio-technical-college) | Newark, OH | 27% | $39,168 | $9,948 | $12,072 | 0.31x |
| 29 | [Dakota College at Bottineau](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dakota-college-at-bottineau) | Bottineau, ND | 51% | $40,576 | $10,039 | $10,507 | 0.26x |
| 30 | [Georgia Highlands College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-highlands-college) | Rome, GA | 21% | $43,184 | $6,928 | $12,000 | 0.28x |
| 31 | [Connecticut State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/connecticut-state-community-college) | New Britain, CT | 21% | $41,344 | $11,513 | $9,200 | 0.22x |
| 32 | [South Florida State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-florida-state-college) | Avon Park, FL | 49% | $39,990 | $3,877 | $7,368 | 0.18x |
| 33 | [Allen County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/allen-county-community-college) | Iola, KS | 38% | $40,059 | $8,642 | $6,954 | 0.17x |
| 34 | [West Shore Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/west-shore-community-college) | Scottville, MI | 29% | $36,115 | $1,527 | $9,089 | 0.25x |
| 35 | [SUNY College of Technology at Alfred](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-college-of-technology-at-alfred) | Alfred, NY | 54% | $50,445 | $15,016 | $13,750 | 0.27x |
| 36 | [Dyersburg State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dyersburg-state-community-college) | Dyersburg, TN | 31% | $36,132 | $4,612 | $6,900 | 0.19x |
| 37 | [Hudson County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/hudson-county-community-college) | Jersey City, NJ | 24% | $34,333 | $7,307 | $10,500 | 0.31x |
| 38 | [College of Marin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-marin) | Kentfield, CA | 38% | $42,654 | $12,351 | $10,062 | 0.24x |
| 39 | [Waubonsee Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/waubonsee-community-college) | Sugar Grove, IL | 40% | $44,788 | $11,442 | $7,000 | 0.16x |
| 40 | [Greenfield Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/greenfield-community-college) | Greenfield, MA | 26% | $37,132 | $7,679 | $8,307 | 0.22x |
| 41 | [Luzerne County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/luzerne-county-community-college) | Nanticoke, PA | 22% | $40,437 | $9,433 | $11,000 | 0.27x |
| 42 | [Lansing Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lansing-community-college) | Lansing, MI | 24% | $39,206 | $5,437 | $12,700 | 0.32x |
| 43 | [Weatherford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/weatherford-college) | Weatherford, TX | 28% | $42,397 | $9,967 | $9,948 | 0.23x |
| 44 | [Community College of Philadelphia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/community-college-of-philadelphia) | Philadelphia, PA | 22% | $40,852 | $11,911 | $10,750 | 0.26x |
| 45 | [Raritan Valley Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/raritan-valley-community-college) | Branchburg, NJ | 33% | $48,145 | $6,778 | $10,500 | 0.22x |
| 46 | [Northwest Mississippi Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwest-mississippi-community-college) | Senatobia, MS | 44% | $36,396 | $7,911 | $6,500 | 0.18x |
| 47 | [Allegany College of Maryland](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/allegany-college-of-maryland) | Cumberland, MD | 42% | $38,476 | $8,819 | $13,702 | 0.36x |
| 48 | [Mitchell Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mitchell-technical-college) | Mitchell, SD | 74% | $50,743 | $13,460 | $12,000 | 0.24x |
| 49 | [Alvin Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/alvin-community-college) | Alvin, TX | 24% | $45,762 | $8,525 | $4,519 | 0.1x |
| 50 | [Pearl River Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pearl-river-community-college) | Poplarville, MS | 36% | $33,019 | $6,532 | $9,750 | 0.3x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Community Colleges for Nursing." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-06-02. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-community-colleges-nursing

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.