2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing

Open-data reference.

We found 15 schools structurally similar to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing that cost less. 9 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing

McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit

$23,656
Net Price
$79,831
Median Earnings (10yr)
82.0%
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing

Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing posts an average net price of $23,656 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 15 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $13,493, achieved by University of Washington-Tacoma Campus at $10,163. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 9 of the 15 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing’s $79,831, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $81,167.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

15
Alternatives Found
$13,493
Max Savings
9
Better Value Options
60%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Belanger School of Nursing $80k 2. Signature Healthcare Brockto $88k 3. Unitek College $88k 4. University of Washington-Tac $78k 5. San Jose State University $79k Compared to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing: $80k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Belanger School of Nursing
Schenectady, NY · Private Nonprofit
$13,185 -$10,471 $79,677 N/A 60%
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing
Brockton, MA · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$22,761 -$895 $88,084 N/A 55%
Unitek College
Hayward, CA · Private For-Profit Better Value
$19,130 -$4,526 $87,877 N/A 53%
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma, WA · Public
$10,163 -$13,493 $78,466 62.8% 53%
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA · Public
$13,760 -$9,896 $78,988 66.8% 52%
Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$22,102 -$1,554 $85,035 44.4% 51%
Emory University
Atlanta, GA · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$22,585 -$1,071 $80,137 91.4% 50%
Colby College
Waterville, ME · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$17,180 -$6,476 $80,490 89.5% 49%
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$23,149 -$507 $80,257 93.2% 49%
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$17,379 -$6,277 $81,400 91.5% 48%
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private Nonprofit
$19,285 -$4,371 $77,779 93.2% 47%
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private Nonprofit
$23,367 -$289 $77,644 93.7% 47%
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$14,398 -$9,258 $82,735 95.4% 46%
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$18,425 -$5,231 $82,592 74.0% 46%
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · Public
$17,915 -$5,741 $76,343 68.6% 45%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing?
We found 15 schools similar to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing that cost less. The closest match is Belanger School of Nursing with 60% similarity and a net price of $13,185.
What is the ROI of attending Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing?
Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing has an average net price of $23,656. Graduates earn a median of $79,831 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 3.4x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing for less money?
Yes — 9 of 15 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing costs $22,761 (saving $895) with median earnings of $88,084.
What is the cheapest alternative to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing?
The most affordable similar school is University of Washington-Tacoma Campus at $10,163, saving $13,493 compared to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing. It has a 53% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 15 alternatives have an average median earnings of $81,167 compared to Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing's $79,831. On average, alternatives match or exceed this school's earnings. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.