Best Nursing Schools in Colorado

Scenic views and a never-ending list of outdoor activities make Colorado a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers and tourists alike. Skiing, hiking, rafting, mountain climbing, biking, you name it. If it’s something you can do outdoors, you can do it in Colorado. Colorado is a vibrant state with 300 days of sunny skies a year and youthful, happy feel. It’s a fun place to visit, and fun place to live, especially for the young at heart.

Even though Colorado is unofficially considered the healthiest state in the nation, it must have some sick people because it has a thriving and growing healthcare industry that is in need of more qualified professionals. With a nursing shortage nearly twice the national average, Colorado does not have enough nurses to fill open positions. This shortage is a result of not having enough nursing educators and instructors.

• Search Online Colorado Nursing Schools
• See the Top Ranked Colorado Nursing Schools
• See All Colorado Nursing Schools
• Review Colorado Nursing Statistics

Over 50 of Colorado’s largest employers are hospitals and healthcare organizations. Health care makes up a large part of the state’s economy. This is good news for anyone who’s considering a nursing career in Colorado. Most job openings for nurses will be found in an around the state’s capital city of Denver but nurses are needed anywhere you can find a major city.

Education opportunities for students and aspiring nurses are also good. There are over 40 accredited nursing programs in Colorado. Most nursing programs offer associate and bachelor’s degrees, which is what you’ll need if you’re hoping to become a registered nurse. while graduate nursing programs are scarcer than undergraduate degree programs, they are offered at a number of colleges and universities throughout the state.

Colorado Nursing Profile

Salaries

$47k	Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
$70k	Registered Nurse (RN)*
$101k	Nurse Practitioner

Schools

39	Colleges and Universities
38	Offer Undergraduate Degrees
9	Offer Graduate Degrees

Sources: Salary info from Bureau of Labor Statistics, School info from National Center for Education Statistics. *Includes Clinical Nurse Specialists. Excludes nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners.

Find Nursing Schools

Below you can review a comprehensive list of schools and their offered accredited nursing programs in Colorado.

Top Ranked Colorado Nursing Schools:

Browse Colorado nursing schools and colleges by major metropolitan area:

• Denver

Browse all Colorado nursing schools:

• Lamar Community College
  Location:
  Lamar, CO
  Student Enrollment: 1,080
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN

• Colorado Northwestern Community College – Craig Campus
  Location:
  Craig, CO
  Student Enrollment: 1,375
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate

• Colorado Christian University – Western Colorado Regional Center
  Location:
  Grand Junction, CO
  Student Enrollment: 2,510
  Type of School: Private
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: Yes

• Concorde Career College, Aurora
  Location:
  Aurora, CO
  Student Enrollment: 500
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: No
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN

• Otero Junior College
  Location:
  La Junta, CO
  Student Enrollment: 1,400
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate

• Morgan Community College
  Location:
  Fort Morgan, CO
  Student Enrollment:
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: No
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate

• Trinidad State Junior College
  Location:
  Trinidad, CO
  Student Enrollment: 2,500
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: No
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate

• Mesa State College
  Location:
  Grand Junction, CO
  Student Enrollment: 7,040
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: Yes
  Degree Programs: Associate, BS/BSN, LPN, LPN-to-BSN, RN-to-BSN

• Colorado State University, Pueblo
  Location:
  Pueblo, CO
  Student Enrollment: 4,000
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: BS/BSN, LPN-to-BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner

• University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
  Location:
  Colorado Springs, CO
  Student Enrollment: 9,735
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: Yes
  Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, RN-to-MSN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)

• Front Range Community College
  Location:
  Location
  Student Enrollment:
  Type of School:
  College Accredited:
  Offers Online Programs:
  Degree Programs:

• Arapahoe Community College
  Location:
  Littleton, CO
  Student Enrollment: 9,970
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate, LPN-to-RN, LPN

• University of Northern Colorado
  Location:
  Greeley, CO
  Student Enrollment: 12,710
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: Yes
  Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, PhD (Doctoral), DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)

• Pikes Peak Community College
  Location:
  Greeley, CO
  Student Enrollment: 12,710
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: Yes
  Degree Programs: BS/BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, PhD (Doctoral), DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)

• Pueblo Community College
  Location:
  Peublo, CO
  Student Enrollment: 4,600
  Type of School: Public
  College Accredited: Yes
  Offers Online Programs: No
  Degree Programs: Associate, LPN