Best Nursing Schools and Programs

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Updated by College Atlas
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See the 70 Best Nursing Schools in the U.S. below. If you’re searching for the top nursing schools in the U.S. that rank best in class when it comes to educating nurses, you’ll find them in the following lists. Although nursing school ranking lists won’t tell you which specific nursing program to apply to or attend, they are a great starting point to finding a reputable nursing program that is best for you.

Nursing rankings will help you compare the relative value of nursing programs based on generally accepted indicators of quality such as acceptance rate, tuition, student retention, graduation rates, NCLEX pass rates, post-graduation employment rates, and nursing school faculty credentials and reputation. Rankings may also help to broaden and increase your nursing program options as you may not have previously considered, or even known about, some of the top nursing programs in these Best Nursing Schools rankings.

The Best Nursing School Ranking Lists

  1. Best Nursing School Rankings – National List 2017
  2. Best Nursing School Rankings – National List 2016
  3. Best Nursing School Rankings – National List 2015
  4. Best Nursing School Rankings by Nursing Specialty
  5. Best Nursing School Rankings by State

How To Find The Best Nursing School

As nursing rankings are a good reference point in your search for the best nursing school. There are many things you should consider as you search for a nursing program. These things can and should include:

  • If you need to work during nursing school, does the program offer a heavily structured environment or a more flexible one?
  • How involved are the school’s faculty and administration in the program and the curriculum?
  • How strong is a nursing program’s affiliation with local or national hospitals and clinics?
  • How much clinical and internship work is required for graduation?
  • What are the nursing school’s most recent NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) pass rates?
  • Does the nursing program provide adequate resources including computers, science laboratories, and off-campus clinical work?
  • How large are the class and lab sizes?
  • If you want to specialize, does the school offer the curriculum that helps you to do that?
  • What type of academic and career counseling services does the school provide?
  • How much one-on-one time can you expect to receive with your professors and instructors?
  • What is the school’s job placement rate for graduates of their nursing program?

Best Nursing School Rankings: 2016-2017, 2015-2016, and 2014-2015

Below you will find the 2016-2017, 2015-2016, and 2014-2015 editions of the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Nursing School Rankings. These lists highlight the top nursing programs across the United States. To get started on your nursing school selection process, simply pick a school from the list below and start doing your research. As always, we caution future nursing students to evaluate nursing programs based on a holistic view of national and regional nursing school rankings, regional and national accreditation, state licensing board approval (deals with your ability to sit for licensing tests), NCLEX pass rates, employment rates, and more. CollegeAtlas.org also has a top nursing school rankings list that you can reference as you’re researching nursing programs. View the Top Nursing Schools: The A-List ranking list.

If you are interested in earning your nursing degree or improving your nursing career opportunities and worry about being able to with your already demanding schedule, there are many online nursing degree programs that are available to you. Whether you are interested in an online nursing program, a traditional nursing school, or a hybrid program, learn more about your nursing degree, school, and career options by checking out the Online Nursing Degrees, Schools, and Careers Guide.

Annual Mean Wage of Nurses

National Average Wage: $68,910

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics salary data for Registered Nurses

Find Nursing School

2016-2017 U.S. News & World Report’s Nursing School Rankings

RankCollege NameLocation
#1
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
#2
University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
#3
University of California – San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
#4
Duke UniversityDurham, NC
#4
University of WashingtonSeattle, WA
#6
New York University (Meyers)New York, NY
#7
University of Michigan – Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI
#8
Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH
#8
Columbia UniversityNew York, NY
#8
Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA
#8
University of Maryland – BaltimoreBaltimore, MD
#12
University of California – Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
#13
University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA
#13
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN
#15
University of Alabama – BirminghamBirmingham, AL
#16
Rush UniversityChicago, IL
#17
University of Texas – AustinAustin, TX
#18
University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VA
#19
Rutgers University – NewarkNewark, NJ
#19
Yale UniversityOrange, CT
#21
Ohio State UniversityColumbus, OH
#21
University of North Carolina – Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
#23
Indiana University-_Purdue University – IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
#23
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAurora, CO
#23
University of Illinois – ChicagoChicago, IL
#23
University of IowaIowa City, IA
#23
University of Texas Health Science Center – HoustonHouston, TX
#28
Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC
#28
University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH
#30
Arizona State UniversityPhoenix, AZ
#30
Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortland, OR
#30
University of ArizonaTucson, AZ
#33
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
#34
George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
#34
Medical University of South CarolinaCharleston, SC
#34
University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
#34
University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
#38
University of RochesterRochester, NY
#39
University of Missouri – Kansas CityKansas City, MO
#40
Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL
#40
Pennsylvania State University – University ParkUniversity Park, PA
#40
University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL
#40
University of South FloridaTampa, FL
#40
University of Tennessee – KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
#40
Washington State UniversitySpokane, WA
#46
Florida Atlantic University (Lynn)Boca Raton, FL
#46
University of Nebraska Medical CenterOmaha, NE
#48
Frontier Nursing UniversityHyden, KY
#48
University of KansasKansas City, KS
#48
University of Massachusetts – AmherstAmherst, MA
#48
University of MissouriColumbia, MO
#52
California State University – Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
#52
Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD
#52
University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL
#52
University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
#52
University of Massachusetts – BostonBoston, MA
#52
University of Massachusetts – WorcesterWorcester, MA
#58
Baylor UniversityDallas, TX
#58
Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
#58
Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI
#58
Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI
#58
Purdue University – West LafayetteWest Lafayette, IN
#58
Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX
#58
University of California – DavisSacramento, CA
#58
University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC
#58
Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
#58
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
#68
CUNY – Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
#68
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
#70
South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD
#70
St. John Fisher CollegeRochester, NY
#70
Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
#70
University of Texas Medical Branch – GalvestonGalveston, TX
#70
Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI

2015-2016 U.S. News & World Report’s Nursing School Rankings

RankCollege NameLocation
#1
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
#2
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
#2
University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA
#4
University of Washington Seattle, WA
#5
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
#6
Duke University Durham, NC
#6
New York University New York, NY
#6
University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, MD
#6
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
#10
Emory University Atlanta, GA
#11
Columbia University New York, NY
#11
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
#13
University of Alabama, Birmingham Birmingham, AL
#13
University of Illinois, Chicago Chicago, IL
#13
University of Texas, Austin Austin, TX
#16
University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
#17
Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
#17
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
#19
Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
#19
Rush University Chicago, IL
#19
University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
#22
Ohio State University Columbus, OH
#22
Yale University New Haven, CT
#24
Arizona State University Phoenix, AZ
#25
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark/New BrunswickNewark, NJ
#26
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Houston, TX
#26
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
#28
Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC
#28
University of Missouri, Kansas CityKansas City, MO
#30
University of Colorado, AuroraAurora, CO
#30
University of Kansas Kansas City, KS
#30
University of RochesterRochester, NY
#30
University of San Diego San Diego, CA
#34
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
#34
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
#36
George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
#36
University of Missouri Columbia, MO
#38
Pennsylvania State University, University ParkUniversity Park, PA
#38
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
#38
University of South FloridaTampa, FL
#41
Uniformed Services University of Health SciencesBethesda, MD
#41
University of Massachusetts, BostonBoston, MA
#43
University of California, DavisSacramento, CA
#43
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
#43
University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX
#43
Washington State UniversitySpokane, WA
#43
Wayne State University Detroit, MI
#48
Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX
#48
University of Florida Gainesville, FL
#48
University of Wisconsin, MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
#51
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
#51
Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI
#51
St. Louis University St. Louis, MO
#54
Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
#54
University of Alabama, HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL
#54
University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH
#54
University of Massachusetts, Amherst Amherst, MA
#58
George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
#58
Purdue University, West LafayetteWest Lafayette, IN
#58
South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD
#61
Hunter College City University of New York (CUNY)New York, NY
#61
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
#61
University of Alabama, TuscaloosaTuscaloosa, AL
#61
University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL
#61
Villanova University Villanova, PA
#66
Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
#66
University of South Carolina Columbia, SC
#68
California State University, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
#68
Pace University New York, NY
#68
University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY

Young nursing student in nursing school

2014-2015 U.S. News & World Report’s Nursing School Rankings

RankCollege NameLocation
#1
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
#2
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
#3
University of Washington Seattle, WA
#4
University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA
#5
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
#6
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
#7
Duke University Durham, NC
#8
Oregon Health and Science University Portland, OR
#9
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
#10
Yale University New Haven, CT
#11
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
#12
University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, MD
#13
Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
#14
Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
#15
Rush University Chicago, IL
#16
University of Colorado, Denver Denver, CO
#17
University of Illinois, Chicago Chicago, IL
#18
University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
#19
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
#20
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
#21
Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
#22
Columbia University New York, NY
#23
University of Wisconsin, Madison Madison, WI
#24
Emory University Atlanta, GA
#25
University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
#26
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Houston, TX
#27
University of Texas, Austin Austin, TX
#28
New York University New York, NY
#29
University of Alabama, Birmingham Birmingham, AL
#30
University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
#31
Ohio State University Columbus, OH
#32
Arizona State University Phoenix, AZ
#33
Georgetown University Washington, DC
#34
University of Florida Gainesville, FL
#35
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
#36
University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE
#37
University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN
#38
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
#39
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
#40
Catholic University of America Washington, DC
#41
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, AR
#42
University of Kansas Kansas City, KS
#43
University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio San Antonio, TX
#44
University of Rochester Rochester, NY
#45
Wayne State University Detroit, MI
#46
Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing Hyden, KY
#47
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
#48
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
#49
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
#50
University of Missouri Columbia, MO
#51
University of San Diego San Diego, CA
#52
Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
#53
Villanova University Villanova, PA
#54
Medical College of Georgia Augusta, GA
#55
Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC
#56
Pennsylvania State University, University Park University Park, PA
#57
St. Louis University St. Louis, MO
#58
Texas Womans University Denton, TX
#59
University of Louisville Louisville, KY
#60
University of Massachusetts, Amherst Amherst, MA
#61
University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
#62
George Mason University Fairfax, VA
#63
George Washington University Washington, DC
#64
Northeastern University Boston, MA
#65
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
#66
Brigham Young University, Utah Provo, UT
#67
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Oklahoma City, OK
#68
Pace University New York, NY
#69
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston Galveston, TX
#70
University of South Carolina Columbia, SC

Below you’ll find a little bit more information that will assist you in your search for the best possible nursing school to meet your needs.

Nursing School Accreditation

One of the first things you should look at when evaluating a nursing school is whether or not it’s accredited, as well as its accreditation status. Accreditation ensures that a nursing program meets the minimum standards that are associated with a quality education. The two types of higher education accreditation are national accreditation and regional accreditation. While national accreditation is acceptable, regional accreditation is preferred, especially if you plan to pursue a graduate nursing degree down the road at an accredited four-year college. Two other organizations that play a role in the accreditation of nursing programs are the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Both of these organizations provide specialized accreditation for schools that offers degree, certificate and diploma programs in nursing.

Online Nursing Schools

Online programs are now available for just about every field of study or academic discipline, nursing is no exception. If you’re a self-starter and highly motivated, an online degree in nursing may be a good option to consider. However, nursing is a hands-on discipline that requires the development of skills and knowledge, some of which can only be obtained through hands-on, clinical experience. As such, most online nursing degrees require an element of campus-based study, research, and education. Online nursing programs allow you to complete your classroom courses online, but you’ll still be required to complete lab work and clinical hours at a campus or nearby healthcare facility. Some of the requirements for these programs can be completed through correspondence, if you don’t live near an actual college campus.

Online nursing programs are particularly useful for registered nurses who already have ample experience under their belt and simply want to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The RN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree program for registered nurses who already have an associate’s degree is a perfect example. In most cases, a registered nurse can complete this entire degree program online, without ever stepping foot on a campus. If clinical work is required, it usually can be completed at their current job or at a nearby hospital or medical facility.

Graduate degrees in nursing are also growing in popularity. The Internet provides the perfect medium for practicing nurses to augment their knowledge, understanding and skill set in nursing (while earning a degree). There are several master’s degree options in advanced practice nursing for RNs who want to specialize in a particular area of medicine or direct patient care, such as Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive, or even Nurse Anesthetist. Other graduate degrees in nursing include the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc), which are also available online. However, some graduate degrees, especially those that focus on clinical skills, may require practicums or clinicals.

When considering online nursing programs, again, the first thing you’ll want to look at is accreditation. Earning a degree on-campus or online from an unaccredited school can make it difficult to obtain a nursing license, pursue higher education opportunities down the road, or get a job in certain states.

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Originally posted June 24th, 2014