Best Colleges for Nurses

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Posted Jun 24th, 2014 , Updated Jun 29th, 2018 by College Atlas

Nursing School Rankings

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

We recommend you evaluate nursing programs based on a holistic view of national and regional nursing school rankings, regional and national accreditation, state licensing board approval (determines if you’re able to sit for licensing tests), NCLEX pass rates, employment rates, and more.

Earn your accredited nursing degree online. You may qualify for a $6,095 grant!

2018-2019 U.S. News & World Report’s Nursing School Rankings

Ranking College Name Location
#1
 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
#2
 Duke University Durham, NC
#3
 Emory University Atlanta, GA
#4
 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
#5
 University of Washington Seattle, WA
#6
 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH
#7
 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
#8 Tie
 University of Alabama – Birmingham Birmingham, AL
#8 Tie
 University of Michigan – Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
#8 Tie
 Yale University New Haven, CT
#11 Tie
 Columbia University New York, NY
#11 Tie
 University of California – San Francisco San Francisco, CA
#13
 University of Maryland – Baltimore Baltimore, MD
#14 Tie
 University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
#14 Tie
 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
#16 Tie
 New York University (Meyers) New York, NY
#16 Tie
 Ohio State University Columbus, OH
#18 Tie
 Rush University Chicago, IL
#18 Tie
 University of Illinois – Chicago Chicago, IL
#20 Tie
 Rutgers University – Newark Newark, NJ
#20 Tie
 University of California – Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
#20 Tie
 University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
#23
 University of Texas – Austin Austin, TX
#24
 Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC
#25
 Georgetown University Washington, DC
#26
 Pennsylvania State University – University Park University Park, PA
#27 Tie
 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
#27 Tie
 Washington State University Spokane, WA
#29
 George Washington University Washington, DC
#30 Tie
 University of San Diego San Diego, CA
#30 Tie
 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
#32 Tie
 Arizona State University Phoenix, AZ
#32 Tie
 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
#32 Tie
 Florida Atlantic University (Lynn) Boca Raton, FL
#32 Tie
 Oregon Health and Science University Portland, OR
#32 Tie
 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
#37 Tie
 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
#37 Tie
 University of Rochester Rochester, NY
#39 Tie
 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
#39 Tie
 University of South Carolina Columbia, SC
#41 Tie
 The Catholic University of America Washington, DC
#41 Tie
 Indiana University-_Purdue University – Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
#41 Tie
 University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston Houston, TX
#41 Tie
 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
#45
 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH
#46 Tie
 University of California – Davis Sacramento, CA
#46 Tie
 University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Aurora, CO
#46 Tie
 University of Colorado – Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO
#46 Tie
 Villanova University Villanova, PA
#50 Tie
 Northeastern University Boston, MA
#50 Tie
 Saint Louis University St. Louis, MO
#50 Tie
 University of Kansas Kansas City, KS
#50 Tie
 University of Texas – Arlington Arlington, TX
#50 Tie
 Wayne State University Detroit, MI
#55 Tie
 George Mason University Fairfax, VA
#55 Tie
 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
#55 Tie
 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
#55 Tie
 University of North Carolina – Greensboro Greensboro, NC
#55 Tie
 University of South Florida Tampa, FL
#60 Tie
 Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Bethesda, MD
#60 Tie
 University of Missouri Columbia, MO
#62 Tie
 University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE
#62 Tie
 University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Oklahoma City, OK
#62 Tie
 University of Tennessee – Knoxville Knoxville, TN
#65
 Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ
#66 Tie
 Florida International University Miami, FL
#66 Tie
 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
#66 Tie
 Purdue University – West Lafayette West Lafayette, IN
#66 Tie
 Stony Brook University – SUNY Stony Brook, NY
#66 Tie
 University of California – Irvine Irvine, CA
#66 Tie
 University of Massachusetts – Boston Boston, MA
#72 Tie
 Baylor University Dallas, TX
#72 Tie
 Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA
#74 Tie
 Fairfield University Fairfield, CT
#74 Tie
 Frontier Nursing University Hyden, KY

Source: U.S. News & World Report

Earn your accredited nursing degree online. You may qualify for a $6,095 grant!

Compare the nursing ranking below with top online nursing school rankings, here

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.

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?

Colleges for nurses - Young nursing student in nursing school

Earn your accredited nursing degree online. You may qualify for a $6,095 grant!

Nursing School Accreditation

One of the first things you should look at when evaluating a nursing school is whether or not it’s accredited. You also want to look at the accrediting body that has granted the nursing school accreditation. Proper 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 college 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 an option to consider. While most of your coursework can be done online, you may have to attend some campus-based research labs to obtain hands-on training.

Online nursing degrees and schools allow you to complete a majority, if not all, your classroom courses online. Online nursing programs are particularly useful for registered nurses who already have experience and want to increase their salary by earning a bachelor’s or master’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 add to their nursing knowledge, understanding, and skills 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.

View the Best Nursing Schools by Specialty

Interested in becoming a nurse?        Search for nursing schools

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