The Top 100 nursing schools for 2024 rankings below represent those nursing schools in the US that have consistently demonstrated a superior level of dedication to excellence in nursing education. Our rankings are based on four criteria: Affordability, Accessibility, Academic Quality, and NCLEX-RN board exam pass rates.
See also:
Top 100 Colleges and Universities – Top 100 Most Affordable Universities – Top 100 Most Affordable Community Colleges – Top 100 Highest Acceptance – Top 100 Lowest Acceptance – Top Colleges by Major
| Rank | School Name | Tuition (In-state) | Board Exam Pass Rate | Acceptance Rate | Student Body |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | University of Missouri–Columbia Columbia, MO | $9,433 | Top 10% | 81.5% | 34,700 |
 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | $8,079 | Top 10% | 78% | 30,100 |
 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO | $7,058 | Top 5% | 97.2% | 34,000 |
 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | $7,835 | Top 10% | 82.6% | 32,400 |
 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN | $7,679 | Top 20% | 97.4% | 11,500 |
 | Truman State University Kirksville, MO | $7,374 | Top 10% | 73% | 6,253 |
 | Missouri Southern State University Joplin, MO | $5,416 | Top 5% | 96.2% | 5,420 |
 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | $7,276 | Top 10% | 81.9% | 9,020 |
 | University of Louisiana–Monroe Monroe, LA | $6,963 | Top 10% | 91% | 8,545 |
 | Brigham Young University–Provo Provo, UT | $5,000 | Top 10% | 54.9% | 34,400 |
 | Nicholls State University Thibadaux, LA | $7,234 | Top 10% | 92% | 6,600 |
 | University of Tennessee Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | $7,554 | Top 10% | 76% | 11,660 |
 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA | $5,374 | Top 5% | 60% | 16,687 |
 | Emporia State University Emporia, KS | $5,614 | Top 5% | 72% | 5,870 |
 | University of Nevada–Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV | $6,570 | Top 20% | 88% | 27,400 |
 | University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN | $6,600 | Top 5% | 72% | 10,500 |
 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS | $10,200 | Top 20% | 92.3% | 27,100 |
 | Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva, OK | $5,050 | Top 5% | 72% | 2,300 |
 | Metropolitan State University St. Paul, MN | $6,650 | Top 20% | 96.7% | 8,170 |
 | California State University–Sacramento Sacramento, CA | $6,700 | Top 10% | 69.7% | 28,500 |
 | Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA | $7,150 | Top 20% | 70.8% | 11,343 |
 | North Dakota State University Fargo, ND | $7,240 | Top 20% | 83.5% | 14,430 |
 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO | $7,300 | Top 5% | 79% | 13,740 |
 | California State University–Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $6,400 | Top 10% | 67% | 21,800 |
 | New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM | $6,200 | Top 30% | 80% | 17,650 |
 | Ohio State University–Columbus Columbus, OH | $10,040 | Top 20% | 64% | 56,400 |
 | Langston University Langston, OK | $4,300 | Top 5% | 63% | 1,740 |
 | Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond, LA | $5,300 | Top 10% | 89% | 15,602 |
 | University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO | $6,800 | Top 30% | 89% | 12,520 |
 | South Dakota State University Brookings, SD | $7,832 | Top 30% | 92% | 12,580 |
 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC | $5,300 | Top 20% | 72% | 6,300 |
 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY | $7,540 | Top 20% | 60% | 15,970 |
 | Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | $7,100 | Top 20% | 82% | 13,770 |
 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | $5,880 | Top 20% | 62% | 26,950 |
 | California State University–San Marcos San Marcos, CA | $7,060 | Top 10% | 62% | 10,360 |
 | University of Vermont Burlington, VT | $15,750 | Top 20% | 77% | 13,100 |
 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY | $10,110 | Top 20% | 67% | 28,000 |
 | Indiana University–Kokomo Kokomo, IN | $6,680 | Top 20% | 70.4% | 3,720 |
 | St. Cloud State University St. Cloud, MN | $7,480 | Top 30% | 89.7% | 16,460 |
 | University of New Hampshire Durham, NH | $16,500 | Top 20% | 77.9% | 15,300 |
 | University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI | $7,360 | Top 20% | 68.5% | 13,400 |
 | Illinois State University Normal, IL | $12,573 | Top 20% | 74% | 17,200 |
 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK | $5,092 | Top 30% | 78.9% | 17,200 |
 | Fitchburg State College Fitchburg, MA | $8,985 | Top 10% | 72.1% | 6,888 |
 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA | $8,790 | Top 20% | 66.3% | 6,400 |
 | University of Memphis Memphis, TN | $7,900 | Top 20% | 64.7% | 22,200 |
 | University of South Alabama Mobile, AL | $8,150 | Top 30% | 87.2% | 14,600 |
 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | $6,450 | Top 50% | 85.1% | 29,700 |
 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA | $6,300 | Top 30% | 84.9% | 9,450 |
 | Louisiana State University–Alexandria Alexandria, LA | $4,600 | Top 20% | 61.1% | 2,400 |
| 51 | California State University–Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | $6,792 | Top 10% | 67% | 8,720 |
| 52 | Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH | $7,712 | Top 30% | 86.7% | 13,800 |
| 53 | Worcester State University Worcester, MA | $8,157 | Top 5% | 68.1% | 6,200 |
| 54 | California State University–Stanislaus Turlock, CA | $6,664 | Top 30% | 72.2% | 8,900 |
| 55 | Ball State University Muncie, IN | $9,300 | Top 20% | 61.2% | 21,000 |
| 56 | University of South Carolina–Columbia Columbia, SC | $10,800 | Top 20% | 60.6% | 31,300 |
| 57 | Morehead State University Morehead, KY | $7,500 | Top 50% | 84.5% | 11,100 |
| 58 | Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT | $5,924 | Top 5% | 57.2% | 8,300 |
| 59 | Weber State University Ogden, UT | $4,800 | Top 50% | 100% | 26,500 |
| 60 | Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA | $8,582 | Top 20% | 67.6% | 9,950 |
| 61 | University of Maryland–College Park College Park, MD | $9,200 | Top 20% | 46.8% | 37,200 |
| 62 | University of Washington Seattle, WA | $12,383 | Top 20% | 59% | 42,500 |
| 63 | University of Evansville Evansville, IN | $10,000 | Top 10% | 80% | 34,000 |
| 64 | Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY | $8,722 | Top 50% | 92.3% | 21,100 |
| 65 | Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN | $34,600 | Top 5% | 84.8% | 1,450 |
| 66 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | $6,263 | Top 50% | 44.1% | 49,900 |
| 67 | Indian River State College Fort Pierce, FL | $2,760 | Top 50% | 100% | 17,800 |
| 68 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA | $9,100 | Top 20% | 61% | 15,400 |
| 69 | Radford University Radford, VA | $9,026 | Top 30% | 76.4% | 9,500 |
| 70 | Metropolitan State College of Denver Denver, CO | $6,400 | Top 30% | 71.3% | 23,300 |
| 71 | University of Colorado–Denver Denver, CO | $7,500 | Top 50% | 75.9% | 22,400 |
| 72 | University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL | $6,380 | Top 20% | 52% | 16,201 |
| 73 | University of Louisville Louisville, KY | $9,750 | Top 30% | 76.3% | 21,300 |
| 74 | Auburn University Auburn University, AL | $9,880 | Top 50% | 77.4% | 16,500 |
| 75 | California State University–Chico Chico, CA | $8,900 | Top 50% | 79.2% | 16,470 |
| 76 | Clemson University Clemson, SC | $13,400 | Top 20% | 57.9% | 20,770 |
| 77 | Washburn University Topeka, KS | $5,780 | Top 50% | 95.5% | 7,200 |
| 78 | Lamar University Beaumont, TX | $9,050 | Top 50% | 88.3% | 14,300 |
| 79 | West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX | $6,990 | Top 30% | 69.4% | 7,900 |
| 80 | Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN | $34,760 | Top 5% | 79.6% | 4,080 |
| 81 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | $6,300 | Top 20% | 62.5% | 59,760 |
| 82 | Rutgers Camden Regional Campus Camden, NJ | $13,430 | Top 20% | 80% | 6,350 |
| 83 | Murray State University Murray, KY | $6,840 | Top 50% | 82.2% | 10,800 |
| 84 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS | $6,927 | Top 50% | 95.2% | 14,890 |
| 85 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA | $14,400 | Top 30% | 67.2% | 36,700 |
| 86 | Indiana University Southeast New Albany, IN | $6,700 | Top 30% | 77.9% | 6,900 |
| 87 | University of Nevada–Reno Reno, NV | $6,150 | Top 50% | 83% | 18,230 |
| 88 | University of Texas–El Paso El Paso, TX | $7,020 | Top 50% | 99.8% | 22,800 |
| 89 | University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM | $7,300 | Top 50% | 64.6% | 29,000 |
| 90 | University of Massachuetts–Amherst Amherst, M | $13,258 | Top 30% | 62.6% | 28,200 |
| 91 | Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN | $7,160 | Top 50% | 85.7% | 10,600 |
| 92 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY | $8,400 | Top 5% | 46.7% | 15,630 |
| 93 | Missouri Western State University St. Joseph, MO | $6,500 | Top 50% | 100% | 6,060 |
| 94 | Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS | $5,850 | Top 50% | 79.3% | 7,480 |
| 95 | Louisiana College Pineville, LA | $14,520 | Top 20% | 73.9% | 1,260 |
| 96 | Indiana University South Bend South Bend, IN | $6,800 | Top 30% | 57.3% | 8,500 |
| 97 | Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Galloway, NJ | $12,000 | Top 5% | 57.3% | 8,400 |
| 98 | Winston-Salem State University Salem, MA | $8,050 | Top 20% | 69.3% | 9,400 |
| 99 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA | $36,530 | Top 5% | 73.6% | 3,470 |
| 100 | Texas State University–San Marcos San Marcos, TX | $9,200 | Top 50% | 76.6% | 34,200 |
With over 700 bachelor nursing degree programs offered in the United States, finding and selecting the right program can be a daunting task. It’s important that prospective nursing students do their due diligence to determine which programs are a good match for their needs and career ambitions. When selecting a nursing school there are several factors you should consider.
However, before you can decide which nursing school is going to serve your career objective, you have to know what your career objectives are. Do you want to start as a licensed practice nurse (LPN)? If so, you can get started with a diploma or associate degree from an accredited program. However, if you want to launch your career as a registered nurse (RN) you’ll want to earn either an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or preferably a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which will allow you further your education down the road.
Some of the general factors to consider when selecting a nursing program, once you’ve determined which degree path to pursue, include the following:
- Nursing school specialties. Certain schools offer specific degrees and specialties. If your goal is to become a registered nurse, then you’ll want to research accredited schools that provide associate and bachelor degree programs that will prepare you to pass the NCLEX exam. If you want to become a nurse practitioner, then you’ll want to find schools that offer specific programs in the nursing specialty you’re interested in.
- Accreditation. Earning your nursing degree at an accredited program will ensure you receive an education that meets industry standards. There are general nursing education accrediting organizations as well as associations that offer nursing accreditation for specialized education programs. Nursing school accrediting organizations include The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), which accredits all levels of nursing education, The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which accredits only bachelor’s and master’s level nursing degrees, The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), which accredits nurse anesthesia programs, and The American College of Nurse-Midwives Division of Accreditation (ACNM), which, as its name suggests, accredits midwifery education programs.
- NCLEX examination pass-rates. At the end of the day, if you want to become a licensed registered nurse (RN), you have to pass the NCLEX examination. When selecting a nursing program, you’ll want to find out what percentage of a school’s students typically pass this exam. Ask the school for the past 5 to 10 years of NCLEX exam pass rates of their students. A school with a high pass rate is a good indicator that they prepare their students well.
- Tuition. The cost of tuition for attending a nursing program can vary dramatically from school to school. Financial aid and assistance also varies between schools. Attending a more expensive nursing program doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get a better education or higher paying job. The average rate of tuition per semester for full-time instate students is roughly $860 to $1,020.
- Clinical rotations. Does the program you’re considering provide a substantial amount of clinical rotation time? Do the clinical rotations provide hands-on experience? Are the clinical placements varied? If not, you may want to consider a different program. The best place to find out about the quality of a program’s clinical rotations is from previous students.
- Size of school. Size doesn’t necessarily need to be a determinant in your decision making process–but it is something to consider. Do you prefer smaller schools where you receive more personal attention, or the intellectual stimulation of a larger institution, such as a four-year college or university. There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just a matter of personal preference.
- Class size. When researching prospective programs, you’ll want to find out about the student-to-faculty ratio. The student-to-faculty ratio is a good indicator of how much personalized attention you can expect to receive in the classroom and in clinical instruction. While it doesn’t really matter how large the classes are for your prerequisite courses, when it comes to your core nursing courses and clinical rotations, smaller class sizes are better.
- Location of school. Location is a factor to consider when selecting any college or university to attend. If location is a factor for you, you’ll want to limit your search the region where you want to study. Earning your nursing degree in area where you want to work once you graduate can also be advantageous. You can start your job search while you’re still finishing your degree and the school you attend may have established relationships with employers in the area.