Guide to RN Nursing School Rankings and Careers
From your potential earnings to selecting the right nursing school, our RN Nursing School Guides give prospective students a much-needed compass for their first or next chapter in their nursing careers. We provide a wealth of information for aspiring nursing professions at all stages of their career. Our database includes campus, online and hybrid nursing schools that offer programs from the certificate level all the way through to earning a Ph.D.
Our editorial team of nurse educators, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and practical nurses explain how to choose the perfect program for you, and we provide the data and information we wish we had when searching for and applying to our nursing program(s). We write about the hard-won knowledge on how to succeed once you become a practicing nurse, specific details on the nursing school application process, scholarships and more.
Become an RN Nurse
RNs are qualified to assess patients health status, administer medications and initiate treatment plans, evaluate outcomes, make recommendations, provide patient education, and work as a part of a healthcare team to optimize patient well-being.
RNs play a key role in making decisions for patients that can have positive impacts on their healthcare. As one of the most trusted professions, RNs are often seen as patient advocates.
Go Beyond – NP, MSN, DNP
Being an RN is a rewarding career that many people love. But it is also not the end point. If you want to advance your RN Career, you can further your education by earning one of 100+ specialty RN certificates or degrees, earn your MSN or DNP degree in nursing.
With these degrees you can work as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), a Nurse Practitioner (NP) go into research or teaching and play a pivotal role in advancing healthcare.
Online BSN Programs Liked by Registered Nurses
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
2022 Best Nursing Schools
7th Annual Best Ranked Nursing Schools in America
Let’s be real. Googling nursing programs can lead your down a rabbit hole of information that is tough to sort through. That’s why we have created our nursing school rankings to help you understand the various programs out there. Now you can make an educated decision about what program will best fit your lifestyle and background.
Using NCLEX first-time exam pass rates, program accreditation, number of students taking the exam, and other key data, we ranked every CCNE, ACEN, and state-approved nursing programs throughout the country. You now have a clear and transparent view into what matters to you most when it comes to deciding which nursing program(s) to apply to.
Sources for our rankings include the State Board of Nursing (BON) from each state, each nursing school’s website and the IPEDS. See our ranking methodology.
Grade
|
University
|
State Rank
|
US Rank
|
City
|
State
|
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100.00 | Berea College | 1 | 1 | Berea | KY | |
100.00 | Trinity Christian College | 1 | 1 | Palos Heights | IL | |
100.00 | College of the Ozarks | 1 | 1 | Point Lookout | MO | |
100.00 | Ohio Northern University | 1 | 1 | Ada | OH | |
100.00 | Bethany Lutheran College | 1 | 1 | Mankato | MN | |
100.00 | Muskingum University | 1 | 1 | New Concord | OH | |
99.80 | University of Mississippi | 1 | 2 | University | MS | |
99.47 | Mississippi University for Women | 2 | 3 | Columbus | MS | |
99.39 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 1 | 4 | Columbia | SC | |
99.29 | California State University-Long Beach | 1 | 5 | Long Beach | CA | |
99.21 | University of Hawaii @ Manoa-MEPN | 1 | 6 | Honolulu | HI | |
98.99 | Saint Anselm College | 1 | 7 | Manchester | NH | |
99.01 | Fransciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University | 1 | 8 | Baton Rouge | LA | |
99.12 | Messiah University | 1 | 9 | Mechanicsburg | PA | |
99.01 | The Catholic University of America | 1 | 10 | Washington | DC | |
99.01 | University of New Hampshire (DEMN), Durham | 2 | 11 | Durham | NH | |
99.00 | Worcester State College (WSU) | 1 | 12 | Worcester | MA | |
98.99 | Colby-Sawyer College | 3 | 13 | New London | NH | |
98.96 | Georgetown University | 2 | 14 | Washington | DC | |
98.87 | University of the Incarnate Word | 1 | 15 | San Antonio | TX | |
98.67 | Lindsey Wilson College | 2 | 16 | Columbia | KY | |
98.69 | University of Southern Mississippi | 3 | 17 | Hattiesburg | MS | |
98.68 | California State University-Stanislaus | 2 | 18 | Turlock | CA | |
98.33 | Saint Anthony College of Nursing | 2 | 19 | Rockford | IL | |
98.45 | University of Holy Cross | 2 | 20 | New Orleans | LA | |
98.28 | The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing | 2 | 21 | Galveston | TX | |
98.33 | Southern Connecticut State University | 1 | 21 | New Haven | CT | |
98.40 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 1 | 22 | Fort Myers | FL | |
98.33 | University of Kentucky | 3 | 23 | Lexington | KY | |
98.26 | Delta State University | 4 | 24 | Cleveland | MS | |
98.23 | Concordia College | 1 | 25 | Bronxville | NY | |
98.15 | Sonoma State University | 3 | 26 | Rohnert Park | CA | |
98.07 | California State University-Bakersfield | 4 | 27 | Bakersfield | CA | |
98.00 | Radford University (Roanoke) | 1 | 27 | Radford | VA | |
98.00 | Harding University - Searcy | 1 | 28 | Searcy | AR | |
97.92 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 1 | 29 | Ann Arbor | MI | |
98.15 | West Liberty University | 1 | 29 | West Liberty | WV | |
97.92 | University of Dubuque | 1 | 30 | Dubuque | IA | |
97.71 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 3 | 31 | Lafayette | LA | |
97.80 | University of Southern Indiana | 1 | 32 | Evansville | IN | |
97.91 | Western Governors University | 1 | 33 | Salt Lake City | UT | |
97.75 | California State University-Sacramento | 5 | 34 | Sacramento | CA | |
97.87 | Concordia University Irvine | 6 | 35 | Irvine | CA | |
97.84 | California State University-Fullerton | 7 | 36 | Fullerton | CA | |
97.67 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 2 | 37 | Lowell | MA | |
97.53 | McNeese State University | 4 | 38 | Lake Charles | LA | |
97.84 | Mira Costa College | 8 | 38 | Oceanside | CA | |
97.67 | Sacred Heart University | 2 | 39 | Fairfield | CT | |
97.53 | Indiana University-Northwest | 2 | 40 | Gary | IN | |
97.33 | Northwestern College | 2 | 41 | Orange City | IA | |
97.56 | West Virginia University | 2 | 42 | Morgantown | WV | |
97.59 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 3 | 43 | El Paso | TX | |
97.60 | William Carey University | 5 | 44 | Hattiesburg | MS | |
97.67 | Central Connecticut State University | 3 | 45 | New Britain | CT | |
97.53 | Purdue University | 3 | 46 | West Lafayette | IN | |
97.56 | Concordia University-Texas | 4 | 47 | Austin | TX | |
97.36 | Allen College | 3 | 48 | Waterloo | IA | |
97.32 | Lander University | 2 | 49 | Greenwood | SC | |
97.38 | Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Science Center | 5 | 50 | New Orleans | LA | |
97.52 | Bryan Health College | 1 | 51 | Lincoln | NE | |
97.62 | Alcorn State University | 6 | 52 | Alcorn State | MS | |
97.62 | LeTourneau University | 5 | 52 | Longview | TX | |
97.39 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | 6 | 53 | San Antonio | TX | |
96.97 | Wheeling University BA-BS To BSN Program | 3 | 53 | Wheeling | WV | |
97.37 | California State University-Chico | 9 | 54 | Chico | CA | |
97.31 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 6 | 55 | Hammond | LA | |
33.33 | Baldwin Wallace University | 2 | 56 | Berea | OH | |
97.00 | University of Saint Joseph | 4 | 57 | West Hartford | CT | |
97.05 | Sam Houston State University | 7 | 58 | Huntsville | TX | |
97.20 | University of Charleston | 4 | 59 | Charleston | WV | |
97.13 | Stephen F Austin State University | 8 | 60 | Nacogdoches | TX | |
97.23 | University of North Georgia | 1 | 61 | Dahlonega | GA | |
97.22 | Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | 2 | 61 | Omaha | NE | |
64.37 | Augustana University | 1 | 62 | Sioux Falls | MA | |
97.23 | Longwood University | 2 | 63 | Farmville | VA | |
97.00 | Lee University | 1 | 64 | Cleveland | TN | |
97.00 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus - Magnolia | 2 | 65 | Magnolia | AR | |
97.09 | Saint Francis University | 2 | 66 | Loretto | PA | |
96.97 | California State University-San Marcos | 10 | 67 | San Marcos | CA | |
96.88 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | 9 | 68 | Houston | TX | |
97.22 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 1 | 68 | Bartlesville | OK | |
97.00 | Eastern Kentucky University | 4 | 69 | Richmond | KY | |
96.73 | Carlow University | 3 | 70 | Pittsburgh | PA | |
96.75 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | 10 | 71 | Lubbock | TX | |
96.56 | University of San Diego/Hahn | 11 | 72 | San Diego | CA | |
97.00 | Freed-Hardeman University | 2 | 73 | Henderson | TN | |
64.52 | University of Sioux Falls | 2 | 74 | Sioux Falls | SD | |
96.39 | University of Mary | 1 | 75 | Bismarck | ND | |
96.33 | Cumberland University | 3 | 76 | Lebanon | TN | |
96.50 | Stanbridge University | 12 | 77 | Irvine | CA | |
96.72 | Waynesburg University | 4 | 78 | Waynesburg | PA | |
96.67 | Lincoln Memorial University | 4 | 79 | Harrogate | TN | |
96.57 | Pennsylvania College of Technology | 5 | 80 | Williamsport | PA | |
96.37 | University of North Dakota | 2 | 81 | Grand Forks | ND | |
96.33 | Lewis University | 3 | 82 | Romeoville | IL | |
96.35 | University of Louisiana Monroe | 7 | 83 | Monroe | LA | |
96.67 | East Texas Baptist University | 11 | 84 | Marshall | TX | |
96.43 | Kennesaw State University | 2 | 85 | Kennesaw | GA | |
96.17 | Metropolitan State University of Denver (TNO) | 1 | 85 | Denver | CO | |
96.05 | Union College | 3 | 86 | Lincoln | NE |
RN Nursing Schools Recommended by Us
Beyond an RN Nursing Career
Explore High Paying, In-Demand Nursing Degrees
Becoming a RN Nurse can offer you a lifetime of opportunities. You never have to worry about being stuck in a career specialty you don’t like because you will always have the flexibility to change it up — something not everyone can say about their profession. You can specialize, become a clinical nurse specialist, a nursing administrator, nurse educator, conduct research, become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and more. Check out some of our most popular guides to see the possibilities yourself:
MSN Programs Reommeded by Our Education Experts
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
RN Nursing School Scorecard
By aggregating information from 1,042 ADN and 936 BSN accredited nursing schools and combining the school data with 100,000 data points, prospective nursing students the data they need to make a sound decision about the best nursing school to attend. RNCareers.org empowers prospective nursing students with real-time information taken from the sources – the institutions themselves and the U.S. Department of Education. We pride ourselves on providing the most accurate up-to-date information about nursing programs.
RN Nursing School Comparison: ADN vs BSN
Compare ADN to BSN Programs | Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) | Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN) |
---|---|---|
Number of Nursing Programs | 1,042 | 936 |
Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 85.48% | 87.22% |
NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 22.50% to 186.10% | 42.50% to 100.00% |
Average Net Price | $9,169.31 | $17,218.69 |
Average Net Price Range | $61.00 to $41,243.00 | $1,846.00 to $39,975.00 |
Average Student Loan | $8,833.57 | $18,429.83 |
Average Student Loan Range | $1,325.00 to $28,333.00 | $3,125.00 to $42,625.00 |
Average Annual Salary | $65,470 | $71,730 |
See Additional Detail | Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Programs | Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN) |
Recent Articles
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Popular Articles
Delve into some of our most popular articles and data about nursing schools.
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- Transfer your RN License to Another State
NCLEX Practice Exams
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Take the next step toward your RN Nursing future with online degree opportunities.
Discover schools with the programs and courses you’re interested in, and start learning today.
Sources: 50 State Boards of Nursing, University Websites, U.S. Department of Education, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ranking Methodology.