By Staff Writer
Updated: June 17, 2022

The Best Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN) Programs in the US

Best Nursing Schools 2021

Find the best nursing schools in the United States. One of the best measures of a nursing school’s ability to prepare its students to become a practicing nurse is to look at an institutions first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. We went directly to each state board of nursing to find, report and rank the the best BSN degree programs in the country.

Find the BSN nursing schools that will best prepare you for your RN licensing exam and beyond as you enter your nursing nursing career.

We compiled the first-time NCLEX passing for more than 936 BSN Degree programs across the United States for as many as 7 years running.

Best Nursing Schools In the United States – BSN

Grade
University
State Rank
US Rank
City
State
100.00 Ohio Northern University 1 1 Ada OH
100.00 Trinity Christian College 1 1 Palos Heights IL
100.00 Berea College 1 1 Berea KY
100.00 College of the Ozarks 1 1 Point Lookout MO
100.00 Muskingum University 1 1 New Concord OH
100.00 Bethany Lutheran College 1 1 Mankato MN
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
98.33 Southern Connecticut State University 1 21 New Haven CT
98.28 The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing 2 21 Galveston TX
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
98.15 West Liberty University 1 29 West Liberty WV
97.92 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 1 29 Ann Arbor MI
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
96.97 Wheeling University BA-BS To BSN Program 3 53 Wheeling WV
97.39 The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 6 53 San Antonio TX
97.37 California State University-Chico 9 54 Chico CA
97.31 Southeastern Louisiana University 6 55 Hammond LA
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
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
97.22 Oklahoma Wesleyan University 1 68 Bartlesville OK
96.88 The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston 9 68 Houston TX
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
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
96.17 Metropolitan State University of Denver (TNO) 1 85 Denver CO
96.43 Kennesaw State University 2 85 Kennesaw GA
96.28 California State University-Los Angeles 13 86 Los Angeles CA
96.05 Union College 3 86 Lincoln NE
96.33 Tennessee Technological University 5 86 Cookeville TN
96.33 Liberty University 3 87 Lynchburg VA
96.41 The University of Tampa 2 88 Tampa FL
96.43 Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe 1 89 Tempe AZ
96.02 Rio Hondo College 14 89 Whittier CA
96.15 Missouri State University-Springfield 2 90 Springfield MO
96.20 James Madison University 4 90 Harrisonburg VA
95.83 Clarkson College 4 91 Omaha NE
96.00 Bakersfield College 15 92 Bakersfield CA
95.80 University of Iowa 4 93 Iowa City IA
96.01 Clemson University 3 94 Clemson SC
95.90 Bethel College-Indiana 4 95 Mishawaka IN
95.94 Texas Christian University 12 96 Fort Worth TX
96.00 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth 3 96 North Dartmouth MA
95.73 Shenandoah University -Eleanor Wade Custer 5 97 Winchester VA
95.82 West Virginia University Institute of Technology 5 98 Beckley WV
95.65 Chamberlain University-California 16 99 Rancho Cordova CA
95.93 University of Arizona 2 100 Tucson AZ
95.61 Oral Roberts University 2 101 Tulsa OK
95.70 San Diego State University 17 102 San Diego CA
95.46 Texas A & M International University 13 103 Laredo TX
95.67 Simmons College 4 103 Boston MA
95.60 St. John Fisher College 2 104 Rochester NY
95.22 Medical University of South Carolina 4 105 Charleston SC
95.49 Southern Utah University 2 106 Cedar City UT
95.33 Morehead State University 5 107 Morehead KY
95.33 Northern Kentucky University 5 107 Highland Heights KY
95.33 Fairfield University 5 108 Fairfield CT
95.70 Cedar Crest College 6 109 Allentown PA
95.52 Drexel University 6 109 Philadelphia PA
95.56 Villanova University 6 109 Villanova PA
95.59 Baker University 1 110 Baldwin City KS
95.67 Western Kentucky University-Bowling Green 6 111 Bowling Green KY
95.53 Nazareth College 3 112 Rochester NY
95.44 University of Missouri-Kansas City 3 113 Kansas City MO
94.88 Coe College 5 114 Cedar Rapids IA
97.14 Bloomfield College 1 114 Bloomfield NJ
95.30 Northwestern State University of Louisiana 8 115 Natchitoches LA
95.38 Texas A & M University-Commerce 14 115 Commerce TX
95.23 The University of Texas at Austin 15 116 Austin TX
95.65 Rutgers University-New Brunswick 2 116 New Brunswick NJ
95.51 California State University-Channel Islands 18 117 Camarillo CA
95.10 University of Saint Mary 2 118 Leavenworth KS
94.85 Concordia College at Moorhead 2 118 Moorhead MN
95.15 Grand Valley State University 2 118 Allendale MI
95.10 Northern Arizona University 3 119 Flagstaff AZ
95.37 Hampton University 6 120 Hampton VA
95.06 Marshall University 6 120 WV
94.95 Texas Woman's University 16 121 Denton TX
95.06 Simpson University 19 122 Redding CA
94.67 Western Illinois University 4 123 Macomb IL
95.00 Murray State University 7 123 Murray KY
95.03 Nevada State College 1 124 Henderson NV
94.67 Westfield State University 5 125 Westfield MA
94.85 Bethel University 3 126 Saint Paul MN
94.78 College of Coastal Georgia 3 127 Brunswick GA
94.75 Hope College 3 128 Holland MI
94.86 University of New England 1 129 Biddeford ME
94.88 Mississippi College 7 130 Clinton MS
95.01 Eastern University 7 131 Saint Davids PA
94.57 Chamberlain College 5 132 Indianapolis IN
95.05 Gonzaga University 1 132 Spokane WA
94.74 Truman State University 4 133 Kirksville MO
94.98 Rhode Island College 1 133 Providence RI
94.79 West Texas A & M University 17 135 Canyon TX
94.67 Union University 6 136 Jackson TN
94.67 MGH Institute of Health Professions 6 136 Boston MA
94.52 Lewis-Clark State College 1 137 Lewiston ID
94.66 Saint Joseph's College of Maine 2 137 Standish ME
94.75 University of Northwestern-St Paul 4 137 Saint Paul MN
94.33 Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences 7 138 Memphis TN
94.73 University of California-Los Angeles 20 138 Los Angeles CA
94.43 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania 8 139 Bloomsburg PA
94.44 Maranatha Baptist University (Maranatha Baptist Bible Col.) 1 140 WI
94.46 Modesto Junior College 21 141 Modesto CA
94.34 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 18 142 Belton TX
94.45 University of Maine at Orono 3 143 Orono ME
94.26 Antelope Valley College 22 144 Lancaster CA
94.33 Fitchburg State University 7 144 Fitchburg MA
94.16 Northwest University 2 145 Kirkland WA
94.36 University of Nebraska Medical Center 5 146 Omaha NE
94.13 Salisbury University 1 147 Salisbury MD
94.40 Grand Canyon University 4 148 Phoenix AZ
94.24 University of South Carolina-Aiken 5 149 Aiken SC
94.01 University of Central Oklahoma - Edmond 3 150 Edmond OK
94.00 John Brown University 3 150 Siloam Springs AR
94.33 The University of Tennessee Health Science Center 8 150 Memphis TN
93.92 The University of West Florida 3 151 Pensacola FL
94.22 Pittsburg State University 3 152 Pittsburg KS
93.78 Benedictine College 4 153 Atchison KS
93.93 Baylor University 19 154 Waco TX
94.07 Angelo State University 20 155 San Angelo TX
94.33 Millikin University 5 156 Decatur IL
94.33 Austin Peay State University 9 156 Clarksville TN
94.00 Indiana University-Kokomo 6 157 Kokomo IN
93.86 DeSales University 9 158 Center Valley PA
93.93 Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing 7 159 Richmond VA
93.62 Oregon Health and Science University - Accelerated Portland 1 160 Portland OR
93.06 Belhaven University 8 161 Jackson MS
93.80 Creighton University 6 162 Omaha NE
93.65 Mount Mercy University 6 163 Cedar Rapids IA
93.72 Georgia Southwestern State University 4 164 Americus GA
93.82 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania 10 165 Edinboro PA
94.00 The University of Tennessee-Martin 10 166 Martin TN
93.86 Missouri Western State University 5 167 Saint Joseph MO
93.66 The University of Texas at Tyler 21 168 Tyler TX
93.41 University of Northern Colorado 2 169 Greeley CO
93.06 Albany State University 5 170 Albany GA
93.57 Ball State University 7 171 Muncie IN
93.61 Duquesne University 11 172 Pittsburgh PA
93.02 Carroll College 1 173 Helena MT
93.67 Lipscomb University 11 174 Nashville TN
93.33 Endicott College 8 174 Beverly MA
93.58 Denver College of Nursing 3 175 Denver CO
93.52 Dickinson State University 3 176 Dickinson ND
93.20 Emporia State University 5 177 Emporia KS
93.40 Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas 2 178 Las Vegas NV
93.07 Adams State University 4 179 Alamosa CO
93.61 University of Nevada-Las Vegas 3 180 Las Vegas NV
93.18 California State University-San Bernardino 23 181 San Bernardino CA
93.16 Chamberlain University 5 181 Phoenix AZ
93.33 Arkansas State University - Jonesboro 4 182 Jonesboro AR
93.22 University of Scranton 12 182 Scranton PA
92.93 North Dakota State University (Combined NDSU Fargo campus and NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health Bismarck) 4 183 Fargo ND
93.33 Curry College 9 185 Milton MA
93.32 Anderson University 6 186 Anderson SC
92.48 Western NM University/BSN 1 186 Silver City NM
93.15 Winona State University 5 187 Winona MN
92.97 University of Portland 2 188 Portland OR
93.37 University of Missouri-Columbia 6 189 Columbia MO
92.93 St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton 7 190 Fenton MO
92.80 The University of Texas at Arlington 22 191 Arlington TX
92.33 University of Evansville 8 192 Evansville IN
93.24 University of Hawaii - Maui College 2 193 Kahului HI
93.15 University of Delaware 1 194 Newark DE
92.39 Shasta College 24 195 Redding CA
92.68 Bob Jones University 7 196 Greenville SC
92.70 California State University-Fresno 25 197 Fresno CA
92.61 Walla Walla University 3 198 College Place WA
91.67 Kansas Wesleyan University 6 199 Salina KS
92.69 Michigan State University 4 200 East Lansing MI
92.20 Dixie State University 3 201 Saint George UT
92.33 Boston College 10 202 Chestnut Hill MA
92.67 Bradley University 6 202 Peoria IL
92.89 Texas Lutheran University 23 202 Seguin TX
92.80 Anderson University 9 203 Anderson IN
92.22 Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies 8 203 Fayette MO
92.67 Loyola University - Chicago 7 204 Chicago IL
92.55 Wayne State University 5 204 Detroit MI
92.46 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 24 204 Edinburg TX
92.53 Chamberlain College of Nursing 9 205 St. Louis MO
92.67 Georgia Gwinnett College 6 206 Lawrenceville GA
92.48 Florida State University 4 207 Tallahassee FL
92.36 Brigham Young University Idaho 2 208 Rexburg ID
92.33 Middle Tennessee State University 12 209 Murfreesboro TN
92.55 Utah Valley University 4 210 Orem UT
92.33 Bellarmine University 8 211 Louisville KY
92.33 University of Massachusetts-Amherst 11 212 Amherst MA
92.16 University of Pittsburgh-Bradford 13 213 Bradford PA
92.32 Abilene Christian University 25 214 Abilene TX
92.33 Western Connecticut State University 6 215 Danbury CT
92.34 Research College of Nursing 10 216 Kansas City MO
92.57 Oklahoma Baptist University 4 217 Shawnee OK
92.10 Santa Monica College 26 218 Santa Monica CA
92.07 Francis Marion University 8 219 Florence SC
92.27 La Salle University 14 220 Philadelphia PA
91.67 Dominican University 8 221 River Forest IL
92.34 MidAmerica Nazarene University 7 222 Olathe KS
92.33 University of Arkansas at Little Rock 5 223 Little Rock AR
91.80 University of Utah College of Nursing 5 224 Salt Lake City UT
92.33 Northern Illinois University 9 225 Dekalb IL
92.02 University of Central Missouri 11 226 Warrensburg MO
92.33 Milligan University 13 226 Milligan TN
91.93 Nicholls State University 9 227 Thibodaux LA
91.77 SUNY College at Plattsburgh 4 228 Plattsburgh NY
92.23 Pacific Union College 27 229 Angwin CA
92.18 Emory University 7 230 Atlanta GA
92.10 University of St Francis 10 231 Fort Wayne IN
91.70 Maryville University of Saint Louis 12 232 Saint Louis MO
91.87 Goshen College 11 233 Goshen IN
91.92 California State University-East Bay 28 234 Hayward CA
91.45 College of St Benedict/St John's University 6 235 Saint Joseph MN
91.60 Marymount University 8 236 Arlington VA
91.69 University of Nevada-Reno 4 238 Reno NV
90.98 Westminster College 6 239 Salt Lake City UT
91.59 Seattle Pacific University 4 240 Seattle WA
91.97 West Coast University-Miami 5 241 Doral FL
91.67 Henderson State University - Arkadelphia 6 242 Arkadelphia AR
91.33 Kentucky Christian University 9 243 Grayson KY
91.62 Piedmont College 8 244 Demorest GA
91.68 Immaculata University 15 244 Immaculata PA
91.52 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania 16 245 Mansfield PA
91.64 University of Washington 5 246 Seattle WA
91.27 Saint Cloud State University 7 247 Saint Cloud MN
91.25 Neumann University 17 248 Aston PA
91.32 Indiana University of Pennsylvania 17 248 Indiana PA
91.26 Georgia State University 9 249 Atlanta GA
91.50 Indiana Wesleyan University 12 250 Marion IN
91.50 Western Michigan University 6 250 Kalamazoo MI
91.57 Calvin College 7 251 Grand Rapids MI
91.47 Colorado State University-Pueblo 5 252 Pueblo CO
91.03 Solano Community College 30 253 Fairfield CA
91.33 Molloy College 5 254 Rockville Centre NY
91.40 Stockton University 4 255 Galloway NJ
91.28 Chaminade University of Honolulu 3 255 Honolulu HI
91.40 Lamar University 26 256 Beaumont TX
91.49 Avila University 13 257 Kansas City MO
90.42 Trinity Washington University 3 258 Washington DC
91.24 University of California-Irvine 31 259 Irvine CA
94.98 Thomas Edison State College 5 260 Trenton NJ
91.15 Saginaw Valley State University 8 261 University Center MI
91.00 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis 13 262 Indianapolis IN
91.10 NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing 6 262 New York NY
90.67 Bay State College 12 262 Boston MA
91.15 Chamberlain University-Nevada 5 263 Las Vegas NV
90.90 Loma Linda University 32 264 Loma Linda CA
91.31 William Paterson University of New Jersey 6 265 Wayne NJ
91.29 Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi 27 266 Corpus Christi TX
91.23 Valparaiso University 14 267 Valparaiso IN
90.85 Gannon University 18 268 Erie PA
90.90 Sentara College of Health Sciences 9 269 Chesapeake VA
90.83 South University 28 270 Austin TX
90.41 Chamberlain College of Nursing - Houston 29 271 Houston TX
90.50 Bethune-Cookman University 6 272 Daytona Beach FL
90.53 West Coast University-Dallas 30 273 Dallas TX
91.09 Delaware Technical Community College-Terry 2 274 Dover DE
91.00 University of Central Arkansas - Conway 7 275 Conway AR
90.96 Santa Ana College 33 275 Santa Ana CA
90.54 Boise State University 3 276 Boise ID
90.80 Wilkes University 19 276 Wilkes-Barre PA
90.70 Old Dominion University 10 277 Norfolk VA
90.67 University of Louisville-Louisville 10 278 Louisville KY
91.00 Carson-Newman University 14 279 Jefferson City TN
90.56 AmeriTech College-Draper 7 280 Draper UT
90.60 Linfield College-School of Nursing 3 281 Portland OR
90.55 Minot State University 5 282 Minot ND
90.52 Georgian Court University 7 283 Lakewood NJ
90.80 Samuel Merritt University 35 284 Oakland CA
90.75 Jacksonville University 7 285 Jacksonville FL
90.50 Virginia Commonwealth University 11 285 Richmond VA
90.79 Southeast Missouri State University 14 286 Cape Girardeau MO
90.69 Cox College 15 287 Springfield MO
90.00 Plymouth State University 4 288 Plymouth NH
90.80 Berry College 10 289 Mount Berry GA
90.69 Alvernia University 20 290 Reading PA
90.00 Bethel University 15 291 McKenzie TN
90.66 University of Minnesota-Duluth 8 292 Duluth MN
90.18 Glendale Career College 36 293 Glendale CA
90.67 Tennessee Wesleyan College 16 295 Athens TN
90.53 University of Rochester School of Nursing 7 296 Rochester NY
90.30 Oakland University 9 297 Rochester Hills MI
90.03 Hartwick College 8 299 Oneonta NY
90.33 Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville 10 300 Edwardsville IL
90.25 Florida Atlantic University 8 303 Boca Raton FL
90.29 Wayland Baptist University 31 312 Plainview TX

Source: The state Board of Nursing (BON) from each state, and each nursing school’s website. See our ranking methodology.

Best Nursing Schools Ranked State-by-State – BSN

View all BSN Degree Program rankings by state using the map below.

  • Total BSN Degree Programs: 936
  • Ranked BSN Degree Programs: 740

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View the Best ADN programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology.

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Sources: 50 State Boards of Nursing, University Websites, U.S. Department of Education, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ranking Methodology.