Top 100 BSN Programs
One of the best measures of a nursing program’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 degree program(s) that will best prepare you for your RN licensing exam and beyond.
We compiled the first-time NCLEX passing for more than 945 BSN Degree programs across the United States for as many as 7 years running. We then complied our results and ranked the top 615 BSN Degree programs across the country. You will find the top 100 in the list below. Research the best BSN nursing schools state-by-state.
|
Rank |
University |
Based In |
NCLEX Grade |
Reporting Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Tampa | Tampa, FL | 100.00 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 1 | Saint Francis University | Loretto, PA | 100.00 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 3 | Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, NC | 99.63 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 4 | Texas State University | San Marcos, TX | 99.30 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 5 | Waynesburg University | Waynesburg, PA | 99.17 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 6 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | 99.07 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | Martin, TN | 99.00 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 8 | Ohio Northern University | Ada, OH | 98.81 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 9 | University of Houston-Victoria | Victoria, TX | 98.65 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 10 | Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights, IL | 98.52 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 11 | Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond, KY | 98.41 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 12 | University of Southern Indiana | Evansville, IN | 98.16 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 13 | Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, UT | 98.04 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 14 | Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, CT | 98.00 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 15 | Southern Connecticut State University | New Haven, CT | 97.93 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 16 | West Texas A & M University | Canyon, TX | 97.88 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 17 | Concordia University-Texas | Austin, TX | 97.86 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 18 | Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing | Richmond, VA | 97.84 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 19 | Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg, PA | 97.65 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 20 | Oregon Health & Science University | Portland, OR | 97.28 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 21 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL | 97.26 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 22 | Troy University | Troy, AL | 97.12 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 23 | Morehead State University | Morehead, KY | 97.11 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 24 | Berea College | Berea, KY | 97.04 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 25 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, LA | 96.99 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 26 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL | 96.98 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 27 | Duke University | Durham, NC | 96.93 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 28 | Utica College | Utica, NY | 96.90 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 29 | Brigham Young University-Provo | Provo, UT | 96.86 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 30 | Missouri Southern State University | Joplin, MO | 96.85 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 31 | Coe College | Cedar Rapids, IA | 96.77 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 32 | Thomas More College | Crestview Hills, KY | 96.74 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 33 | East Carolina University | Greenville, NC | 96.67 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 34 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV | 96.58 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 35 | California State University-Sacramento | Sacramento, CA | 96.57 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 36 | Helena College University of Montana | Helena, MT | 96.52 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 37 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | 96.48 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 38 | Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs, NC | 96.44 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 39 | Radford University | Radford, VA | 96.42 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 40 | Colby-Sawyer College | New London, NH | 96.38 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 41 | Augustana College | Sioux Falls, SD | 96.38 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 |
| 42 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 96.37 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 43 | Montana Tech of the University of Montana | Butte, MT | 96.30 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 44 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington, NC | 96.30 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 45 | Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | 96.26 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 46 | MacMurray College | Jacksonville, IL | 96.22 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 47 | Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville, NC | 96.15 | 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 47 | Quinnipiac University | Hamden, CT | 96.15 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 49 | Harding University | Searcy, AR | 96.09 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 50 | College of Coastal Georgia | Brunswick, GA | 96.05 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 51 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | 96.02 | 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 52 | Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, TN | 96.00 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 53 | Alvernia University | Reading, PA | 95.79 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 54 | Missouri State University-Springfield | Springfield, MO | 95.69 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 55 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA | 95.62 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 56 | Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, CT | 95.56 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 57 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | 95.50 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 58 | Truman State University | Kirksville, MO | 95.46 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 59 | Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 95.44 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 60 | University of Louisiana-Monroe | Monroe, LA | 95.40 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 60 | University of Louisiana-Monroe | Monroe, LA | 95.40 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 62 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | 95.37 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 63 | Sentara College of Health Sciences | Chesapeake, VA | 95.35 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 64 | Bethel University | McKenzie, TN | 95.33 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 65 | Saint Anselm College | Manchester, NH | 95.32 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 66 | Cedar Crest College | Allentown, PA | 95.32 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 67 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | Buckhannon, WV | 95.26 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 68 | Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, KY | 95.22 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 68 | Saint Anthony College of Nursing | Rockford, IL | 95.22 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 70 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Houston, TX | 95.12 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 71 | Eastern University | Saint Davids, PA | 95.12 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 72 | Nevada State College | Henderson, NV | 94.74 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 73 | Anderson University | Anderson, IN | 94.70 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 74 | Dickinson State University | Dickinson, ND | 94.69 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 75 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL | 94.67 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 76 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | 94.63 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 77 | Baylor University | Waco, TX | 94.60 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 78 | Bethel College-Indiana | Mishawaka, IN | 94.54 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 79 | California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | 94.50 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 80 | Texas A & M International University | Laredo, TX | 94.50 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 81 | Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 94.47 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 81 | Georgia College | Milledgeville, GA | 94.47 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 83 | Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, IN | 94.47 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 84 | Sonoma State University | Rohnert Park, CA | 94.44 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 85 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, GA | 94.43 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 86 | Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids, IA | 94.34 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 87 | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH | 94.34 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 88 | Northwest University | Kirkland, WA | 94.30 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 89 | Carlow University | Pittsburgh, PA | 94.24 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 90 | University of South Carolina | Columbia, SC | 94.18 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 91 | Southern Utah University | Cedar City, UT | 94.10 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 92 | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 94.07 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 93 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park, PA | 93.96 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 94 | University of St Francis | Joliet, IL | 93.96 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 95 | Middle Georgia State College | Macon, GA | 93.94 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 96 | Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, LA | 93.94 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 97 | University of South Carolina-Beaufort | Bluffton, SC | 93.92 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 98 | The University of Texas Medical Branch | Galveston, TX | 93.90 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 99 | University of Nevada-Reno | Reno, NV | 93.90 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 100 | University of Colorado Denver | Denver, CO | 93.80 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
BSN Programs Rankings by State
View all BSN Degree Program rankings by state using the map below.
- Total BSN Degree Programs: 945
- Ranked BSN Degree Programs: 615
List of Best BSN Nursing Schools
View the top 100 ADN programs In the United States.
For information about how we rank BSN programs, please see our ranking methodology.