Best Nursing Schools in North Dakota in 2025

Known as the Peace Garden State, North Dakota may conjure images of sparse plains and rolling wheat fields. Yet this midwestern state of less than 800,000 residents currently employs 11,810 registered nurses, who earn an average yearly salary of $71,200 or $34.23 per hour. In fact, by the year 2030, North Dakota will need to produce 11,460 new registered nurses—around 700 per year—to meet growing healthcare demands.

With the 15th-highest projected percentage increase in required nurses in the country, nursing careers are accelerating rapidly across the state. As opportunities swell for these well-compensated roles, discerning which nursing programs sufficiently prepare students is key. By evaluating factors such as admissions selectivity, graduation rates, curriculum quality, and clinical training opportunities, this guide spotlights the best nursing schools that produce graduates who thrive in this flourishing field.

• There are 16 nursing schools in North Dakota.
• The CCNE accredits 7 nursing school(s)
• The ACEN accredits 7 nursing school(s).
• The NCLEX passing rate for BSN students in North Dakota is between 78.11% and 96.72%.
• The NCLEX passing rate for ADN students in North Dakota is between 75.00% and 97.42%.
• RNs currently employed in North Dakota are 11,810.
• RNs in North Dakota earn an average of $71,200 per year, or $34.23 per hour.
• North Dakota needs 11,460 new RNs by 2030 or 700 new nurses per year.

Overview of Nursing Programs in North Dakota

North Dakota offers a wide variety of nursing programs across levels, from licensed practical nurse (LPN) certificates up to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and PhD degrees. When evaluating the many excellent nursing schools in North Dakota for your goals, it’s important to understand the differences between program types, key factors in choosing a school, statewide nursing licensure requirements, and planning for specialization.

Types of Nursing Degree Programs

Nursing degree options span from shorter practical nursing certificates to advanced graduate-level programs:

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) – Usually takes 2 years and prepares graduates to take the NCLEX-RN exam and become RNs. Offered at community colleges statewide.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – Traditional 4-year degree for RNs, covers more advanced topics versus the ADN. Graduates still take the NCLEX-RN. Offered at universities and colleges.
• RN to BSN programs – For current RNs with an associate’s degree to bridge to the bachelor’s level. Expanding leadership skills and career options. Can often be completed online in 1-2 years.
• Accelerated BSN (ABSN) – Intensive 12-18 month bachelor’s degree for those who already have a bachelors in another field. Coursework plus hundreds of clinical hours prepare graduates to be RNs.
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Graduate-level degree for advanced specialty nursing careers like nurse practitioner or educator roles. Usually takes 2+ years.
• DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) – Designed for very high level nursing practice in a chosen specialty, with more clinical hours and residency components. Leads to titles like DNP or DrNP.
• PhD in Nursing – Focused on nursing research and academia. 4+ year program typically requires a dissertation and specializations are available.

When researching the variety of excellent nursing schools and programs available in North Dakota, key factors to weigh include accreditation status, NCLEX exam pass rates, clinical rotation opportunities, student support services, and overall fit with your professional nursing goals and learning priorities. Cost, program length, flexibility, and admissions competitiveness also shape your personalized best nursing program match.

What Are the Best Nursing Schools in North Dakota?

Accelerated BSN Programs

An Accelerated Bachelors of Science in nursing condenses a traditional 4-year BSN track into 12-18 intensive months. Designed for those who hold college degrees in other fields yet seek to transition into registered nursing.

To qualify for competitive admissions, expect prerequisites like:

• Previous Bachelor’s degree with 3.0+ GPA
• Science prerequisites like anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry etc.
• Competitive test scores (TEAS or HESI A2 entrance exams)
• Essays expressing motivations behind seeking ABSN degree
• CNA experience recommended

Once enrolled, Accelerated BSN students commit to year-round study with condensedSummers off. Expect 40+ classroom and 500+ clinical rotation hours learning nursing skills hands-on in facilities. Prepare for an academically rigorous yet rewarding immersion into evidence-based patient care.

In North Dakota, an Accelerated BSN degree nursing track allows motivated career changers to earn RN licensure within 12-24 months.

RN to BSN Degree Programs

Once licensed as an RN, BSN graduates gain versatility and qualify for a wider span of nursing occupations compared to the ADN degree alone.

Best RN to BSN Schools in North Dakota

• Best RN to BSN Programs in North Dakota

Many employers now expect Bachelor’s education – unlocking career advancement, leadership roles, and enhanced salaries. Top motivations RNs return to upgrade their nursing degree by completing affordable RN to BSN programs include:

• Gain new nursing skills – Evidence-based care, community health, quality improvement, health policy, informatics, and research. Builds expertise.
• Career advancement eligibility – BSN required for supervisory specialties including public health nursing, clinical research, forensic nursing, case management roles and more. Unlocks promotions.
• Higher earning potential – As of 2020, RN’s holding a BSN averaged 6% higher median annual salaries compared to ADN nurses nationally.
• More versatile opportunities – Meet growing industry expectations that RNs hold 4-year degrees to remain competitive workforce candidates.

When researching RN to BSN pathways, look for established CCNE/ACEN-accredited nursing schools featuring generous transfer credit acceptance, credit for prior nursing coursework, dedicated nursing advisors, affordable tuition rates, and flexible delivery formats fitting working nurse schedules. Ideal choices blend quality with convenience – whether online, hybrid, or local campus-based RN to Bachelor completion programs meeting after working hours.

Compare all program requirements against your nursing license type, work availability, budget, and graduation goals.

Master’s in Nursing Programs

Those committed to advancing into an advanced nursing practice specialty require an accredited Master’s of Science in Nursing.

Popular MSN tracks in North Dakota (ND) include training for these in-demand registered nursing roles:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – Diagnose and manage common conditions through the full lifespan. Works in clinics or private practice. Prescriptive authority. One of the most versatile nursing master’s specialties thanks to broad primary care skill set.
• Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) – Expertly manage complex long-term conditions in adults and elderly, including multiple chronic diseases.prescription authority. Works in variety of settings.
• Nursing Administration/Leadership – Oversee nursing operations, resources, budgets and staff in clinical settings. Prepares future executives shaping care delivery.
• Nursing Educators – Teach next generation of nurses at college/university or staff development levels. Gain expertise in curriculum design, teaching methods and evaluation.
• Nurse Anesthetist – Advanced clinical and advocacy role for those interested in collaboration with anesthesiologists. Competitive admissions.

Weigh each state school’s available MSN concentrations against your desired nursing occupation goals. Factor graduate tuition costs, too – MSN programs range from $30,000-$60,000+ earning the advanced credentials at reputable universities.

Bachelor’s prepared RNs meet MSN program requirements through:

• Earning a BSN degree (or higher)
• Holding a valid RN license
• Completing undergraduate statistics course
• Submitting competitive GRE test scores
• Essays conveying motivations
• Letters of recommendation
• Relevant RN experience

Once enrolled, expect two years of intensive teaching and immersive clinical placements mastering your chosen concentration. This earns eligibility for respective national certification and state APRN licensure exams – the final milestones before practicing as advanced nursing leaders improving community care.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Programs

The terminal degree in nursing education, direly needed doctoral-prepared nurse experts take on faculty and advanced clinical leadership obligations informing best practices through research.

DNP vs. PhD Nursing Pathways

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs place emphasis on nursing science translating to clinical excellence, policy advocacy, evidence-based practice changes and leading innovative systematic improvements. The DNP prepares executives, directors of nursing innovating patient care models. Expect a final DNP “capstone” applied project.

Alternatively, the PhD in Nursing fuels in-depth qualifications for academic teaching, research and scholarship. Graduates grow fields like care methodology, procedures, nursing science and theory through a mandatory dissertation featuring extensive original research. PhD nursing programs also lead to administrative roles guiding university nursing departments, associations, journals and research policy.

Both culminating doctoral paths make positive impacts. Assess your personality strengths and career aspirations, as advanced nurses drive evolution of best health practices through research leadership or direct field work.

Eligibility generally mandates holding an MSN degree with focused clinical hours, satisfactory GPA, competitive test scores in analytical or quantitative sections conveying research readiness, aligned recommenders vouching for potential, academic writing samples proving capability, and evidence of nursing contributions. Informational interviews can illuminate expectations at target schools.

How to Find the Best Nursing Program Fit For You

Choosing your ideal nursing school aligning with professional objectives and learning priorities requires honest self-assessment. Reflect on which nursing occupation resonates based on personality strengths, passions, lifestyle needs and location preferences. Selecting the right program and school for you is the very first step towards earning your license as a nurse in North Dakota.

Then extensively compare multiple schools offering those MSN or BSN specialties. Move beyond basic rankings to get a personalized sense of campus culture, teaching styles, clinical training sites, residency opportunities, and grad career outcomes.

Schedule informational interviews, chat with current students, audit open classes. The best fit nursing program becomes apparent through research – culminating when you deeply resonate with faculty mission statements, training facilities, practical curriculums, and grad success stories matching your own.

Important Factors When Choosing a Nursing School:

Accreditation – Confirm nursing colleges hold valid national accreditation through ACEN or CCNE, signifying external evaluation deems its programming quality as satisfactory nursing education standards. Also verify respective state board approval.

NCLEX Licensure Exam Pass Rates – Passing this RN/LPN exam proves nursing competencies. Ideal schools produce 85%+ first-time pass rates.

Faculty Quality – Student-to-faculty ratios should not exceed 6:1. Metrics like degrees held, nursing subspecialties,continuing ed, research activity indicate investment level in teacher development.

Variety of Clinical Training Sites – Quality programs affiliate with an extensive range of health systems, clinics and community centers serving diverse populations. This exposes future nurses to interconnected social determinants, technology, environments, conditions.

Student Services – Look for academic counseling, access to tutoring/mentorships, networking events, career guidance resources. Support is invaluable.

Specialty Concentrations – Some nursing graduate programs offer unique tracks like nurse midwifery, clinical specialization, anesthesiology. Align with your aspirations.

Competitiveness – More selective programs accept under 20% of qualified nursing applicants. Check average GPAs/test score data to gauge chances or target less competitive alternatives.

Vet each prospect thoroughly – a program meeting on paper could still prove a poor culture fit for your individuality. Attend information sessions. Interview students/faculty. The right nursing college becomes your launch pad achieving career goals.

Benefits of Becoming a Nurse in North Dakota

Pursuing nursing careers in-state offers worthwhile advantages:

● Robust Employment Growth – North Dakota projects robust 29.3% decade spike in RN job openings 2012-2022 – nearly 3x national growth rate projections. LPN job growth outlook also strong here at 25%.

● Excellent Compensation – Registered nurses here report earning highly competitive average annual salaries of $75,300 per year as of January 2023 BLS data. LPNs also earn well-above U.S. averages.

● Workplace Variety – Nurses enjoy diverse workplace options statewide – from clinics to ER, military, travel, school and more. Urban and rural opportunities statewide.

Accreditation for Top Nursing Schools

When researching North Dakota colleges, verify nursing programs hold current national accreditations through either:

ACEN – Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Both organizations thoroughly evaluate curriculums, faculty, resources and outcomes to uphold nursing education standards. State Nursing Board further approves schools for licensure exam eligibility and endorse “approved” designations accordingly.

Checking Pass Rates

The North Dakota Board of Nursing publishes official first attempt pass rates on the NCLEX-RN national licensing exam – your essential final milestone before securing RN status post-graduation.

Ideally select a nursing program with an 85%+ passing rate. This suggests effective, sufficiently thorough training for entry-level clinical proficiencies. Lower passing percentages could indicate subpar teaching practices.

Tuition Costs & Financial Aid

You invest not only years of intense study towards registered nursing credentials – but also tuition costs averaging $20,000 to $50,000 total for BSN programs in North Dakota. Consider affordability when selecting schools.

In-state tuition proves lower for residents at North Dakota public/state colleges and universities compared to private institutions. Luckily financial aid can significantly defray expenses – research FAFSA options like government-funded loans, college scholarships/grants and private hardship assistance programs. Some hospitals offer tuition reimbursement for nurses committing to employment post-graduation.

Investing in the right nursing education shapes entire careers – so make financially informed choices.

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Preparing for a Nursing Career

Upon completing accredited registered nursing education in North Dakota – you qualify to pursue RN licensure by passing the national NCLEX-RN exam. Then apply for RN status with the North Dakota Board of Nursing to practice locally.

The state upholds an Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact Agreement allowing licensees here more easily work in neighboring states thanks to mutual recognition compacts.

Newly licensed RNs find open positions across diverse settings – hospitals, clinics, long term care centers, community health departments, doctor offices and beyond. Experienced nurses also prove vital across in senior management roles directing care strategy for providers statewide.

Salaries range upwards from $60,000 for RNs with 0-2 years of expertise to $95,000+ for veterans and specialized advanced practice nurses alike. Rewarding nursing vocations rich in meaning and mobility await North Dakota graduates passionate about evidence-based patient advocacy.

FAQ – Nursing Schools in North Dakota

Which ND nursing programs are accredited?

All state-approved nursing schools hold national CCNE or ACEN accreditation, from larger names like North Dakota State University nursing college to smaller niche schools. Confirm current approved status.

How much do LPNs earn hourly in North Dakota?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports licensed practical nurses earn very competitive mean hourly wages of $25.36 as of 2020. This translates to over $52,750 annually.

How long does an Accelerated BSN program take to complete?

The intense accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing curriculum condenses traditional 4 year BSN schooling into 12-18 months of full-time year round commitment for those who already hold general bachelor’s degrees.

Can I work while completing ADN/BSN nursing?

Balancing work obligations while tackling nursing curriculums proves extremely challenging due to rigorous course loads paired with extensive clinical hour requirements. But some exceptionally determined students still succeed through meticulous time management. Expect little free time. Schedule coursework strategically.

We hoped this complete guide to registered nursing programs in North Dakota offered informative insights helpful weighing educational options – whether researching local campus colleges or reputable online RN degrees. Reach out with any other questions!

More of the Best North Dakota Nursing Schools

Ranking Methodology and Data Sources

• Ranking Methodology
• University Webpages
• North Dakota Board of Nursing
• Department of Education’s College Scorecard
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings 
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Salary Data
• Department of Labor Projected Employment
• Bureau of Economic Analysis Cost of Living Data

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