Best RN Programs in Colorado for 2024

Nursing instructors at Front Range Community College prepare students to provide safe, quality, and patient-centered nursing care in a variety of healthcare settings. The nursing program is ideal for students who want to provide quality nursing care to patients while adhering to evidence-based practices.

The nursing program at Front Range Community College is available at the Larimer Nursing Department and Westminster Nursing Department. Different programs are available according to the campus. Both the colleges have classrooms and labs equipped with the most advanced technology in the state. Students gain clinical experience in some of the most prominent acute care centers, long-term care, home health, and community agencies of the state. The nursing course is designed to meet the needs of the rapidly changing global healthcare delivery system. Students here learn to promote and practice the culture of caring to provide support, compassion, and culturally competent holistic care. 

Undergraduate Programs: The Practical Nursing course is a three-semester-long program available at the Larimer campus. It prepares students to take their NCLEX-PN exam and practice in long-term care facilities, clinics, or other healthcare facilities. Similarly, there is an LPN to ADN course available at Westminster campus for LPNs practicing in Colorado who wish to complete their associate degree.

Both the Larimer and Westminster Campuses have an AAS in nursing degree that prepares nurses for their NCLEX-RN and embark on a Registered Nurse career. There is also an online RN to BSN Completion Program designed for graduates of ADN degrees or those who wish to complete both their ADN and BSN degrees simultaneously.

Arapahoe Community College is located in Littleton, Colorado.  Arapahoe Community College offers an LPN program, an ADN program, and an LPN to ADN program.  They also have partnerships with three neighboring universities, which allows their graduates to easily gain entrance into a BSN program after completion of the ADN program.

The nursing program at Arapahoe Community College is an award-winning program that is a recognized leader in nursing education. The college ranks as one of the nation's and state's best when it comes to the quality of nursing education. 

The program boasts high professional standards, a superior reputation in the community, and accessible faculty and staff. The graduates have had excellent rates of hire in some of the most reputed healthcare facilities in the state and the nation. Students participate in active learning in classrooms, high-quality simulation labs, and supervised clinical experiences in multiple healthcare facilities.

The college itself is committed to affordability by providing low tuition and multiple financial aids and scholarship opportunities. Also, to ensure that the students never feel alone and confused about their career, Arapahoe Community College provides supports like advising, career/transfer counseling, tutoring, counseling, and more, all of which are completely free of cost.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree in Arapahoe Community College paves the way for students to become professional RNs who are qualified to work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation units, and other clinical settings.

For licensed RNs who want to advance their career further, the RN to BSN program offers online classes so that they can further build their skills, enhance their leadership skills, and open doors for further education.

Similarly, the students who successfully complete the first two semesters of the AAS Nursing program are eligible to earn their Practical Nursing Certificate. Arapahoe Community College also accepts admissions from LPNs who wish to complete their ADN.

Pikes Peak Community College is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  They offer an RN program and a dual enrollment RN to BSN program.  Their RN program is unique in that students enrolled may exit with their LPN at a designated point in the program rather than continuing for the full program if they so choose.  The dual enrollment program allows the RN student to also take classes towards their BSN while working towards their ADN.  This would allow the student to first obtain their ADN but still have credits for their BSN after completion of the program.

The nursing program at Pikes Peak Community College prepares the students with the skills, technical competence, and the skills they need for a successful nursing career. The college is diverse both in terms of its students and the programs offered. At PPCC, the average class size is 16, allowing for personal mentorship and guidance by experienced faculty.

Pikes Peak Community College leaves no stone unturned when it comes to taking care of the students. About $1 million scholarships are awarded annually along with affordable tuition, and the college's nationally accredited Child Development Center provides quality care and educational services to children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. 

Similarly, nursing graduates receive a quality education that prepares them to be leaders and care providers to a diverse population. The course work is designed to provide a better life to the students by understanding them physically, educationally, and financially.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program provides the students with core competence in caring intervention, health-illness, holistic care, teaching/learning, nursing process, professionalism, communication, and leadership.

Similarly, the LPN to RN bridge program and the RN to BSN program allow nursing professionals to obtain a bachelor's degree, thereby opening new doors in terms of nursing education, research skills, and leadership. Students of these programs take the classes on campus and have clinical rotations in some of the best healthcare facilities in the community.

Nursing students at Aims Community College learn the scientific and practical hands-on skills required to become a registered nurse and successfully practice as one. The graduates from the college have gone on to work in different hospitals, medical offices, home healthcare facilities, dialysis centers, healthcare agencies, and more. 

In their years in Aims Community College, nursing students learn theory in classrooms taught by specialized faculty, and apply that knowledge practically in simulation labs. They also practice their critical thinking skills, quality patient care delivery, and multitasking during their internship in various healthcare facilities in the community. 

The college offers small class sizes with one-on-one instruction and guided practice at an affordable price. Students can also apply for and benefit from the various scholarship opportunities that the college offers.

Undergraduate Programs: Aims Community College offers a two year long Nursing Associate Degree that teaches the students the basics of pharmacology, nursing fundamentals, medical and surgical nursing concepts, and nursing specialities like maternal-child and psychiatry.

In addition to the associate degree, students can also enroll in a dual degree program with University of Northern Colorado School of Nursing to simultaneously earn their BSN degree along with an associate degree at Aims.

Similarly, for students who want to become a LPN or nurse aide, the college offers nursing certificates to ensure they acquire the necessary skills to practice as such. The certificates provided include the Healthcare Readiness and Professionalism Certificate and Practical Nursing Certificate.

Colorado Mountain College is located in various locations throughout Colorado.  They offer both an ADN and a BSN program at their Breckenridge and Spring Valley locations.  Having the BSN program on-campus allows their students to continue for their BSN degree immediately after obtaining their ADN degree.

The nursing programs at Colorado Mountain College are focused on teaching the students patient-centered care at every level of life. The graduates have gone on to work in some of the most demanding, high-quality healthcare facilities all around the world. Being one of the top-ranked nursing schools in both Colorado and the nation, Colorado Mountain College leaves no stone unturned to provide the best nursing education that is in step with the ever-changing global healthcare scenario.

The college offers low-cost tuition paired with a small class atmosphere of 13:1 student to teacher ratio. Students graduate with surprisingly low student debt and high-quality education that helps them make a positive change in the society, as demonstrated by the success of the alumni. 

The nursing programs at Colorado Mountain College are available online and are as relevant as they are competitive. The program emphasizes on nursing theory, community health, population-focused care, research, evidence-based practices, and leadership.

Undergraduate Programs: Colorado Mountain College offers a BSN degree for RNs who have completed their AAS degree and are currently working. This online course is designed to add to the practical knowledge that a working RN possesses and the theoretical knowledge that they acquired through their AAS degree.

The AAS degree prepares nurses to sit for their NCLEX-RN examination and start a career as a successful RN. The students learn through clinical rotations in acute care hospitals, ambulatory care settings, clinics, and home health, long-term care facilities, and so on.

Morgan Community College is located in Fort Morgan, Colorado.  They offer an RN program and an advanced placement option, which allows LPNs to apply for entrance into the RN program, skipping the initial semester.  They also offer an exit option, allowing the student to exit at a designated point in the program with a licensed practical nursing certificate.

Denver College of Nursing provides its students with quality nursing education through a faculty of highly-trained dedicated professionals and multiple hands-on experiences. Focused solely on nursing education, this college allocates all its resources from finances to infrastructure to prepare competent, professional nurses. 

Students at Denver College of Nursing engage in multiple in-person experiences that provide them with all kinds of learning experiences such as SNA, community service, service-learning, and GHP. The college has various learning facilities like a skills lab and clinical classes at healthcare facilities on top of traditional classes with small student sizes. The college also provides multiple financial aids and scholarships tailored to the needs of each individual student. 

Students can choose to attend the college in person or enroll in online classes as per their choice of program and work. 

Undergraduate Programs: Denver Nursing College offers an 18-month long ADN program, an in-person program that includes both didactic and clinical components. The students are considered eligible to take their NCLEX-RN exam upon the completion of this program. Similarly, the BSN degree is another of their in-person degrees that is also composed of both didactic and clinical components. In addition to these, there is an online RN to BSN option designed for working RNs by competent nurse educators.

Graduate Programs: Their MSN program can be taken online, and it is a great course for RNs who wish to advance their education to become nurse leaders and educators.

Pueblo Community College is located in Pueblo, Colorado, although they have multiple campuses.  Their nursing program is located in three out of four of their campuses.  They offer an RN program and an LPN to RN program.  Their programs are offered once yearly and they admit 36 students into their program.