Located in Highland Heights, Northern Kentucky University (NKU) is a growing metropolitan university. As of fall 2018, it has 560 full-time faculty with a 19:1 student to faculty ratio. Its School of Nursing which is housed by the College of Health and Human Services is connected to various top-ranked hospitals situated in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Traditional) - For non-RNs who do not have a bachelor’s degree in other fields, this traditional four-year program is designed for them. It prepares students in a variety of health care settings through experiential learning conducted in the university’s simulation center. This program is approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing and accredited by ACEN.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Accelerated) - This 69-credit requirement rigorous program is designed for individuals who would want to pursue a career change. It is fast-paced because three years’ worth of nursing courses are compacted into 16 months. The nature of the program makes it ideal for full-time and non-working students
RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Designed for registered nurses, this 30-credit hour program allows them to earn a BSN degree in just 10 months. To cater to various schedules, this flexible program has multiple start dates.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - NKU’s MSN program is offered in various concentrations—the Nursing Education Online, Nurse Executive Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner Online, Adult-Gero Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Psych-mental Health Nurse Practitioner. The first two require 33 credit hours and can be completed in as few as 12 months. The Family Nurse, Adult-Gero and Psych-Mental Health require 47, 46, and 46 credit hours and can be completed in as fast as 22, 20, and 22 months, respectively.
Doctor of Nursing Practice- Post Master’s Specialization - NKU also offers a fully online Doctor of Nursing (DNP) Program with Post Master’s Specialization. This 35-credit hour program can be completed in as few as 22 months.
Certificate Program - Post-Master’s Certificate in various concentrations is available in NKU, online. The concentrations are: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gero Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Practitioner to Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
The nursing school at Northern Kentucky University is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. Its nursing programs are accredited by ACEN, ACME, CCNE and COA.
Degree types you can earn at Northern Kentucky University include Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nursing, and the school provides its offerings to students via campus, hybrid and online formats. The level of nursing programs offered to nursing students include Accelerated BSN, APRN Certificate, Bachelor Degree, Master Degree, MSN to DNP, Post Master's NP Certificate and RN to BSN level degrees.
For nursing students in Kentucky, the state average NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is 85.82% and for BSN programs is 89.07%. The average national NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is N/A% and for BSN programs is N/A%.
Out of 41 nursing schools in Kentucky, the nursing program at Northern Kentucky University ranks #5 in the state, and out of more than 1,700 nursing programs nationally, it ranks #107. It's 3-year average NCLEX-RN passing rate is 95.33%, giving the Northern Kentucky University an overall grade of A.
Nursing Program Stats at a Glance for Northern Kentucky University
- Grade: A
- NCLEX-RN Passing Rate Average: 95.33%
- Kentucky State Rank: 5
- National Rank: 107
Best Online Nursing Programs for Kentucky Students
In-state nursing schools are preferable to out-of-state programs as your tuition and logistics for attending school will be considerably less than if you attended school out-of-state. Online nursing schools are also an option.
Compare Kentucky Nursing School Rankings
Compare Kentucky Nursing Schools | ADN | BSN |
---|---|---|
Number of Nursing Programs | 26 | 19 |
Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 85.82% | 89.07% |
NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 66.70% to 98.00% | 31.67% to 100.00% |
Best Ranked School Details | ADN Rankings for Kentucky | BSN Rankings for Kentucky |
Northern Kentucky University
Pass Rate

- Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY - 41099
- (859) 572-5100

- NCLEX Passing Rate: (A) 95.33%
- Programs: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nursing
- Award Levels: Accelerated BSN, APRN Certificate, Bachelor, MSN, MSN to DNP, Post Master's NP Certificate
University Information
Total Faculty: 610
In-State Undergraduate Tuition: $10,392
Book and Supplies: $800
Percent Received Aid: 99%
Average Grant or Scholarship: $7,586
Percent Admitted: 87%
Percent Admitted who Enrolled: 32%
Graduation Rate: 47%
Cities in Kentucky Offering Accredited Nursing Programs
If you are not finding the right nursing program in Highland Heights or want to compare nursing schools from other cities in Kentucky? Compare average NCLEX scores, in-state and out-of-state tuition costs as well as schools with strong alumni networks. The following is a list of cities in with accredited nursing programs in Kentucky: Ashland, Barbourville, Campbellsville, Crestview Hills, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, Grayson, Hazard, Highland Heights, Hopkinsville, Lexington, Louisville, Madisonville, Maysville, Midway, Morehead, Murray, Owensboro, Paducah, Pikeville, Prestonsburg and Somerset
.
Additional Nursing Programs in Kentucky
- Alice Lloyd College
- American National University
- Ashland Cmty. & Technical College-Ashland
- Beckfield College-Florence
- Bellarmine University
- Berea College
- Big Sandy Cmty. & Technical College-Prestonsburg
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College-Lexington
- Campbellsville University
- Eastern Kentucky University
- Elizabethtown Community & Technical College
- Galen College of Nursing-Louisville
- Gateway Community & Technical College-Edgewood
- Hazard Cmty. & Technical College-Hazard
- Henderson Cmty. College-Henderson
- Hopkinsville Community College - Hopkinsville
- Hussian College-Daymar College Bowling Green
- Jefferson Cmty. & Technical College-Louisville
- Kentucky Christian University
- Kentucky State University-Frankfort
- Lindsey Wilson College
- Madisonville Community College
- Maysville Community & Technical College
- Midway College-Midway
- Morehead State University
- Murray State University
- Northern Kentucky University
- Owensboro Community & Technical College
- Somerset Community College
- Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College - Bowling Green
- Southeast KY Cmty. & Technical College-Cumberland
- Spalding University
- Sullivan University
- Thomas More University
- Union College
- University of Kentucky
- University of Louisville-Louisville
- University of Pikeville-Pikeville
- University of the Cumberlands
- West Kentucky Community & Technical College-Paducah
- Western Kentucky University-Bowling Green
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Kentucky Nursing School Rankings
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Best Nursing Schools in the US
Sources: The State Board of Nursing from Each State, U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education – OPE, National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics