With its first nursing students in 1949, Northwestern State University (NSU) of Louisiana, is the state’s first public institution to offer a nursing program. Students benefit from the guidance of NSU’s faculty consisting of experienced health care professionals. Moreover, NSU entered an articulation agreement with 11 colleges for ease of credit hour transfer and education continuity.
Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) - With the inclusion of general education courses, didactic and clinical nursing courses, this program prepares students for their career as a registered nurse. Designed for academic and career mobility, this program can be taken in two-year sequence. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - This four-year program includes three and five semesters of academic courses and clinical courses, respectively. Designed for preparation in providing nursing care in various healthcare settings, clinical courses can be completed in the Alexandria Rapides Regional Medical Center Campus or the Shreveport Campus. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN and/or pursue advanced nursing studies. Another option is the BS to BSN program. In just 16 months, students who possess a Bachelor of Science degree can obtain their BSN degree. Prior to starting nursing courses, students must complete all general education classes required. Meanwhile, an RN to BSN option is also available. It is designed for registered nurses and is offered 100% online.
Master of Science in Nursing - This MSN program builds on the knowledge of RNs from their previous degrees. These knowledge and skills are then supplemented with experiential learning to prepare students to be significant contributors in healthcare improvement. Nurse Practitioner, Education, and Administration are the concentrations offered for this program.
Doctor of Nursing Practice - Northwestern’s highest-level nursing degree aims to develop student’s potential in transforming healthcare through evidence-based practice, advanced clinical skills utilization, and systems change implementation. This DNP program is approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and accredited by CCNE.
The nursing school at Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a public institution located in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Its nursing programs are accredited by ACEN, ACME, CCNE and COA.
Degree types you can earn at Northwestern State University of Louisiana include Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nursing and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, and the school provides its offerings to students via campus, hybrid and online formats. The level of nursing programs offered to nursing students include Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree, LPN to BSN, Master Degree, MSN to DNP, Post Master's NP Certificate and RN to BSN level degrees.
For nursing students in Louisiana, the state average NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is 87.28% and for BSN programs is 91.12%. The average national NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is N/A% and for BSN programs is N/A%.
Out of 27 nursing schools in Louisiana, the nursing program at Northwestern State University of Louisiana ranks #8 in the state, and out of more than 1,700 nursing programs nationally, it ranks #115. It's 3-year average NCLEX-RN passing rate is 95.30%, giving the Northwestern State University of Louisiana an overall grade of A.
Nursing Program Stats at a Glance for Northwestern State University of Louisiana
- Grade: A
- NCLEX-RN Passing Rate Average: 95.30%
- Louisiana State Rank: 8
- National Rank: 115
Best Online Nursing Programs for Louisiana 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 Louisiana Nursing School Rankings
Compare Louisiana Nursing Schools | ADN | BSN |
---|---|---|
Number of Nursing Programs | 12 | 16 |
Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 87.28% | 91.12% |
NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 25.90% to 98.80% | 64.41% to 99.01% |
Best Ranked School Details | ADN Rankings for Louisiana | BSN Rankings for Louisiana |
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Pass Rate

- 175 Sam Sibley Drive, Natchitoches, LA - 71497-0002
- (318) 357-6011

- NCLEX Passing Rate: (A) 95.30%
- Programs: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nursing, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Award Levels: Associate, Bachelor, LPN to BSN, MSN, MSN to DNP, Post Master's NP Certificate
University Information
Total Faculty: 320
In-State Undergraduate Tuition: $8,672
Book and Supplies: $1,300
Percent Received Aid: 98%
Average Grant or Scholarship: $7,774
Percent Admitted: 95%
Percent Admitted who Enrolled: 37%
Graduation Rate: 47%
Cities in Louisiana Offering Accredited Nursing Programs
If you are not finding the right nursing program in Natchitoches or want to compare nursing schools from other cities in Louisiana? 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 Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Bossier City, Eunice, Grambling, Hammond, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Natchitoches, New Orleans, Pineville, Ruston, Schriever, Shreveport and Thibodaux
.
Additional Nursing Programs in Louisiana
- Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC)
- Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC)
- Chamberlain University-Louisiana
- Delgado Community College
- Dillard Univ
- Fletcher Tech CC
- Fransciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
- Grambling State Univ
- Louisiana College
- Louisiana Delta Community College
- Louisiana Delta Community College-Monroe Campus
- Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Science Center
- Louisiana State University of Alexandria
- Louisiana Tech University
- Loyola University New Orleans
- LSU Eunice
- McNeese State University
- Nicholls State University
- Northwestern State University of Louisiana
- South Louisiana Community College
- Southeastern Louisiana University
- Southern Univ Baton Rouge
- Southern Univ Shreveport
- Univ. of Louisiana Monroe
- University of Holy Cross
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- University of Louisiana Monroe
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After graduating with a degree in English Literature from UCLA, Jeff published four editions of the World Wide Web Yellow Pages by Barnes and Noble, and several editions of the Best of the Web. He’s worked as an executive at both startup and mature companies including CareerPath.com and Microsoft. With nearly three decades of publishing and business development expertise, he now puts that experience to use operating RNCareers.org to help future nursing students get reliable information on registered nursing careers.
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