Hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s office in Nebraska are suffering from the nursing shortage. It is important that the nurses are as highly educated as possible to help ensure that the patients receive the most effective care. Nursing schools and hospitals alike are working hard to implement programs that will encourage nurses to seek out higher education. Nursing schools in Nebraska responded to this by introducing more RN and BSN programs and making them more common. Hospital systems have also responded by offering recruitment bonuses for BSNs and tuition reimbursement for nurses who choose to advance their education.
In our Nebraska RN program guide, find rankings for both ADN and BSN Degree programs, tuition costs, NCLEX passing rates, and more. Research key Nebraska RN Program information to help you compare program metrics and to apply to best RN program for your career in nursing.
In the State of Nebraska, nurses are helping to change the face of healthcare. To ensure that they have the best education and preparation for future health care challenges, registered nurses need to graduate from a state-approved associate's degree in nursing program or a BSN degree program.
Nurses who graduate from an RN program can obtain certification in over 100 nursing specialties, go on to earn an RN to BSN or RN to MSN degree.
BSN degree holders have options to earn an Advance Practice Register Nursing (APRN) degree and become a Nurse Practitioner (NP), or earn an advanced degree for a career in any number of nursing leadership roles such Nurse Educator or Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Nebraska RN Program Comparisons: ADN vs BSN
| Compare RN Programs | ADN | BSN |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Nursing Programs | 7 | 10 |
| Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 84.62% | 87.85% |
| NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 76.92% to 90.98% | 73.65% to 93.66% |
| Average Net Price | $8,647.29 | $19,085.44 |
| Average Net Price Range | $6,004.00 to $18,388.00 | $7,366.00 to $27,057.00 |
| Average Student Loan | $8,658.43 | $21,671.89 |
| Average Student Loan Range | $4,250.00 to $23,970.00 | $15,812.00 to $25,000.00 |
| See Additional Detail | ADN Rankings for Nebraska State | BSN Rankings for Nebraska State |
Best Ranked RN Programs in Nebraska
To help nursing students in their search for a top RN program, the education experts at RNCareers.org publish their annual findings of the best nursing schools for both Nebraska and the country. Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses.
To create our rankings, we evaluated 7 ADN degree programs and 8 BSN degree programs in Nebraska. We obtained each institution’s first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students taking the test, the program nursing accreditation and more. We then compared the results against other nursing programs in Nebraska to provide our state rankings. View our methodology.
Grade | Degree | University | NE Rank | US Rank | City | Type: | Offered As: | Accreditor(s): | More: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92.75 | ADN | Northeast Community College | 1 | 188 | Norfolk | Northeast Community College is located in Norfolk, Nebraska. Their nursing program is unique; students who apply first complete their practical nursing diploma. If they have an adequate grade point average, they are able to continue for their RN degree. The RN portion of the program may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 88.83 | ADN | Metropolitan Community College | 2 | 331 | Omaha | Metropolitan Community College is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Their ADN nursing program is reserved specifically for licensed practical nurses. It is offered twice yearly – fall and summer. The fall program is “traditional”, whereas the summer program requires that students be available on evenings and weekends. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 87.50 | ADN | Southeast Community College | 3 | 387 | Lincoln | Southeast Community College is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. They offer a practical nursing program and an ADN program. They boast that they have one of the most affordable nursing programs in Nebraska. Their nursing programs are also eligible for Project HELP, which is a grant program that allows students in poverty to receive additional funds for their education. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 87.14 | ADN | Central Community College | 4 | 402 | Grand Island | Central Community College has various campuses throughout central Nebraska. The Columbus and Grand Island campuses offer the practical nursing program. Students who graduate from the practical nursing program are eligible to apply for the RN program, which is offered at the Grand Island campus. Students who are not practical nurses are also eligible to apply for the RN program, provided they meet certain requirements. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 87.05 | ADN | Western Nebraska Community College | 5 | 405 | Scottsbluff | Public | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 74.20 | ADN | Mid-Plains Community College | 6 | 667 | North Platte | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 95.91 | BSN | Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | 1 | 69 | Omaha | Nebraska Methodist College is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Their college educates healthcare professionals, from nurses to respiratory therapists to occupational therapists. Their nursing program is extensive, offering everything from BSN programs to DNP programs. They offer a traditional BSN program, an accelerated BSN program, an RN to BSN program and an LPN to BSN program. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 94.11 | BSN | Union College | 2 | 129 | Lincoln | Union College is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their nursing program has been in existence since 1896 – it is the oldest BSN program in the state of Nebraska. They offer a traditional BSN program, an LPN to BSN track and an RN to BSN track. They have also began to offer an early admission for new college freshmen. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | |
| 93.36 | BSN | Bryan College of Health Sciences | 3 | 157 | Lincoln | Bryan College of Health Sciences is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. They offer a BSN and an RN to BSN program. The RN to BSN program is a hybrid program – it is a mix of online and traditional, on-campus courses. Bryan College of Health Sciences is a college devoted entirely to educating healthcare professionals, from nurses to sonographers. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | ||
| 93.15 | BSN | Creighton University | 4 | 167 | Omaha | Creighton University is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Their College of Nursing has extensive options for nursing students; they offer a traditional BSN program, an accelerated BSN program that can be completed in one year, provided the student has a prior bachelor’s degree, and an RN to BSN program. The RN to BSN program is an online program and can be completed on a part-time or full-time basis. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 92.28 | BSN | University of Nebraska Medical Center | 5 | 199 | Omaha | University of Nebraska Medical Center is located in Omaha, Nebraska. UNMC is focused on educating healthcare professionals, from nurses, to pharmacists, to dentists. They offer a traditional BSN program, an accelerated BSN program for students with a prior bachelor’s degree, an an RN to BSN program, which can be completed either full-time or part-time. | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 91.63 | BSN | Clarkson College | 6 | 225 | Omaha | Clarkson College is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Clarkson College is devoted entirely to educating healthcare professionals. Their nursing program was established in 1888. They offer a BSN program and an RN to BSN program. The RN to BSN program is offered entirely online. They are also the only college in Omaha to offer a Nurse Anesthesia program. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | See School Details | ||
| 81.08 | BSN | Midland University | 7 | 465 | Fremont | Private Not-For-Profit | Online | See School Details |