The nursing field is distinct in that it includes scientific knowledge, technical expertise, and a seasoned intuition. Current registered nurses who are seeking to expand their practice may want to consider a bachelor of science in nursing degree. The RN programs in Ohio are expanding and offering a seamless route towards advanced practice nursing. There has been an ongoing debate and proposed legislation that would require all registered nurses to seek out higher education and obtain an RN or BSN. The Institute of Medicine has requested that the nursing profession achieves 80% baccalaureate preparation by the year 2020. There are many benefits that can be gained from earning a BSN degree in terms of long-term success and security in the nursing industry.
In our Ohio RN program guide, find rankings for both ADN and BSN Degree programs, tuition costs, NCLEX passing rates, and more. Research key Ohio 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 Ohio, 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.
Ohio RN Program Comparisons: ADN vs BSN
| Compare RN Programs | ADN | BSN |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Nursing Programs | 49 | 41 |
| Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 80.58% | 85.82% |
| NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 39.07% to 94.77% | 76.11% to 97.59% |
| Average Net Price | $13,001.21 | $19,337.28 |
| Average Net Price Range | $3,137.00 to $32,312.00 | $8,419.00 to $28,182.00 |
| Average Student Loan | $12,735.56 | $20,380.20 |
| Average Student Loan Range | $4,666.00 to $23,500.00 | $10,500.00 to $27,000.00 |
| See Additional Detail | ADN Rankings for Ohio State | BSN Rankings for Ohio State |
Best Ranked RN Programs in Ohio
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 Ohio and the country. Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses.
To create our rankings, we evaluated 40 ADN degree programs and 33 BSN degree programs in Ohio. 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 Ohio to provide our state rankings. View our methodology.
Grade | Degree | University | OH Rank | US Rank | City | Type: | Offered As: | Accreditor(s): | More: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97.77 | ADN | Washington State Community College | 1 | 44 | Marietta | Public | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 97.66 | ADN | Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 2 | 49 | Canton | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 95.73 | ADN | Edison State Community College | 3 | 120 | Piqua | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 94.43 | ADN | Northwest State Community College | 4 | 173 | Archbold | Northwest State Community College is located in Archbold, Ohio. They offer an RN program and an LPN to RN program. While the RN program is available only at the Archbold campus, the LPN to RN program can be found at both the Archbold campus and the Van Wert campus. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 93.43 | ADN | Ohio Valley College of Technology | 5 | 224 | East Liverpool | Private For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 93.05 | ADN | Central Ohio Technical College | 6 | 238 | Newark | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 92.70 | ADN | Galen College of Nursing | 7 | 259 | Cincinnati | Private For-Profit | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 92.48 | ADN | Lakeland Community College | 8 | 269 | Kirtland | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 91.01 | ADN | Owens Community College | 9 | 321 | Perrysburg | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 90.54 | ADN | Cuyahoga Community College District | 10 | 339 | Cleveland | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 90.42 | ADN | Ohio University-Main Campus (Athens) | 11 | 344 | Athens | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 90.15 | ADN | Columbus State Community College | 12 | 356 | Columbus | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 88.20 | ADN | Lorain County Community College | 13 | 426 | Elyria | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 86.92 | ADN | James A Rhodes State College | 15 | 479 | Lima | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 86.80 | ADN | Belmont College | 16 | 483 | Saint Clairsville | Public | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 85.65 | ADN | Mercy College of Northwest Ohio | 17 | 514 | Toledo | Mercy College is located in Toledo, Ohio. They are a college that educates strictly healthcare professionals. They offer various nursing options – they have both a day and an evening/weekend ADN program, a pre-licensure BSN program and an RN to BSN program, which is offered online. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 85.54 | ADN | Herzing University - Akron Campus | 18 | 517 | Akron | Private For-Profit | Campus | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 84.61 | ADN | Sinclair Community College | 19 | 535 | Dayton | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 83.81 | ADN | Terra State Community College | 20 | 559 | Fremont | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 83.81 | ADN | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | 20 | 559 | Blue Ash | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 83.19 | ADN | University of Rio Grande | 21 | 574 | Rio Grande | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 82.45 | ADN | Marion Technical College | 22 | 589 | Marion | Marion Technical College is located in Marion, Ohio. They offer an RN program and an LPN to RN program. They also offer dual degree programs, where the students completes requirements for both their ADN and BSN subsequently; they can choose to complete the dual degree option in conjunction with Ohio State University – Marion or Ohio University. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 82.33 | ADN | Good Samaritan College of Nursing | 23 | 592 | Cincinnati | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 81.69 | ADN | The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 24 | 603 | Cincinnati | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 81.37 | ADN | North Central State College | 25 | 610 | Mansfield | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 80.78 | ADN | Fortis College-Cincinnati | 26 | 616 | Cincinnati | Fortis College is located in Cincinnati, although they have many campuses nationwide. Fortis offers an online RN to BSN option, in addition to practical nursing and ADN degrees at its campuses. LPNs can also gain entrance into their ADN programs. | Private For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | ||
| 80.72 | ADN | Stark State College | 27 | 617 | North Canton | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 79.26 | ADN | Clark State Community College | 29 | 637 | Springfield | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 78.48 | ADN | Shawnee State University Dept of Nursing | 30 | 644 | Portsmouth | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 78.27 | ADN | Southern State Community College | 31 | 646 | Hillsboro | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 78.26 | ADN | Hocking College | 32 | 647 | Nelsonville | Hocking College is located in Nelsonville, Ohio. They offer an LPN program, an RN program and a “PN2RN” option- a nursing transition option. This allows the LPN entrance into the RN program after a “transition” semester, then joins the RN students for the final 2 semesters. | Public | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | |
| 74.11 | ADN | Bryant and Stratton College-Akron | 33 | 674 | Copley | Private For-Profit | Campus | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 69.94 | ADN | Fortis College-Westerville | 34 | 697 | Westerville | Private For-Profit | Campus | See School Details | |||
| 69.17 | ADN | Hondros College | 35 | 698 | Westerville | Private For-Profit | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 63.70 | ADN | Fortis College-Centerville | 36 | 705 | Centerville | Private For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN | See School Details | ||
| 100.00 | BSN | Muskingum University | 1 | 1 | New Concord | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 97.62 | BSN | Ohio Northern University | 2 | 48 | Ada | Ohio Northern University is located in Ada, Ohio. They offer a BSN program and an RN to BSN completion program. Their RN to BSN program is just 12 months; students meet once weekly for 4 12-week terms, in addition to two clinical experiences. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | |
| 97.57 | BSN | Chamberlain College of Nursing | 3 | 52 | Columbus | Private For-Profit | Campus, Online | See School Details | |||
| 96.30 | BSN | Malone University | 5 | 96 | Canton | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 95.95 | BSN | Ohio University-Main Campus (Athens) | 6 | 108 | Athens | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 95.63 | BSN | Otterbein Nursing Program (Otterbein University) | 7 | 119 | Westerville | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 94.59 | BSN | Case Western Reserve University | 8 | 161 | Cleveland | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 93.92 | BSN | Wright State University-Lake Campus | 10 | 193 | Celina | Public | Campus, Online | ACME, COA | See School Details | ||
| 93.79 | BSN | The Ohio State University-Main Campus (Columbus) | 11 | 199 | Columbus | Ohio State University is located in Columbus, Ohio. OSU offers a BSN program and an online RN to BSN program for students with a Diploma inn Nursing or an ADN degree. OSU’s RN to BSN accepts students into their program twice yearly, Spring and Autumn semesters. | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 93.76 | BSN | University of Akron Main Campus | 12 | 201 | Akron | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 93.47 | BSN | The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 13 | 215 | Cincinnati | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 93.16 | BSN | Cleveland State University | 14 | 232 | Cleveland | Public | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 93.06 | BSN | Capital University | 15 | 235 | Columbus | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 92.99 | BSN | Walsh University Gary And Linda Byers School of Nursing | 16 | 237 | North Canton | Walsh University is located in North Canton, Ohio. The Byers School of Nursing offers a pre-licensure BSN program, an accelerated BSN program and an RN to BSN program. They also offer an RN to MSN program; this program is offered in a hybrid format. Students may elect to return to the RN to BSN program at any time. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | |
| 92.96 | BSN | Baldwin Wallace University | 17 | 239 | Berea | Baldwin Wallace University is located in Berea, Ohio. BWU offers an accelerated BSN program; this program is offered to students with prior college credits. Their program is designed to be completed in 12 months, 3 semesters. It is described as intense and students are advised that they will have little time for working during this timeframe. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | |
| 92.55 | BSN | Kent State University | 18 | 249 | Kent | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 92.24 | BSN | Ursuline College | 19 | 259 | Pepper Pike | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 92.09 | BSN | Mount Carmel College of Nursing | 20 | 267 | Columbus | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 90.85 | BSN | University of Toledo-Bowling Green State University | 21 | 307 | Bowling Green | Public | Campus, Online | ACME, COA | See School Details | ||
| 89.69 | BSN | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 23 | 335 | Cincinnati | Public | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 88.37 | BSN | University of Toledo | 24 | 368 | Toledo | Public | Campus, Hybrid, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 88.37 | BSN | Kettering College | 24 | 368 | Kettering | Kettering College is located in Kettering, Ohio. Kettering College is located at Kettering Medical Center and educates healthcare professionals. They offer several BSN programs – a prelicensure program, an LPN to BSN program, an online bachelor completion program, which is designed for the working RN who holds their associate’s degree. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | See School Details | ||
| 86.57 | BSN | Mount St Joseph University | 25 | 418 | Cincinnati | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 85.68 | BSN | Cedarville University | 27 | 430 | Cedarville | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Hybrid | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 85.35 | BSN | Youngstown State University | 28 | 437 | Youngstown | Public | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 84.77 | BSN | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 29 | 448 | Steubenville | Franciscan University of Steubenville is located in Steubenville, Ohio. Franciscan University is a Catholic university where students integrate Catholic studies with their academic studies. Their nursing department seeks to educate their nurses to treat the whole patient holistically. They offer a BSN program, an RN to BSN program, an LPN to BSN program and an RN to MSN program. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | |
| 83.98 | BSN | Xavier University | 30 | 454 | Cincinnati | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, ACME, CCNE, COA | See School Details | ||
| 82.74 | BSN | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 31 | 467 | Mount Vernon | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 81.06 | BSN | Hiram College | 33 | 481 | Hiram | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 80.19 | BSN | Notre Dame College | 34 | 487 | Cleveland | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | CCNE | See School Details | ||
| 74.90 | BSN | Mercy College of Northwest Ohio | 35 | 513 | Toledo | Mercy College is located in Toledo, Ohio. They are a college that educates strictly healthcare professionals. They offer various nursing options – they have both a day and an evening/weekend ADN program, a pre-licensure BSN program and an RN to BSN program, which is offered online. | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus, Online | ACEN, CCNE | See School Details | |
| 74.42 | BSN | Lourdes University (Lourdes College) | 36 | 515 | Sylvania | Private Not-For-Profit | Campus | CCNE | See School Details |
Become an Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Ohio
RNs who wish to become advanced practice registered nurses will want to pursue any number of avenues to earn Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Earning a Master of Science in Nursing consists of graduate-level coursework and clinical practice for those nurses who wish to direct patient roles such as a nurse practitioner. You can also pursue indirect patient roles such as teaching or leadership roles, or become involved in policy, state-wide health initiatives or community engagement. There are many clinical and non-clinical avenues that an RN with MSN can pursue.Become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in Ohio
Learn how to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and research schools in Ohio offering the following high paying nurse practitioner specialties:- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Ohio RN Licensing Requirements
Ohio State Board of Nursing 17 South High Street, Suite 400 Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 466-6940 Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $75 License renewal: Not listed on web site Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 24 contact hours per renewal periodRN Licensure by Exams
At the conclusion of a nursing program, the director or dean will send a letter to the Ohio Board to verify that the educational requirements have been met. The candidate will be required to pass a licensing exam and submit a criminal background check. Candidates are required to have their fingerprints completed through the approved vendor, Webcheck. There is a $75 application fee that will accompany the $200 fee that is required to register with Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX exam. When the candidate has received authorization to test (ATT) he/she can schedule the computer-based test.RN Licensure by Endorsement
Candidates who have been licensed in one of the other fifty states can apply for Ohio licensure by endorsement. There will be a background check required and may request fingerprint cards if he/she lives outside of Ohio. Official license verification must be sent to the Ohio Board.RN License for Nurses Educated Abroad
Candidates who were educated outside of the United States and are seeking licensure must first submit a credential evaluation from CGFNS. If not in English, a transcript must be translated. International candidates are required to show evidence of completing an English proficiency exam unless the school was in an English speaking country. The only exception to this rule is graduates from the providence of Quebec, Canada.RN Salaries in Ohio
There are many schools for nurses to attend in order to obtain higher education. Schools are designed to meet the need of busy, working nurses. Registered nurses who seek out higher education are often picked over nurses who have not obtained a bachelors degree. This is because they are better prepared to work in the constantly evolving industry. Nurses are commonly employed in clinics, schools, laboratories, and hospitals and form a large section of the health care industry. The state employed approximately 124,400 registered nurses and the mean salary is $61,750.Ohio Registered Nursing Salaries
There are more registered nurses employed in Cleveland than any other metropolitan area in Ohio. Cleveland also has the highest hourly mean wage and annual median wage.| Area name | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual median wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, OH | 7,400 | $30.38 | $63,940 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 3,950 | $28.27 | $57,440 |
| Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN | 23,570 | $30.45 | $61,820 |
| Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH | 29,080 | $31.46 | $65,270 |
| Columbus, OH | 23,390 | $31.29 | $62,440 |
| Dayton, OH | 10,210 | $29.22 | $59,360 |
| Lima, OH | 1,760 | (8)- | (8)- |
| Mansfield, OH | 1,160 | $28.59 | $58,580 |
| Sandusky, OH | 740 | $27.81 | $57,170 |
| Springfield, OH | 980 | $28.29 | $59,330 |
| Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV | 1,360 | $30.23 | $62,290 |
| Toledo, OH | 7,870 | $28.73 | $58,650 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 4,670 | $26.94 | $55,550 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 3,140 | $26.45 | $55,070 |
| Other Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 4,840 | $27.85 | $57,570 |
| Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 2,480 | $26.76 | $55,050 |
| Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 4,400 | $27.46 | $5,595 |