2021 - Best Nursing Schools in South Carolina

Overview of Nursing Schools in South Carolina

About Nursing Schools in South Carolina

An associate’s degree in nursing or diploma will provide you with the educational requirements need for a nursing license and a rewarding career in healthcare. When ready, obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in nursing degree will set you apart from your colleagues and open up more job opportunities. Baccalaureate prepared nurses will find that they have more career mobility and more access to specialty areas of certification and licensure. South Carolina is in the midst of a shortage of nurse educators. Nurses who have obtained a BSN degree will be qualified to teach entry-level nursing courses as well as clinical rotations at select colleges and teaching hospitals.

In our South Carolina RN program guide, find rankings for both ADN and BSN Degree programs, tuition costs, NCLEX passing rates, and more. Research key South Carolina 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 South Carolina, 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.

South Carolina RN Program Comparisons: ADN vs BSN

Best Ranked RN Programs in South Carolina

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 South Carolina and the country. Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses.

To create our rankings, we evaluated 15 ADN degree programs and 13 BSN degree programs in South Carolina. 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 South Carolina to provide our state rankings. View our methodology. 

Become an Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in South Carolina

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 South Carolina

Learn how to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and research schools in South Carolina offering the following high paying nurse practitioner specialties:

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Learn about Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree.

South Carolina  RN Licensing Requirements

RN Licensure by Exams

The candidate will need to apply to the South Carolina board and register with Pearson VUE, the company that administers the NCLEX exam. The candidate may apply prior to graduation and must include a passport photo with the application. There is a $90 fee that the candidate will be responsible in order to apply by examination. There is also a $200 fee to take the NCLEX exam. Candidates may be issued a temporary permit while waiting for their NCLEX results. If the candidate does not pass on the first attempt, there will be a 45-day waiting before he/she can test again. The exam can be attempted for up to a year and will require remediation after that point. There is a $65 fee that is owed to the board for re-examination.

RN Licensure by Endorsement

Nurses who have obtained licensure in one of the other 50 states will be able to obtain licensure in South Carolina by endorsement. South Carolina accepts both the NCLEX and the SBTPE. There are two cases in which an out of state nurse may be granted a temporary permit. One is when the initial screening proves that the candidate is eligible for licensure. In this scenario the permit is good for up to 60 days. The second scenario will grant the nurse a 90-day permit. In order to obtain a permit in this case, the nurse must complete a refresher course. The endorsement application itself costs $100 and there is an additional $10 fee for the temporary license.

RN License for Nurses Educated Abroad

Nurses who completed a nursing program in a foreign country must demonstrate English proficiency. Their credentials must also be evaluated through a professional service.

RN Salaries in South Carolina

Sixty percent of the registered nurses in the state of South Carolina work in hospitals and the demand for new registered nurses is growing every day. It has been reported that 36% of the registered nurses in South Carolina have pursued higher education outside of associates. The RN to BSN programs in South Carolina are designed with the intention of increasing the number of Bachelor’s prepared nurses state-wide. Some opportunities that will be available to a baccalaureate-prepared nurse include (but are not limited to):

• Wound, ostomy, and continence
• Psychiatrists
• Nurse educators
• Critical care
• Health policies

South Carolina Registered Nursing Salaries

The Charleston metropolitan area has the highest employment rate of registered nurses along with the highest hourly mean wage and annual median wage.
Source: BLS, Department of Education, State Board of Nursing, Nursing School Websites.