The University of South Carolina is a public institution in Columbia, South Carolina. It is one of the best nursing colleges in the state and a prime destination for out-of-state students as well.
Admission to this public institution is competitive, with different application processes for undergraduate and graduate programs.
The College of Nursing employs the most cutting-edge teaching techniques and tools available through simulation—an immersive teaching modality that replicates clinical scenarios in realistic practice environments. The students learn from skilled educators, clinicians, and researchers in every aspect of the curriculum from classroom study to clinical practice.
The College of Nursing at the University of South Carolina offers a variety of donor/departmental scholarships and fellowships. Scholarships are highly competitive and limited in number. The number and amounts of scholarships awarded vary depending on available funds.
Undergraduate Programs: The bachelor's degree in the nursing curriculum at USC is divided into two levels or divisions: pre-nursing lower-division and upper-division.
Students in the pre-nursing lower division must take a core of general education classes as well as nursing courses focusing on health and wellness, nursing history, nutrition, and pathophysiology.
Upper-division students work in the college's patient simulation lab and complete clinical hours in a variety of settings. Students must attend school full-time and complete the courses in the order they are offered.
Graduate Programs: The Master's Entry to Practice Nursing (MEPN) program at USC will prepare non-nurse baccalaureate graduates to enter the nursing profession as master's degree graduates.
The degree types available at USC College of Nursing include Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Registered Nursing, and the school offers its programs on campus, in hybrid, and online formats.
The nursing school at University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution located in Columbia, South Carolina. Its nursing programs are accredited by ACEN, ACME, CCNE and COA.
Degree types you can earn at University of South Carolina-Columbia include Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family 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 Bachelor Degree, BSN to DNP, BSN to PhD, Doctor of Nursing, Master Degree, MSN to DNP and Post Master's NP Certificate level degrees.
For nursing students in South Carolina, the state average NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is 87.01% and for BSN programs is 89.38%. The average national NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is N/A% and for BSN programs is N/A%.
Out of 36 nursing schools in South Carolina, the nursing program at University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks #1 in the state, and out of more than 1,700 nursing programs nationally, it ranks #4. It's 3-year average NCLEX-RN passing rate is 99.39%, giving the University of South Carolina-Columbia an overall grade of A.
Nursing Program Stats at a Glance for University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Grade: A
- NCLEX-RN Passing Rate Average: 99.39%
- South Carolina State Rank: 1
- National Rank: 4
Best Online Nursing Programs for South Carolina 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 South Carolina Nursing School Rankings
Compare South Carolina Nursing Schools | ADN | BSN |
---|---|---|
Number of Nursing Programs | 15 | 15 |
Average NCLEX Passing Rate | 87.01% | 89.38% |
NCLEX Passing Rate Range | 59.70% to 98.60% | 65.35% to 99.39% |
Best Ranked School Details | ADN Rankings for South Carolina | BSN Rankings for South Carolina |
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Pass Rate

- Columbia-Campus, Columbia, SC - 29208
- (803) 777-7000

- NCLEX Passing Rate: (A) 99.39%
- Programs: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nursing
- Award Levels: Bachelor, BSN to DNP, BSN to PhD, MSN, MSN to DNP, Post Master's NP Certificate
University Information
Total Faculty: 1956
In-State Undergraduate Tuition: $12,688
Book and Supplies: $1,085
Percent Received Aid: 94%
Average Grant or Scholarship: $6,405
Percent Admitted: 68%
Percent Admitted who Enrolled: 24%
Graduation Rate: 78%
Cities in South Carolina Offering Accredited Nursing Programs
If you are not finding the right nursing program in Columbia or want to compare nursing schools from other cities in South Carolina? 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 South Carolina: Aiken, Anderson, Beaufort, Bluffton, Cheraw, Clemson, Conway, Florence, Graniteville, Greenville, Greenwood, Newberry, Orangeburg, Pendleton, Rock Hill, Spartanburg, Sumter and West Columbia
.
Additional Nursing Programs in South Carolina
- Aiken Technical College
- Anderson University
- Bob Jones University
- Central Carolina Technical College
- Charleston Southern University
- Citadel Military College of South Carolina
- Claflin University
- Clemson University
- Coastal Carolina University
- Columbia College
- Florence-Darlington Technical College
- Francis Marion University
- Greenville Technical College
- Horry-Georgetown Technical College
- Lander University
- Limestone University
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Midlands Technical College
- Newberry College
- Northeastern Technical College
- Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College
- Piedmont Technical College
- South Carolina State University
- South University-Columbia
- Southern Wesleyan University
- Spartanburg Community College
- Technical College of the Lowcountry
- Tri-County Technical College
- Trident Technical College
- University of South Carolina-Aiken
- University of South Carolina-Beaufort
- University of South Carolina-Columbia
- University of South Carolina-Lancaster
- University of South Carolina-Upstate
- York Technical College/USC Lancaster
Learn About In-Demand Nursing Professions
- How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Practitioner Programs in South Carolina
- Nursing Specialties
South Carolina Nursing School Rankings
Back to RN Program Rankings in South Carolina
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