Best Colleges for Nursing in 2025–26

30 colleges with strong nursing programs, ranked by size and selectivity.

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ

78.9% acceptance$17,850 in-state

Ohio State University

Columbus, OH

53% acceptance$12,485 in-state

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL

40.1% acceptance$6,368 in-state

Rutgers University

New Brunswick, NJ

66% acceptance$16,592 in-state

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA

99% acceptance$22,465 in-state

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH

76% acceptance$13,424 in-state

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH

60.6% acceptance$13,244 in-state

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA

69.2% acceptance$5,808 in-state

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA

90.5% acceptance$7,470 in-state

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL

43.2% acceptance$6,410 in-state

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA

46.3% acceptance$7,350 in-state

University of South Carolina

Columbia, SC

68% acceptance$13,178 in-state

University of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN

78% acceptance$13,264 in-state

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL

76.7% acceptance$12,180 in-state

Northern Virginia Community College

Annandale, VA

$5,891 in-state

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX

79.9% acceptance$11,950 in-state

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Cincinnati, OH

85.3% acceptance$13,976 in-state

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Edinburg, TX

94.2% acceptance$9,987 in-state

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA

94% acceptance$8,018 in-state

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

84.6% acceptance$8,410 in-state

SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY

49% acceptance$10,556 in-state

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY

92.9% acceptance$13,502 in-state

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ

89.6% acceptance$13,009 in-state

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

83.6% acceptance$11,283 in-state

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL

77.4% acceptance$14,338 in-state

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA

95.3% acceptance$7,350 in-state

Washington State University

Pullman, WA

86.6% acceptance$13,391 in-state

The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX

99.9% acceptance$9,744 in-state

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA

71.5% acceptance$14,250 in-state

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY

74.2% acceptance$10,936 in-state

About nursing as a major

Nursing is one of the few college majors where ranking really matters — not for prestige, but for two practical things: NCLEX pass rates and clinical placement. The NCLEX-RN is the national licensing exam every nurse must pass. Schools with first-time pass rates above 90% (your target) place graduates into the workforce reliably; schools below 80% see a meaningful share of graduates fail and have to retake. Clinical placement quality determines what kind of hospital experience you get during school — and increasingly, what kind of job you get after. A BSN from a school with a teaching-hospital partnership is one of the most direct paths from college to a six-figure career. Demand for RNs is projected to grow 6% through 2032 (faster than average), and the national nursing shortage means new BSNs have unusually strong leverage.

Salary range

$78,000 median; CRNAs average $200,000+

Study path

4-year BSN. Core sequence: anatomy & physiology → pharmacology → med-surg nursing → clinical rotations. Senior year is mostly hands-on clinicals in hospital settings.

How to choose a nursing program

Accreditation matters most — look only at CCNE or ACEN accredited programs. Pull up the school's most recent NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (it's public data) and aim for 90%+ schools. Decide between a traditional 4-year BSN (where you're admitted as a nursing student from day one) and an upper-division BSN (where you're admitted to the university first and apply to nursing as a sophomore — usually competitive). Clinical placement quality and hospital partnerships are crucial: a school affiliated with a top-tier hospital (HUP for Penn, Cleveland Clinic-area schools, UCLA Health, UNC Health) gives you hands-on experience with the latest equipment and protocols. Faculty-to-student ratio in clinicals matters more than overall student-faculty ratio — aim for 1:8 or better in clinical settings.

Common career paths for nursing graduates

Registered Nurse (RN), Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Public Health Nurse, ICU/ER Nurse, Pediatric Nurse, Travel Nurse, Nurse Educator, Nurse Midwife

Real careers, real salaries

See all →
Registered Nurse (RN)$86K
+6% by 2032
Nurse Practitioner$126K
+45% by 2032

Scholarships for nursing students

There are scholarships specifically for students studying nursing. Search our database to find awards you qualify for.

Find nursing scholarships →
Best nursing colleges ranked →Compare collegesCheck your chancesNet price calculatorBrowse all colleges

Last updated: November 2025. Live acceptance rates and tuition pulled from each college's most recent reporting.

KidToCollege is free to use and editorially independent. Data sourced from public records including IPEDS, Common Data Sets, College Board and FAFSA.gov. Always verify deadlines and requirements directly with institutions. Not a guarantee of admission or financial aid.