2023 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools
Finding the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree School for You
Nursing is the most popular major in the United States with 319,502 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022.
There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 1,016 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best bachelor's degree programs for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
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2023 Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Colleges.
Top 25 Top Schools for a Bachelor's in Nursing
Our 2023 rankings named Samuel Merritt University the best school in the United States for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Samuel Merritt University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Oakland.
Nursing majors at Samuel Merritt University take out an average of $20,444 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $601.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Stanbridge University is a great place for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Stanbridge is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Irvine.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from Stanbridge carry an average student debtload of $31,470.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Providence. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the small city of Great Falls, University of Providence is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at University of Providence accumulate an average of around $15,951 in student debt.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Pacific College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Pacific College is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Costa Mesa.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is a great place for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate is a public school with a small student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from SUNY Downstate carry an average student debtload of $11,715.
Read full report on Nursing at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Aspen University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in the city of Phoenix, Aspen University is a private for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
On average, nursing graduates from Aspen University take out $11,038 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
With a ranking of #9, Loma Linda University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large suburb of Loma Linda, Loma Linda University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Nursing majors at Loma Linda University take out an average of $25,098 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $383.
Ottawa University - Phoenix ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Phoenix, Ottawa University - Phoenix is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from Ottawa University - Phoenix carry an average student debtload of $20,101.
Helene Fuld College of Nursing landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. HFCN is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.
Nursing majors at HFCN take out an average of $28,019 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
Read full report on Nursing at Helene Fuld College of Nursing
West Coast University - Orange County did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in the city of Anaheim, West Coast University - Orange County is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at West Coast University - Orange County accumulate an average of around $31,215 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $742.
Full Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County Report
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in the large city of Lubbock, TTUHSC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from TTUHSC carry an average student debtload of $12,237. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $343.
Chamberlain University - Arizona did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in the large city of Phoenix, Chamberlain - Arizona is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Chamberlain - Arizona accumulate an average of around $25,436 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $283.
West Coast University - Ontario came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. West Coast University - Ontario is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Ontario.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at West Coast University - Ontario take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $31,215. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $742.
With a ranking of #16, West Coast University - Los Angeles did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. West Coast University - Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the city of North Hollywood.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at West Coast University - Los Angeles accumulate an average of around $31,215 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $742.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts ranked #17 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the medium-sized city of San Mateo, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
With a ranking of #19, Chamberlain University - Missouri did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Chamberlain - Missouri is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of St. Louis.
Nursing majors at Chamberlain - Missouri take out an average of $25,436 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $283.
The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in the city of New York, The Graduate Center is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from The Graduate Center carry an average student debtload of $9,584.
California State University - Monterey Bay ranked #21 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. CSUMB is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Seaside.
On average, nursing graduates from CSUMB take out $7,530 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
Full Nursing at California State University - Monterey Bay Report
Ottawa University - Kansas City did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #22 on the list. Located in the city of Overland Park, Ottawa University - Kansas City is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
On average, nursing graduates from Ottawa University - Kansas City take out $20,101 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
Bushnell University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Bushnell University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Eugene.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Bushnell University accumulate an average of around $18,372 in student debt.
Molloy College landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Molloy is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Rockville Centre.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Molloy take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $30,616. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $437.
University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #25 on the list. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public college with a very large student population.
Read full report on Nursing at University of California - Los Angeles
Rest of the Top 50 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools
Remaining Award Winners
This list shows the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 1016 different United States nursing schools we analyzed.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great schools for Nursing students that almost earned our Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
Nursing by Region
View the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Other U.S. Territories |
| Great Lakes |
Nursing Related Rankings by Major
Nursing Focus Areas
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 262,974 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,647 |
| Nursing Practice | 8,862 |
| Nursing Administration | 8,663 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4,717 |
| Nursing Science | 4,701 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,895 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,075 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 2,011 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,768 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 747 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 622 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 567 |
| School Nursing | 539 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 502 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 340 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 269 |
| Women’s Health Nurse/Nursing | 262 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 192 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 87 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 26 |
| Forensic Nursing | 23 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 13 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 85,339 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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