2023 Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas
Finding the Best Nursing School for You
Nursing is the most popular major in Arkansas with 2,882 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022.
It's not easy to decide which nursing program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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.
The Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 28 schools in Arkansas to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas
The colleges and universities below are the best for nursing majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Nursing Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Baptist Health College - Little Rock the best school in Arkansas for nursing students. BHCLR is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Little Rock.
On average, nursing graduates from BHCLR take out $12,415 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $121, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Out of the 28 schools in Arkansas that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arkansas landed the # 2 spot on the list. UARK is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Fayetteville.
On average, nursing graduates from UARK take out $37,554 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $307, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Out of the 28 schools in Arkansas that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences landed the # 3 spot on the list. UAMS is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Little Rock.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from UAMS carry an average student debtload of $35,950. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $74.
Full Nursing at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Report
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Harding University is a great place for nursing students. Harding is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Searcy.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Harding carry an average student debtload of $43,454. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $360.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Henderson State University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas list. Located in the town of Arkadelphia, Henderson State University is a public college with a small student population.
Nursing majors at Henderson State University take out an average of $15,286 in student loans while working on their egree.
With a ranking of #6, Arkansas State University - Newport did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. ASUN is a small public school located in the rural area of Newport.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at ASUN take out is $11,102.
Read full report on Nursing at Arkansas State University - Newport
With a ranking of #7, Jefferson Regional Medical Center School of Nursing did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. JRMC School of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pine Bluff.
On average, nursing graduates from JRMC School of Nursing take out $14,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Nursing at Jefferson Regional Medical Center School of Nursing Report
John Brown University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas list. Located in the town of Siloam Springs, JBU is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Nursing majors at JBU take out an average of $29,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the city of Little Rock, UA Little Rock is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Nursing majors at UA Little Rock take out an average of $18,488 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Nursing at University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Arkansas State University - Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas ranking. A-State is a large public school located in the small city of Jonesboro.
Nursing majors at A-State take out an average of $32,824 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Nursing at Arkansas State University - Main Campus
Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 7,364 |
| Kentucky | 6,395 |
| Tennessee | 6,004 |
| Louisiana | 3,502 |
| Mississippi | 2,838 |
| Florida | 21,209 |
| North Carolina | 7,425 |
| West Virginia | 1,771 |
| Georgia | 7,112 |
| South Carolina | 3,296 |
| Virginia | 6,775 |
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 Related Majors
| 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.