2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in New York
With all the nursing programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Also there are many trade schools and bpptcamp that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in New York to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 40 schools in New York to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Associate Degree Schools in New York
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Excelsior University to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a associate degree in New York. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 1,240 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,110 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, Excelsior University is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
Out of the 40 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Bronx Community College landed the # 2 spot on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Bronx, New York, and it awarded 1,152 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend BCC full time pay an average of $5,206 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,086. Associate Degree recipients from BCC accumulate an average of $11,352 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at BCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 93% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Suffolk County Community College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. Selden, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,922 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $6,270 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Suffolk County Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,740. On average, associate degree students take out $9,363 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Suffolk County Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means LaGuardia Community College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in Long Island City, New York, the fairly large public school handed out 2,562 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $5,218 in tuition and fees if they attend LaGuardia full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,098. On average, associate degree students take out $8,523 in loans while pursuing their degree.
LaGuardia does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 96% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means College of Staten Island CUNY is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. CSI is a public institution located in Staten Island, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 587 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,490 in tuition and fees if they attend CSI full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $15,440. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,527 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at CSI. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 90% took at least some of their classes online.
Nassau Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Nassau Community College is located in Garden City, New York and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2,247 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $6,330 in tuition and fees if they attend Nassau Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,130. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,890 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Nassau Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 85% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Orange County Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Orange County Community College is a small public school located in Middletown, New York that handed out 709 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $6,262 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SUNY Orange. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,806. On average, associate degree students take out $12,570 in loans while pursuing their degree.
SUNY Orange does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 83% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
New York City College of Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in New York list. New York City College of Technology is a fairly large public school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 1,252 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,320 in tuition and fees if they attend City Tech full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $15,270. Associate Degree recipients from City Tech accumulate an average of $10,175 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that City Tech does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 96% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #9, Dutchess Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Poughkeepsie, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 811 students in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend DCC full time pay an average of $5,174 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $9,774. Associate Degree recipients from DCC accumulate an average of $11,428 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
DCC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #10, North Country Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. North Country Community College is a public institution located in Saranac Lake, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 162 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $6,562 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend North Country Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $13,734. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,327 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that North Country Community College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 39% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Monroe College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Located in Bronx, New York, the medium-sized private for-profit school awarded 875 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Monroe College, expect to pay an average of $17,442 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,013 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Monroe College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 38% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #12, Kingsborough Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Kingsborough Community College is a fairly large public school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 1,749 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend KCC full time pay an average of $5,252 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,132. Associate Degree recipients from KCC accumulate an average of $9,917 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at KCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #13, Alfred State College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Alfred State is a public institution located in Alfred, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 687 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $8,862 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Alfred State. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $15,942. On average, associate degree students take out $14,985 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Alfred State does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 34% took at least some of their classes online.
Hostos Community College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Hostos is located in Bronx, New York and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 921 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $5,208 in tuition and fees if they attend Hostos full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,088. On average, associate degree students take out $11,429 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Hostos does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 96% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Hudson Valley Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Troy, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,310 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $6,018 in tuition and fees if they attend HVCC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,818. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,714 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at HVCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #16, Jefferson Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in Watertown, New York, the small public school awarded 354 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $5,832 to cover tuition and fees at Jefferson Community College. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, associate degree students take out $13,541 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Jefferson Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 52% took at least some of their classes online.
SUNY Delhi did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #17 on the list. This small public school is located in Delhi, New York, and it awarded 383 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend SUNY Delhi full time pay an average of $8,720 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $12,490. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,043 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SUNY Delhi. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 70% took at least some of their classes online.
Morrisville State College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in New York list. Located in Morrisville, New York, the small public school awarded 301 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $8,741 in tuition and fees if they attend Morrisville State College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,651. On average, associate degree students take out $16,582 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Morrisville State College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #19, Borough of Manhattan Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. BMCC is located in New York, New York and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3,971 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $5,170 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend BMCC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,050. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,836 in student loans.
BMCC does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 89% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Genesee Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #20 on the list. GCC is a public institution located in Batavia, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 539 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend GCC full time pay an average of $5,440 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,040. On average, associate degree students take out $12,106 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at GCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 44% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Niagara County Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in New York list. Located in Sanborn, New York, the small public school handed out 701 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend Niagara County Community College full time pay an average of $6,165 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,205. On average, associate degree students take out $12,388 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Niagara County Community College. In fact, around 42% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #22, Columbia-Greene Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Columbia-Greene Community College is a public institution located in Hudson, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 189 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from New York who attend Columbia-Greene Community College full time pay an average of $5,760 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,872. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,489 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Columbia-Greene Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 58% took at least some of their classes online.
Jamestown Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #23 on the list. This small public school is located in Jamestown, New York, and it awarded 507 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $6,450 in tuition and fees if they attend Jamestown Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,750. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,330 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Jamestown Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 37% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
SUNY Canton did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Canton, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 245 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $8,689 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SUNY Canton. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $15,648. On average, associate degree students take out $16,326 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since SUNY Canton does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 82% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Erie Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #25 on the list. Buffalo, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,364 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from New York pay an average of $5,950 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Erie Community College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,150. On average, associate degree students take out $10,690 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Erie Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 38% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.