2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for nursing students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Nursing Degree Search has created its Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking. This report analyzed 1,165 schools in the United States to see which ones were the most popular bachelor's degree programs for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Western Governors University the most popular school in the United States for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Western Governors University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 10,730 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $7,452 to cover tuition and fees at WGU. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,218 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 89% were women.
Since WGU is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
You’ll be in good company if you attend Chamberlain University - Illinois. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Chamberlain - Illinois is a private for-profit institution located in Addison, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8,124 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Chamberlain - Illinois does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $20,250. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $37,103 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 89% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Chamberlain - Illinois. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 91% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Out of the 1,165 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Canyon University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the large private for-profit school awarded 4,530 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Grand Canyon University does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $17,189. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $31,746 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 89% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Grand Canyon University does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Arlington. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. The University of Texas at Arlington is a large public school located in Arlington, Texas that handed out 3,456 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Texas who attend UT Arlington full time pay an average of $11,727 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $29,299. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,737 in student loans. Around 86% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at UT Arlington. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 52% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you attend Capella University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the large private for-profit school handed out 3,199 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $36,933 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 90% were women.
Capella University is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 2,089 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,448 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 86% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at OHIO Athens. During the 2019-2020 year, about 92% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Aspen University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. This medium-sized private for-profit school is located in Denver, Arizona, and it awarded 1,430 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Aspen University does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $5,170. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Aspen University accumulate an average of $36,338 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 88% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, Aspen University is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
West Coast University - Orange County ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in Anaheim, California, the small private for-profit school awarded 971 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at West Coast University - Orange County is $22,516. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from West Coast University - Orange County accumulate an average of $35,896 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 80% were women.
West Coast University - Orange County does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 70% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Southern New Hampshire University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. SNHU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has a large population, and it awarded 945 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend SNHU, expect to pay an average of $15,380 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $31,825 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 90% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that SNHU does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 96% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
National University College ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the large private for-profit school awarded 919 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at National University College is $6,919. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,995. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $28,592 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 76% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at National University College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 58% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #11, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Lubbock, Texas, the medium-sized public school handed out 917 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Texas pay an average of $9,389 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend TTUHSC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $22,230. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,311 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 86% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at TTUHSC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
University of Phoenix - Arizona landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in Tempe, Arizona, the large private for-profit school handed out 876 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $41,357 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 88% were women.
UOPX - Arizona does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 100% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #14, University of North Carolina at Wilmington did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a fairly large public school located in Wilmington, North Carolina that handed out 782 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from North Carolina who attend UNCW full time pay an average of $7,238 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $21,303. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,787 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 90% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at UNCW. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #15, West Coast University - Los Angeles did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. This small private for-profit school is located in North Hollywood, California, and it awarded 778 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at West Coast University - Los Angeles is $35,178. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $35,896 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 76% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since West Coast University - Los Angeles does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 71% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #16, University of Central Florida did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. UCF is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida. It awarded 772 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Florida who attend UCF full time pay an average of $6,368 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $22,467. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UCF accumulate an average of $22,799 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 88% of those degree recipients were women.
UCF does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 99% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #17, West Coast University - Ontario did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. This small private for-profit school is located in Ontario, California, and it awarded 698 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend West Coast University - Ontario, expect to pay an average of $35,178 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $38,539 in student loans. Around 80% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at West Coast University - Ontario. In 2019-2020 about 73% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
The University of Texas at Tyler came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. UT Tyler is a public institution located in Tyler, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 630 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $9,388 in tuition and fees if they attend UT Tyler full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $23,938. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,463 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 84% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UT Tyler does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Galen College of Nursing - Louisville ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, the small private for-profit school awarded 623 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Galen College of Nursing - Louisville accumulate an average of $43,752 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 89% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Galen College of Nursing - Louisville. During the 2019-2020 year, about 74% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
American Sentinel University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. American Sentinel University is located in Aurora, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 620 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $10,520 to cover tuition and fees at American Sentinel University. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from American Sentinel University accumulate an average of $26,198 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 91% were women.
Since American Sentinel University is primarily an online school, it is an excellent choice for undergraduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #21 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 585 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from Indiana pay an average of $10,044 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend IUPUI. Out-of-state students pay an average of $32,101. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,082 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 88% were women.
IUPUI 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 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Report
Purdue University Northwest came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in Hammond, Indiana, the medium-sized public school awarded 581 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Purdue Northwest is $7,734. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,349. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $27,454 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 85% of those degree recipients were women.
Purdue Northwest does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
East Tennessee State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. Johnson City, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 563 students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Tennessee pay an average of $9,438 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend ETSU. Out-of-state students pay an average of $12,740. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,047 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 85% were women.
One thing to take note of is that ETSU does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Drexel University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Drexel is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 533 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Drexel, expect to pay an average of $57,136 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $28,187 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 89% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Drexel does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 91% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #25, Northern Arizona University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Flagstaff, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 526 students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $11,527 in tuition and fees if they attend NAU full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $17,761. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from NAU accumulate an average of $22,855 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 87% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at NAU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 59% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Rest of the Top 50 Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the United States
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular nursing schools ranking:
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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.
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