Alaska has very few places to earn a nursing bachelor’s degree, but strong demand for nurses, especially outside Anchorage. This guide uses official federal data to show your in-state options, what graduates earn and what it costs, plus alternatives if you can’t find a place.
Imagine growing up in a small Alaskan town where the clinic struggles to keep nurses. You earn your BSN in Anchorage, complete placements across the state, and return home as one of the few registered nurses in your community. That’s why nursing education in Alaska matters so much.
How we ranked these schools
We used the latest official data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. We included colleges in Alaska that award a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), and ranked those producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year by their graduation rate. We also show how much their nursing graduates earn and what tuition costs. Graduation rates are for each college as a whole, not nursing students alone.
Alaska nursing schools ranked (2026)
| Rank | College | City | Type | Graduation rate | BSN graduates a year | BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year) | In-state tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Alaska Anchorage | Anchorage | Public | 30% | 122 | $86,549 | $7,966 |
Top Alaska nursing schools reviewed
1. University of Alaska Anchorage
The University of Alaska Anchorage’s School of Nursing is the state’s main BSN provider, preparing nurses for practice across Alaska, including rural communities. Its college-wide graduation rate is low partly because many UAA students study part-time or transfer, so check nursing-specific outcomes and NCLEX pass rates directly with the school.
- Graduation rate: 30%, number 1 in Alaska on our list
- Programme size: about 122 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
- Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $86,549 one year after graduating
- Cost: $7,966 in-state tuition ($22,366 out of state)
Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage also offers a nursing bachelor’s on a very small scale. With so few in-state options, many Alaskans study through distance programmes or out of state and return home to work, and Alaska is among the higher-paying US states for registered nurses.
But is a ranking enough to choose a school?
No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:
- NCLEX pass rates: the Alaska Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for every approved programme. Look for consistently high rates over several years.
- Accreditation: make sure the BSN is accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
- Getting into the nursing major: many universities admit students as “pre-nursing” first. Ask what share progress into the nursing programme.
- Clinical placements: where students train and how placements are arranged.
- Total cost: use each college’s net price calculator to see your likely cost after financial aid.
Your next step: Shortlist three schools from the table, then check each programme’s NCLEX pass rate on the Alaska Board of Nursing website before you apply.
Related: US nursing schools with the highest graduation rates
Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026), Alaska Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.
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