Best Nursing Schools in Arizona (2026): Rankings and Reviews

Arizona has some of the largest nursing schools in the United States, plus a growing number of private and online options. This guide ranks Arizona BSN programmes using official federal data and reviews the top five, so you can compare graduation rates, graduate earnings and cost.

Imagine choosing between a big public university in Tempe and a private college promising a faster BSN. Comparing graduation rates, costs and NCLEX pass rates side by side shows you which option fits your budget and goals, before you sign anything.

How we ranked these schools

We used the latest official data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. We included colleges in Arizona 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.

Arizona 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 Arizona	Tucson	Public	69%	233	$81,031	$13,906
2	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	Tempe	Public	68%	480	$81,261	$12,975
3	Northern Arizona University	Flagstaff	Public	60%	402	$80,435	$13,439
4	Grand Canyon University	Phoenix	Private nonprofit	51%	3578	$100,698	$17,900
5	The University of Arizona Global Campus	Chandler	Public	11%	32	$102,911	$11,960

Also offering a BSN in Arizona (not ranked: either a comparable graduation rate isn’t reported, often because they mainly enrol transfer, upper-division or adult students, or they’re for-profit career colleges whose college-wide rates aren’t comparable with universities):

College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe	Tempe	Private for-profit	59%	296	$85,460	$26,733
Brookline College-Phoenix	Phoenix	Private for-profit	57%	109	$81,073	n/a
University of Phoenix-Arizona	Phoenix	Private for-profit	21%	535	$107,300	$9,552
Aspen University	Phoenix	Private for-profit	10%	1189	$91,347	$7,570
Arizona College of Nursing-Phoenix	Phoenix	Private for-profit	n/a	144	$85,460	$26,733
Arizona College of Nursing-Tucson	Tucson	Private for-profit	n/a	148	$85,460	$25,933
Arizona State University Digital Immersion	Scottsdale	Public	n/a	439	$81,261	$11,974
Chamberlain University-Arizona	Phoenix	Private for-profit	n/a	225	$89,974	$21,655

Top Arizona nursing schools reviewed

1. University of Arizona

The University of Arizona’s College of Nursing in Tucson is part of a major research university with its own academic health sciences campus, and tops our Arizona list for graduation rate.

• Graduation rate: 69%, number 1 in Arizona on our list
• Programme size: about 233 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $81,031 one year after graduating
• Cost: $13,906 in-state tuition ($43,068 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 86%

2. Arizona State University Campus Immersion

ASU’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation is one of the largest nursing schools in the US, with strong links to Phoenix-area hospitals and competitive public tuition.

• Graduation rate: 68%, number 2 in Arizona on our list
• Programme size: about 480 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, one of the largest in the state
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $81,261 one year after graduating
• Cost: $12,975 in-state tuition ($35,167 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 90%

3. Northern Arizona University

NAU’s School of Nursing in Flagstaff serves much of northern and rural Arizona and produces a large number of BSN graduates each year.

• Graduation rate: 60%, number 3 in Arizona on our list
• Programme size: about 402 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, one of the largest in the state
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $80,435 one year after graduating
• Cost: $13,439 in-state tuition ($30,911 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 90%

4. Grand Canyon University

A large private Christian university in Phoenix that awards more BSN degrees than any other Arizona college, many through online RN-to-BSN study. Its flat tuition makes it simple to compare.

• Graduation rate: 51%, number 4 in Arizona on our list
• Programme size: about 3578 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, one of the largest in the state
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $100,698 one year after graduating
• Cost: $17,900 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 79%

5. The University of Arizona Global Campus

An online institution; its low college-wide graduation rate reflects mostly adult, part-time students. It’s best suited to working nurses completing an RN-to-BSN rather than first-time students.

• Graduation rate: 11%, number 5 in Arizona on our list
• Programme size: about 32 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $102,911 one year after graduating
• Cost: $11,960 in-state tuition ($11,960 out of state)

Several for-profit colleges, including Arizona College of Nursing campuses and Chamberlain University, also offer BSNs in Arizona. They can offer frequent start dates and faster formats, but tuition is often higher than at public universities, so compare total cost and NCLEX pass rates carefully.

But is a ranking enough to choose a school?

No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:

• NCLEX pass rates: the Arizona State 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.

Related: US nursing schools with the highest graduation rates

Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026), Arizona State Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.