We have now ranked bachelor’s nursing (BSN) programmes in all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the same official US Department of Education College Scorecard data for each. Together, the 780 colleges in our state rankings award around 106,935 BSN degrees a year.
This national guide brings the series together: the top 25 nursing schools in the country by graduation rate, the highest-ranked school in every state, the best-value public universities, and links to every state guide with full tables and reviews.
Imagine you are a high school senior in Lagos, Manila, Nairobi or Chicago with a dream of becoming a nurse in the United States. There are hundreds of nursing schools, glossy websites and confusing rankings. You need one place to start: which schools reliably get students to graduation, what nurses earn afterwards, and what it costs. That is what this guide is for.
How we ranked
For each state we included colleges that award a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and ranked those producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year by their college-wide graduation rate, using the College Scorecard (accessed November 2026). For the national top 25 below, we included only larger programmes producing at least 100 BSN graduates a year, so that the list reflects established nursing schools. Earnings are the median for BSN graduates one year after completing. Graduation rates are for each college as a whole, not nursing students alone.
Top 25 nursing schools in the US (2026)
| Rank | College | State | Type | Graduation rate | BSN graduates a year | Median earnings (1 year) | In-state tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Private nonprofit | 97% | 202 | $91,079 | $71,236 |
| 2 | Duke University | North Carolina | Private nonprofit | 96% | 206 | $87,034 | $72,795 |
| 3 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | Virginia | Public | 94% | 153 | $80,235 | $22,431 |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Michigan | Public | 93% | 181 | $82,804 | $18,346 |
| 5 | Villanova University | Pennsylvania | Private nonprofit | 93% | 175 | $95,659 | $70,826 |
| 6 | University of Florida | Florida | Public | 92% | 235 | $81,536 | $6,381 |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | Public | 91% | 215 | $76,947 | $9,095 |
| 8 | Emory University | Georgia | Private nonprofit | 91% | 152 | $86,533 | $68,056 |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Wisconsin | Public | 90% | 206 | $81,305 | $12,166 |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Austin | Texas | Public | 89% | 117 | $83,778 | $11,656 |
| 11 | New York University | New York | Private nonprofit | 88% | 426 | $120,121 | $65,622 |
| 12 | Clemson University | South Carolina | Public | 88% | 255 | $78,462 | $15,854 |
| 13 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | Ohio | Public | 87% | 243 | $78,970 | $13,641 |
| 14 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pennsylvania | Public | 86% | 249 | $78,478 | $22,736 |
| 15 | Texas Christian University | Texas | Private nonprofit | 86% | 230 | $79,941 | $63,590 |
| 16 | Florida State University | Florida | Public | 86% | 178 | $77,921 | $5,656 |
| 17 | Texas A&M University-College Station | Texas | Public | 85% | 235 | $80,471 | $13,154 |
| 18 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Washington | Public | 85% | 205 | $91,541 | $13,406 |
| 19 | Fairfield University | Connecticut | Private nonprofit | 85% | 184 | $91,135 | $60,810 |
| 20 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Minnesota | Public | 85% | 135 | $77,921 | $18,482 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | Pennsylvania | Public | 85% | 132 | $82,877 | $21,098 |
| 22 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | New Jersey | Public | 84% | 297 | $92,735 | $18,824 |
| 23 | University of Miami | Florida | Private nonprofit | 84% | 234 | $87,777 | $65,430 |
| 24 | Purdue University-Main Campus | Indiana | Public | 84% | 181 | $78,769 | $9,992 |
| 25 | University of Rochester | New York | Private nonprofit | 84% | 152 | $94,860 | $70,306 |
What stands out
- Elite private universities lead on graduation rates, including the University of Pennsylvania, Duke, Villanova and Emory, but with tuition of around $70,000 a year before financial aid.
- Flagship public universities offer exceptional value: the University of Florida, UNC Chapel Hill, Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin-Madison and UT Austin combine graduation rates of around 90% with far lower in-state tuition.
- Earnings vary by region: graduates of programmes in California and New York report the highest early earnings, often above $110,000 a year after graduating (San Francisco State University tops the country at about $145,000), reflecting high local pay and living costs.
Best-value public nursing schools
| College | State | Graduation rate | In-state tuition | Median earnings (1 year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | Virginia | 94% | $22,431 | $80,235 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Michigan | 93% | $18,346 | $82,804 |
| University of Florida | Florida | 92% | $6,381 | $81,536 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | 91% | $9,095 | $76,947 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Wisconsin | 90% | $12,166 | $81,305 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Texas | 89% | $11,656 | $83,778 |
| Clemson University | South Carolina | 88% | $15,854 | $78,462 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Ohio | 87% | $13,641 | $78,970 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pennsylvania | 86% | $22,736 | $78,478 |
| Florida State University | Florida | 86% | $5,656 | $77,921 |
The No. 1 nursing school in every state and DC
| State | Top-ranked school | Graduation rate | Schools ranked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Auburn University | 82% | 14 |
| Alaska | University of Alaska Anchorage | 30% | 1 |
| Arizona | University of Arizona | 69% | 5 |
| Arkansas | John Brown University | 74% | 11 |
| California | University of California-Los Angeles | 93% | 35 |
| Colorado | Colorado Christian University | 67% | 10 |
| Connecticut | Fairfield University | 85% | 11 |
| Delaware | University of Delaware | 79% | 4 |
| Florida | University of Florida | 92% | 47 |
| Georgia | Emory University | 91% | 29 |
| Hawaii | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 63% | 4 |
| Idaho | Northwest Nazarene University | 65% | 5 |
| Illinois | Bradley University | 75% | 26 |
| Indiana | Purdue University-Main Campus | 84% | 24 |
| Iowa | University of Iowa | 75% | 13 |
| Kansas | University of Kansas | 70% | 12 |
| Kentucky | University of Kentucky | 72% | 13 |
| Louisiana | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 53% | 12 |
| Maine | University of New England | 65% | 7 |
| Maryland | Towson University | 68% | 11 |
| Massachusetts | Northeastern University | 91% | 21 |
| Michigan | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 93% | 21 |
| Minnesota | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 85% | 19 |
| Mississippi | University of Mississippi | 71% | 8 |
| Missouri | Saint Louis University | 79% | 22 |
| Montana | Carroll College | 68% | 5 |
| Nebraska | Creighton University | 83% | 9 |
| Nevada | University of Nevada-Reno | 61% | 3 |
| New Hampshire | Saint Anselm College | 80% | 8 |
| New Jersey | The College of New Jersey | 86% | 20 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 54% | 4 |
| New York | New York University | 88% | 46 |
| North Carolina | Duke University | 96% | 21 |
| North Dakota | University of Mary | 66% | 5 |
| Ohio | Case Western Reserve University | 87% | 36 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 69% | 14 |
| Oregon | University of Portland | 81% | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania | 97% | 49 |
| Rhode Island | Salve Regina University | 73% | 3 |
| South Carolina | Clemson University | 88% | 12 |
| South Dakota | Augustana University | 73% | 6 |
| Tennessee | Union University | 75% | 21 |
| Texas | The University of Texas at Austin | 89% | 47 |
| Utah | Brigham Young University | 81% | 9 |
| Vermont | University of Vermont | 81% | 3 |
| Virginia | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 94% | 18 |
| Washington | Gonzaga University | 85% | 15 |
| Washington, DC | Georgetown University | 95% | 5 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia University | 66% | 8 |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 90% | 22 |
| Wyoming | University of Wyoming | 61% | 1 |
Choosing the right nursing school: beyond rankings
- NCLEX pass rates: every state board of nursing tracks first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for approved programmes. Consistently high rates matter more than prestige.
- Accreditation: choose programmes accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
- Direct admission vs pre-nursing: some universities admit you to nursing from the first year; others make you compete after one or two years.
- Net price: use each college’s net price calculator; financial aid can make private schools affordable for some students.
- Clinical placements: location and quality of hospital partners shape your experience and job prospects.
- Licensing: most states belong to the Nurse Licensure Compact, which lets nurses with a multistate licence work across member states.
For international students
International students can study nursing in the US on an F-1 visa, but places are competitive, costs are high and work rights after graduation are limited. Read our guide for international students studying nursing in the USA and our guide to getting into nursing school.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best nursing school in the US?
On our measure (graduation rate among programmes with at least 100 BSN graduates a year), the University of Pennsylvania ranks first, followed by Duke University and the University of Virginia.
What is the best public nursing school for value?
Universities such as Florida, UNC Chapel Hill, Michigan, Virginia and Wisconsin-Madison combine very high graduation rates with relatively low in-state tuition.
How many BSN programmes are there in the US?
Our state rankings include about 780 colleges producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year; many smaller programmes also exist.
Where can I see the full list for my state?
Use the state table above to open each state’s full ranking.
But does a famous name guarantee a better nurse?
No. A strong NCLEX pass rate, good clinical placements, supportive faculty and affordable cost matter more for most students than prestige. Many excellent nurses graduate from smaller regional and community programmes.
Your next step: Open your state’s guide from the table, shortlist three schools, and compare their NCLEX pass rates and net price before you apply.
Related: High acceptance and graduation rate schools · International students: nursing in the USA · How to get into nursing school
Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026); state boards of nursing; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing; National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.
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