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

Indiana has around 25 colleges producing BSN graduates, led by Purdue and a strong group of private colleges. This guide ranks them using official federal data and reviews the top five.

Imagine being accepted by Purdue and a small Catholic college near Notre Dame in the same week. Both offer a path to an RN licence, but one is a big public research university and the other a small women’s college. The numbers below show how they compare.

How we ranked these schools

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

Indiana nursing schools ranked (2026)

Rank	College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
1	Purdue University-Main Campus	West Lafayette	Public	84%	181	$78,769	$9,992
2	Saint Mary’s College	Notre Dame	Private nonprofit	72%	47	$78,969	$55,093
3	Valparaiso University	Valparaiso	Private nonprofit	69%	112	$80,614	$50,390
4	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion	Marion	Private nonprofit	67%	88	$81,154	$33,314
5	University of Evansville	Evansville	Private nonprofit	66%	26	$78,870	$46,014
6	Marian University	Indianapolis	Private nonprofit	66%	282	$77,457	$42,100
7	Ball State University	Muncie	Public	62%	159	$77,878	$11,082
8	Huntington University	Huntington	Private nonprofit	61%	21	$76,549	$33,144
9	University of Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Private nonprofit	57%	115	$73,744	$38,308
10	Bethel University	Mishawaka	Private nonprofit	56%	38	$86,633	$35,380
11	University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne	Fort Wayne	Private nonprofit	55%	107	$83,844	$37,550
12	Anderson University	Anderson	Private nonprofit	55%	28	$74,269	$38,900
13	Indiana University-Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Public	54%	601	$76,965	$10,762
14	University of Southern Indiana	Evansville	Public	50%	141	$77,580	$10,791
15	Indiana University-Kokomo	Kokomo	Public	46%	124	$76,279	$8,424
16	Purdue University Northwest	Hammond	Public	44%	346	$84,230	$8,675
17	Indiana State University	Terre Haute	Public	44%	176	$78,031	$10,258
18	Purdue University Global	West Lafayette	Public	44%	147	$87,065	$10,095
19	Indiana University-East	Richmond	Public	40%	78	$75,325	$8,424
20	Indiana University-Southeast	New Albany	Public	39%	52	$75,509	$8,424
21	Vincennes University	Vincennes	Public	39%	42	$66,922	$7,126
22	Indiana University-South Bend	South Bend	Public	38%	61	$84,823	$8,424
23	Indiana University-Northwest	Gary	Public	37%	61	$82,500	$8,424
24	Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global	Marion	Private nonprofit	32%	177	$81,154	$8,448

Also offering a BSN in Indiana (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
Chamberlain University-Indiana	Indianapolis	Private for-profit	n/a	64	$89,974	$20,845
American College of Education	Indianapolis	Private for-profit	n/a	31	n/a	n/a

Top Indiana nursing schools reviewed

1. Purdue University-Main Campus

Purdue University’s School of Nursing in West Lafayette tops our Indiana list for graduation rate and combines a large research university setting with low in-state tuition.

• Graduation rate: 84%, number 1 in Indiana on our list
• Programme size: about 181 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $78,769 one year after graduating
• Cost: $9,992 in-state tuition ($28,794 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 50%

2. Saint Mary’s College

Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame is a Catholic women’s college next to the University of Notre Dame, with a small, personal nursing programme.

• Graduation rate: 72%, number 2 in Indiana on our list
• Programme size: about 47 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $78,969 one year after graduating
• Cost: $55,093 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 76%

3. Valparaiso University

Valparaiso University in northwest Indiana is a private Lutheran university with a long-established College of Nursing and Health Professions.

• Graduation rate: 69%, number 3 in Indiana on our list
• Programme size: about 112 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $80,614 one year after graduating
• Cost: $50,390 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 89%

4. Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion is a Christian university with one of the largest nursing programmes in the state, including online and adult options.

• Graduation rate: 67%, number 4 in Indiana on our list
• Programme size: about 88 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $81,154 one year after graduating
• Cost: $33,314 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 89%

5. University of Evansville

The University of Evansville in southwest Indiana is a small private university offering a nursing degree with close faculty contact.

• Graduation rate: 66%, number 5 in Indiana on our list
• Programme size: about 26 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $78,870 one year after graduating
• Cost: $46,014 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 78%

Indiana University, whose School of Nursing on the Indianapolis campus is one of the largest in the country, and Ball State University also train large numbers of Indiana nurses.

Ways to become a registered nurse in Indiana

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): a four-year degree, the route covered in this guide, preferred by many hospitals and required for most leadership and advanced roles.
• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): a two-year programme, often at community colleges, leading to the same NCLEX-RN exam. Many nurses later complete an RN-to-BSN degree, often online and part-time while working.
• Accelerated BSN (ABSN): for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject, usually 12 to 18 months of intensive study.
• Direct-entry master’s (MSN): offered by some universities for graduates of other fields.

Whichever route you choose, you must graduate from an approved programme and pass the NCLEX-RN exam to be licensed by the Indiana State Board of Nursing. Indiana is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a multistate licence lets you practise in other compact states.

Frequently asked questions

How many colleges in Indiana offer a BSN?

Based on the latest College Scorecard data, 26 colleges in Indiana produce at least 20 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, together awarding around 3,305 BSN degrees annually. Some smaller programmes are not included.

Which Indiana nursing school has the highest graduation rate?

Purdue University-Main Campus has the highest college-wide graduation rate on our list, at 84%.

Which is the largest nursing programme in Indiana?

Indiana University-Indianapolis produces the most bachelor’s nursing graduates in the state, about 601 a year.

How much do new BSN graduates earn in Indiana?

Across the colleges listed, the median first-year earnings of bachelor’s nursing graduates range from $66,922 to $89,974, with a typical (median) figure of about $78,769. Earnings depend on where graduates work, their shift patterns and whether they were already working as nurses.

How much does a public nursing degree cost in Indiana?

In-state tuition at the public universities on our list ranges from $7,126 to $11,082 a year, before fees, housing and financial aid.

But is a ranking enough to choose a school?

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

• NCLEX pass rates: the Indiana State Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for approved programmes. 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 · How to get into nursing school

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