Best colleges for nursing
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in nursing, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for nursing1,068 schools
1,068 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in nursing, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maryland
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 2
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in North Carolina
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B+ · Top 23%
- 3
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 4
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A- · Top 19%
- 5
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 6
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 7
Emory University
Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Georgia
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 8
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 9
Georgetown University
Washington, DC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in District of Columbia
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 10Tie
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 10Tie
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA · PublicHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A · Top 10%
- 12
Riverside College of Health Careers
Newport News, VA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 13
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 14
New York University
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 15
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 16
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · PublicHonor Roll#1 in Florida
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 17
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Florida
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 18
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 19
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A- · Top 12%
- 20
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL · PublicHonor Roll#3 in Florida
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 21
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 22Tie
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Ohio
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 22Tie
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · PublicHonor Roll#1 in Wisconsin
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 24
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 25
Clemson University
Clemson, SC · PublicHonor Roll#1 in South Carolina
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B+ · Top 24%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University | $18,809 | $10,250 | $87,555 | 94% |
| Duke University | $29,612 | $13,000 | $97,800 | 97% |
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $21,590 | $21,500 | $102,491 | 96% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $11,655 | $14,000 | $72,200 | 91% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $13,138 | $19,500 | $83,648 | 93% |
| Emory University | $22,585 | $18,250 | $80,137 | 91% |
| University of Southern California | $32,740 | $18,000 | $92,498 | 92% |
| Georgetown University | $40,815 | $15,500 | $103,494 | 95% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $12,548 | $14,000 | $82,511 | 93% |
| University of Virginia | $21,565 | $17,500 | $86,863 | 96% |
| Riverside College of Health Careers | $20,744 | $14,787 | $66,072 | 100% |
| Boston College | $41,704 | $19,000 | $103,937 | 91% |
| New York University | $37,050 | $20,500 | $82,509 | 88% |
| Northeastern University | $30,915 | $24,250 | $92,538 | 91% |
| University of Florida | $6,541 | $15,000 | $71,588 | 91% |
| University of Miami | $37,244 | $17,500 | $75,328 | 84% |
| Villanova University | $43,756 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| The University of Texas at Austin | $19,857 | $20,500 | $75,121 | 89% |
| Florida State University | $11,297 | $18,000 | $61,675 | 86% |
| University of California-Irvine | $14,251 | $15,000 | $80,735 | 87% |
| Case Western Reserve University | $41,190 | $24,000 | $87,989 | 87% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | $17,354 | $20,484 | $73,792 | 90% |
| University of Rochester | $29,278 | $21,000 | $79,042 | 85% |
| Clemson University | $22,253 | $21,500 | $71,513 | 87% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
By state
- Alabama 16
- Arizona 10
- Arkansas 14
- California 53
- Colorado 16
- Connecticut 17
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 6
- Florida 35
- Georgia 37
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 5
- Illinois 33
- Indiana 30
- Iowa 19
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 20
- Louisiana 17
- Maine 9
- Maryland 12
- Massachusetts 24
- Michigan 28
- Minnesota 25
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 36
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 10
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 9
- New Jersey 23
- New Mexico 7
- New York 58
- North Carolina 33
- North Dakota 7
- Ohio 64
- Oklahoma 17
- Oregon 6
- Pennsylvania 68
- Puerto Rico 33
- Rhode Island 5
- South Carolina 20
- South Dakota 7
- Tennessee 31
- Texas 52
- Utah 14
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 33
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 15
- Wisconsin 24