Best colleges for nursing in Pennsylvania
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in nursing, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for nursing in Pennsylvania68 schools
68 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Pennsylvania.
- 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
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 2
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 3
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 4
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 5
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 6
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B
- 7
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 8
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 9
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 10
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 11
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 12
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 13
Moravian University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 14
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 15
Central Penn College
Summerdale, PA · Private for-profitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 16
Marywood University
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 17
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 18
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 19
Saint Francis University
Loretto, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 20
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA · PublicTop 20% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 48%
- 21
Geneva College
Beaver Falls, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 22
Widener University
Chester, PA · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B
- 23
Chatham University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 24
Misericordia University
Dallas, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 25
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport, PA · PublicVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Villanova University | $43,756 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $30,434 | $24,250 | $66,125 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $32,875 | $25,000 | $63,435 | 86% |
| Drexel University | $38,509 | $25,325 | $84,648 | 78% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Duquesne University | $37,730 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | $42,478 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 69% |
| Messiah University | $26,502 | $25,621 | $54,064 | 75% |
| Thomas Jefferson University | $28,928 | $14,744 | $77,449 | 69% |
| Immaculata University | $24,258 | $27,000 | $75,701 | 71% |
| Moravian University | $30,670 | $26,793 | $61,860 | 72% |
| Elizabethtown College | $26,598 | $27,000 | $62,399 | 76% |
| Central Penn College | $18,953 | $23,194 | $45,370 | 51% |
| Marywood University | $23,388 | $26,186 | $55,817 | 72% |
| Temple University | $28,198 | $24,395 | $63,727 | 75% |
| DeSales University | $31,643 | $25,788 | $61,295 | 72% |
| Saint Francis University | $23,526 | $27,000 | $62,101 | 74% |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | $23,331 | $23,500 | $61,258 | 71% |
| Geneva College | $25,890 | $25,198 | $50,004 | 61% |
| Widener University | $25,759 | $27,000 | $70,920 | 68% |
| Chatham University | $29,954 | $23,250 | $52,410 | 63% |
| Misericordia University | $37,485 | $26,973 | $64,313 | 72% |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | $25,110 | $23,961 | $52,567 | 53% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- 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
- 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