2023 Best Bachelor's in Nursing Programs

Click here to find out more about the ranking methodology that we used to compile this list.

Congratulations! If you represent a college or university that is included in this list, please collect your seal below.

Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student/teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.

Do you want to acquire a bachelor’s degree in nursing, but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best bachelor’s in nursing programs.

What institution did we forget? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Duke University, Raleigh, NC

Duke University has a few pathways to BSN programs via its nationally recognized nursing school. The most popular choice is the accelerated bachelor of science in nursing, which helps learners finish the degree program in four consecutive semesters, or within 16 months. As one of the best nursing schools, learners who are accepted to this degree program will have stringent academic and clinical prerequisites put upon them. The school is a leader in healthcare and nursing coursework, and learners are expected to pass the NCLEX the first time, and with the help of staff and faculty, over 90 percent of them do. Classes focus upon:

Wellness and prevention
Clinical leadership
Evidence-based nursing practice
Culturally relevant care

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

The University of Pennsylvania Is one of the few institutions in the United States that enable medical professional learners to get dual degrees, such as a dual degree in nursing and healthcare. Learners who get a bachelor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania are also eligible for admission into any one of the school’s 20 master’s degrees programs. Nurse Practitioner programs consist of:

Adult-Gerontology Care
Family
Neonatal
Pediatric Acute Care

The school has a bachelor of science in nursing that extends research and international study opportunities for all learners. Penn Nursing is the only Ivy League degree program that features a near 100 percent graduation and the employment rate for all learners.

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Case Western Reserve University is one of the most outstanding nursing schools for learners interested in becoming nurses in the ER or high-risk medical situations. It is the leader in holistic pathways for BSN programs. It gives learners the capacity to be granted a bachelor of nursing with more than 1,500 clinical hours. Learners can decide where to do their service-learning capstone project; many learners choose to do the capstone project overseas in countries such as Australia or Ireland. Classes focusing on nurse prerequisites and clinical placements begin the first semester of admittance into the degree program, and each learner is required to take a perioperative class, which is the first of its kind in the nation.

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Ohio State University is one of the best nursing schools in the United States and has several BSN programs. The College of Nursing offers a solid foundation in academic and clinical areas for high school learners, and adult professionals who are looking to further their careers are nurses. Learners who select one of the top BSN programs finish pre-professional classwork along with placement in distinct research and internship programs. The degree program contains:

Integrate knowledge from a liberal arts education
Apply a systematic process for application and evaluation
Apply the knowledge and skills of information management
Communicate effectively and work collaboratively

Each of the top BSN programs paths, which leads to a bachelor of science in nursing, helps learners achieve the prerequisites to sit for the NCLEX exam to become registered nurses. Learners also graduate with clinical experience and are often offered employment before they even graduate.

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

UCLA is thought to be one of the top nursing schools in America; it is nationally rated at the undergraduate and graduate levels for its academic excellence. This bachelor of nursing degree centers on learners who wish to become nurses in hospitals and clinics. The coursework reflects this by requiring classes and clinicals that focus on:

Population and demographic-based statistical models
Management of patient populations
Technological advancements in the healthcare field

Learners who successfully finish their bachelor of nursing degree will find themselves eligible to take the NCLEX examination for a license.

New York University, New York, NY

New York University is one of the most outstanding nursing schools in the country. It also has some of the top BSN programs currently available, and acceptance into the nursing school is highly competitive.

The coursework for a bachelor of nursing varies with each path, but the conventional BSN degree program is four years of full-time study. Learners learn from a nationally rated faculty, many of whom hold positions in top medical journals and nurse associations. Graduates can:

Integrate concepts and concepts
Deliver safe, high-quality nursing care
Integrate critically appraised evidence
Demonstrate a professional demeanor

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Learners who come to the University of Michigan to pursue a BSN have access to internship and fellowships offered by the University of Michigan Health System, which is one of the largest health science center systems in the country. Internships give learners the benefit of working alongside other healthcare professionals in a real-world setting. Field experience opportunities consist of:

Nursing or study abroad degree program
Work, internship, or volunteer degree program for credit
Research on a UM faculty-led project
Endorsed non-UM study abroad, research, work, internship, or volunteer degree program

UM learners are urged to take study abroad opportunities to help expand their knowledge of the healthcare system here at home and abroad. For learners who want to further their education after receiving their bachelor of science in nursing, studying abroad may provide interesting alternatives leading to public health policy or even healthcare management.

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

The bachelor of science in nursing at UW is features a 98 percent annual graduation rate. It is a holistic two-year class of study that entails over 1,000 hours of real-life patient experience with supervision, along with lectures and lab time for all learners. At the University of Washington, learners who are looking to obtain a bachelor of nursing begin the degree program during their junior (3rd year) year of college, when they have obtained 90 credits. This sets up the foundation for the required classwork and then leads into other classes that focus on:

Healthcare
Lab exercises
Supervised patient care

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

The University of Minnesota at Minneapolis has a few top BSN programs, including pre- and post-licensure BSN programs, which have been endorsed by the state accrediting body. The most popular of the BSN programs at UM is the BSN-PL degree program. This is the conventional bachelor of nursing degree program that is four years of full-time study. Classes readies learners for:

Teaching
Research
Advanced practice nursing

Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Emory University is one of the leaders in delivering excellent BSN programs. Any learner who is looking to receive a bachelor of nursing degree will find a pathway at Emory that will lead to their objective, and in less time than they may think. Learners who are coming in as freshmen from high school, transfer learners, or learners from Oxford College can all apply to join this school. An ambitious learner will soon find themselves surrounded by like-minded learners and teachers who are there to learn how to become the nurses of tomorrow. The degree program contains:

Cutting-edge resources and supports
Top clinical experiences
Access to leading healthcare partners

Emory offers dual degrees as well, including an RN to BS choice and a BS to MS choice for learners who wish to receive their degrees concurrently. For other learners who are looking to pass the NCLEX, the conventional BSN degree program is the best way to proceed with their dreams of obtaining a bachelor of nursing.

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

The University of Pittsburgh has the best BSN programs in the country, consisting of conventional BSN programs, along with the second degree BSN degree program, an accelerated degree program geared toward learners who already hold a bachelor’s degree or a graduate degree. Pitt nurses go into the world trained with skills to alter the world from bedside care to hospital leadership. The University of Pittsburgh varies from other nursing schools in that it couples the latest in clinical theory with conventional nursing values. Learners enter their clinical hours at the start of their sophomore year, getting real-world experience from the get-go. They also have the choice of pursuing research or the honors degree program. University of Pittsburgh nursing learners spend their time working on:

Lab exercises
Research and internship chances
Supervised patient care

Learners are eligible to take the NCLEX upon graduation. Learners also have the option to enter Pitt’s graduate programs, including the MSN and DNP in a wide range of areas, nurse anesthesia, midwifery, or an array of nurse practitioner specialties along with the MSN clinical nurse leader or informatics specialties.

University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

Home to one of the best BSN programs in America, the University of Maryland has a high standard of excellence for all its learners and faculty. Once a bachelor of nursing degree is granted, the learner has been fully educated and is experienced enough to become an asset in the healthcare sector.

UMB hires real nurses to teach their classes, so learners can always be sure they are being taught by people who comprehend the field and the subject they are studying. Learners are exposed to laboratory and clinical situations to get a feel for what in-field work looks like. Classes consist of:

Pharmacology to psychology
Healthcare delivery system analytics
Public health policy issues

During the classwork, learners are also given a chance to intern at hospitals and other clinical facilities, allowing learners to build relationships while in training that could serve them well in the workplace.

Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

Rutgers University offers learners a world-class nursing school staffed with professionals from the medical field, along with the chance to partake in any one of its BSN programs, including an accelerated BSN degree program. Ninety percent of each graduating class will find employment within three months of graduation.

Many learners begin with a conventional bachelor of science in nursing, which is a four-year degree program. Just like comparable BSN programs at other schools, Rutgers nurse learners finish two years of general education with a focus on how these multidisciplinary fields impact the healthcare field.

For the last two years of the BSN degree program, learners are expected to take on a volunteer or internship experience for 20 hours of clinical experience.

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

UT follows the lead of other BSN programs and supports four-year full-time coursework. It is a holistic bachelor of nursing degree that will help prepare each learner for the registered nurse licensure exam. Studies consist of: