How to Find Accredited Nursing School Programs Near You
Use the U.S. Department of Education College Navigator tool to search by location and program type, filtering for accredited nursing programs with recent graduates and licensure exam data. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing maintain public databases of approved schools. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects registered nurse employment to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, with about 193,100 openings per year, making proximity and accreditation critical factors when choosing a program BLS occupational outlook.
Compare program length, degree type, and clinical hour requirements across public community colleges, state universities, and private institutions in your county or metropolitan area. Many schools publish NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates, graduate employment rates, and median debt figures in their institutional outcomes pages. The National League for Nursing and U.S. News maintain rankings of nursing schools based on pass rates, faculty resources, and student outcomes US News nursing rankings.
Costs, Financial Aid, and Admission Requirements for Nursing Programs
Average tuition for in-state public associate degree nursing programs ranges from about $6,000 to $22,000 per year, while bachelor of science in nursing programs at public universities typically cost $10,000 to $40,000 annually depending on residency and institution NCES College Navigator tuition data. Private nursing schools often charge $30,000 to $70,000 or more per year, with additional costs for uniforms, clinical supplies, background checks, and immunization records. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid determines eligibility for Pell Grants, federal work-study, and direct loans, and many state grant programs such as the Nurse Education Assistance Loan Program forgive funds for graduates who work in designated shortage areas.
Admission requirements typically include a high school diploma or GED, prerequisite courses in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and statistics with a minimum GPA of 2.5 to 3.0, and a passing score on the Test of Essential Academic Skills or Health Education Systems Inc admission exam. Many competitive programs require current certified nursing assistant certification, a set number of volunteer or paid healthcare hours, and a background check before clinical placement. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing sets the NCLEX-RN exam fee at $360, with additional state licensure fees ranging from $75 to $360 depending on the state board of nursing.
Program Types, Curricula, and Career Outcomes for Nursing Graduates
Associate degree in nursing programs take about two years and prepare students for the NCLEX-RN, while bachelor of science in nursing programs require four years and include leadership, community health, and research coursework. Accelerated BSN programs for students with a prior bachelor's degree typically last 12 to 18 months and include intensive clinical rotations in hospitals and long-term care facilities AACN BSN fact sheet. Diploma programs offered by hospital-based schools of nursing remain available in some states, though they are less common than university-based programs and focus heavily on direct patient care experience.
Registered nurses with an associate or bachelor's degree can pursue roles in medical-surgical units, intensive care, pediatrics, obstetrics, and emergency departments, with a median annual wage of $81,220 as of May 202