2024 Rankings: The 80 Best Nursing Schools in Pennsylvania

Pitt Nursing earns high marks from U.S. News & World Report for both its master’s and doctoral programs. Pitt is also consistently ranked among the top five nursing schools nationwide in research funding from the National Institutes of Health. In addition to its graduate offerings, the school teaches traditional and accelerated bachelor’s degree programs, and its BSN students have passed the NCLEX exam at a 90% first-try rate over the past decade. Pitt Nursing has approximately 100 fulltime faculty, 98% of whom hold doctoral degrees. The School of Nursing was recently ranked among the top twenty globally by QS World University Rankings.

The School of Nursing at Duquesne University is recognized for creating Pennsylvania’s first BSN program in 1937 and the nation’s first online nursing PhD program in 1997. Duquesne has been designated an NLN Center of Excellence four consecutive times since 2008. In addition to its flagship BSN program, the university offers undergraduates an innovative five-year dual degree program in biomedical engineering and nursing. Duquesne’s BSN graduates have maintained a 91% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade, including a 95.5% pass rate for the most recent graduating cohort. The School of Nursing also provides graduate programs at the master’s, post-master’s certificate, and doctoral levels, including both DNP and PhD options.

Jefferson College of Nursing is one of six colleges dedicated to health sciences education and research at Thomas Jefferson University. Undergraduate students can select from a traditional BSN track and two accelerated pathways. The college graduates 250-300 BSN students in total each year, with an admirable 89% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. Jefferson also offers an extensive range of graduate nursing programs, with eight distinct specializations available at the MSN and doctoral levels. Students benefit from access to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, one of the top-ranked hospitals nationwide. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has recognized Jefferson for its quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in professional nursing.

Established in 1984, Scranton’s Department of Nursing draws from its Jesuit roots and offers nursing education with a strong base in the liberal arts. The department offers traditional BSN, RN-to-BSN, LPN-to-BSN, MSN (with four specialty tracks), and DNP programs. Students benefit from small class sizes and a strong clinical focus, with clinical experiences beginning during sophomore year. Indeed, Scranton’s BSN graduates have passed the NCLEX licensure exam at an impressive 93% rate over the past decade. Undergraduates also have opportunities for research, study abroad, and participation in domestic and international service trips.

The Department of Nursing at Messiah University recently constructed a state-of-the-art advanced simulation lab. This complements the school’s slate of newly renovated labs including a maternal-child lab, a psychiatric-mental health lab, two basic skills labs, and a physical assessment lab. Messiah also maintains contracts with a wide variety of excellent clinical agencies in the Central Pennsylvania area. In the university’s flagship BSN program, students have achieved an outstanding 97% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past six years, including a perfect 100% pass rate for the classes of 2019 and 2020. Graduate nursing students can pursue an MSN degree with a nurse educator or nursing administration focus, a post-master’s certificate in either field, or a DNP degree with a family nurse practitioner or nursing leadership focus.

DeSales University established the Department of Nursing and Health in 1974, along with its first BSN program. Today the school offers an abundance of undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. DeSales has both fulltime and part-time study options, and the school partners with more than 300 sites and preceptors to provide clinical experiences. Prelicensure BSN graduates have achieved a 93% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX exam over the past decade, including a 98% pass rate in the 2017-18 academic year. Moreover, MSN graduates have typically earned a 100% pass rate on national certification examinations across all tracks since the program’s inception in 1984.

The Department of Nursing at West Chester University offers traditional BSN, second-degree BSN, and RN-to-BSN options at the undergraduate level. The school’s prelicensure students have consistently performed well on the NCLEX exam, passing on the first try at a 91% rate over the past decade. West Chester’s graduate nursing programs include a school nurse certification, an MSN program with nursing education and adult-gerontology tracks, and a DNP program for MSN degree-holders. Students benefit from a variety of clinical experiences including acute care, community health, daycare centers, retirement centers, and veterans’ hospitals.

York College’s Stabler Department of Nursing offers traditional BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, and DNP programs to a total enrollment of nearly 600 students. The school’s flagship BSN program graduates 90-120 students each year, and these graduates have passed the NCLEX exam at an 89% rate over the past decade. Stabler students enjoy personalized attention, with approximately 36 individuals per class and an 8:1 clinical student-to-faculty ratio. York College’s recently renovated nursing building, Diehl Hall, includes state-of-the-art simulation rooms and critical care equipment.

The College of Public Health at Temple University offers both BSN and DNP degree programs. The BSN curriculum has three entry points: a freshman option for high-performing high school graduates, a transfer option for current Temple students, and an external transfer option for applicants who are enrolled in another college or university. Qualified nursing students can join Temple’s Honors Program to take advantage of smaller course sizes, priority course registration, and enhanced networking opportunities. Over the past decade, the university has graduated roughly 60-100 BSN students annually with a stellar 91% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX licensure exam. Temple’s DNP program is one of the few offered in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The curriculum offers two clinical tracks, with entry options for both BSN and MSN degree-holders.

Robert Morris University’s Department of Nursing educates several hundred students annually. The school’s BSN graduates consistently pass the NCLEX licensure examination at an impressive rate. In fact, the NCLEX pass rate for first-time test takers has exceeded 90% in six of the past seven academic years. RMU’s doctoral nursing graduates also perform extremely well on standardized tests, with a 96% pass rate on the nurse practitioner certification exam in one recent year. Students enjoy a low 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio in clinical settings. Over 50% of undergraduates take advantage of the school’s well-established study abroad options.

Founded in 1948, the Department of Nursing at Carlow University prides itself on innovation, integrating art and science with a high-touch and high-tech approach. The school offers a range of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral nursing programs including a dual-degree MSN-MBA option. Carlow’s BSN students have maintained an NCLEX pass rate of 92% over the past decade. In fact, in two of the last four years, 100% of the Department of Nursing’s BSN graduates passed the NCLEX exam on their first attempt.

Chatham University offers RN-to-BSN, MSN, and DNP programs in nursing. The RN-to-BSN option is designed for practicing RNs and offered online through the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Chatham’s graduate nursing program includes specialty tracks in education and leadership / management. The school redesigned its online MSN program in 2013; modeled after the DNP program, it offers three tracks: leadership, education, and informatics. In 2015 the school introduced its first international track in the MSN program and had 21 Chinese nurses learning at Chatham.

With an admirable 94% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX licensure exam over the past decade, IUP’s Department of Nursing and Allied Health Professions is recognized for its excellence. In addition to four- and five-year BSN programs, the department offers MSN tracks in administration and education, two PhD pathways, and several healthcare certificates. IUP strives for state-of the-art facilities: the nursing department introduced its first simulation laboratory in 2007 and recently received a $300,000 federal grant to fund a second one.

Alvernia University offers two pathways to a BSN degree (traditional, online RN-to-BSN) as well as a full slate of MSN and DNP programs. The undergraduate program has a track record of success on the NCLEX licensure exam: students have averaged a stellar 95% pass rate over the past seven years. BSN coursework covers a breadth of critical topics including leadership and ethics, geriatric nursing, family and community nursing, cultural competency, and informatics. The MSN degree offers specializations in nursing leadership and healthcare administration, nursing education, and healthcare informatics. The DNP program has two post-BSN nurse practitioner tracks (adult-gerontology, family) and two post-MSN leadership tracks (clinical, health systems).

Bloomsburg University’s Department of Nursing offers several nursing degree options. Undergraduates can enroll in the school’s traditional BSN program, whose students have achieved an astounding 97% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX exam over the past decade. The BSN program has a small graduating class of 60-100 students each year, enabling close interaction with faculty. Existing nurses may opt instead for the school’s RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN program, both geared towards ADN- or diploma-educated nurses. Graduate students can pursue specialization as a family nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, or nursing administrator.

The School of Nursing & Allied Health Professions at Holy Family University has a variety of degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Undergraduate pathways include the traditional four-year BSN, second degree ABSN, and accelerated RN-to-BSN. Prelicensure BSN students have consistently performed well on the NCLEX exam, posting an 89% first-time pass rate over the past decade. Graduate options include an MSN with nursing administration and nursing education certificates, as well as a new blended DNP program. Holy Family University is noted for its low student-to-faculty ratio in clinical settings, simulation in every course through the school’s simulation lab, and exposure to a variety of hospital systems and clinical placements in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

La Roche University offers several educational pathways through its Nursing Department. At the undergraduate level, La Roche conducts online RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN degree completion programs. A school nurse certificate is also available for BSN-prepared RNs or those who are currently enrolled in La Roche’s RN-to-BSN program. At the graduate level, the university recently launched an entry-level MSN program, which provides an accelerated path to RN licensure for students who already hold a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field. La Roche’s MSN program has specialty tracks in nursing administration, nursing education, and clinical nurse leader. Graduate students can also pursue a post-master’s certificate in any of these fields.

Graduates of the Saint Francis University BSN program have achieved a perfect 100% pass rate on the NCLEX exam six of the past seven years, and they’ve maintained an impressive 97% pass rate over the past decade. In addition to the BSN degree, Saint Francis University’s School of Health Sciences and Education offers an MSN with a leadership / education track. The program is offered online with two required residencies, and it can be completed in just 26 months. Saint Francis students benefit from small class sizes, a strategically planned sequence of courses, start-of-the art simulation centers, and clinicals that take place at major local hospitals and healthcare facilities.

St. Luke’s Hospital was just the fourth hospital in the country to operate a school for nurses. Today St. Luke’s School of Nursing is the nation’s oldest nursing school in continuous operation, with nearly 4,500 RN diploma graduates over the course of its 135-year history. Students are introduced to patient care in the hospital setting during the first semester of the program. Clinical training is provided at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem as well as other local acute, chronic, and community care sites. St. Luke’s School of Nursing graduates 50-100 students annually, and they have averaged a strong 93% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. The class of 2018 enjoyed a 97% nursing employment rate within nine months of graduation.

Pitt-Bradford offers a traditional ADN program and two BSN pathways (1+2+1, RN-to-BSN). The ADN program follows a two-year curriculum with training in a broad range of nursing fields, including maternal-child, medical-surgical, and psychiatric. Graduates of the ADN program have achieved a noteworthy 89% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade, including a perfect 100% pass rate for the classes of 2016 and 2018. The BSN 1+2+1 program allows students to earn both the ADN and BSN degree in just four years, while the RN-to-BSN program can be completed in as little as two years. Pitt-Bradford nursing students can complete their clinical experiences at numerous local hospitals and agencies, including Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, Penn Highlands Elk, the Pennsylvania State Health Department, and Warren General Hospital.

The Division of Nursing and Health Sciences at Neumann University offers a BSN program with impressive outcomes. Students have scored a 91% first-try pass rate on the NCLEX exam over the past decade, and they enjoy an 88% job placement rate within one year of graduation. Neumann nurses are currently employed at Cooper University Hospital System, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, just to name a few. For RNs seeking an advanced degree, Neumann offers an MSN program (and a post-master’s certificate) with an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner focus. Graduates of either program are eligible to take the AGNP national certification examination and to apply for state licensure as a nurse practitioner.

UPMC Jameson School of Nursing was founded in 1895 as the Shenango Valley Training School, part of the eighty-bed Shenango Valley Hospital. In May 2016, Jameson Health System and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) announced that Jameson had merged into the UPMC network. Thanks to the merger, students in the RN diploma program now receive a variety of clinical experiences at both UPMC Jameson and UPMC Horizon. Students begin interacting with patients during the first week of the program. Over the past decade, Jameson graduates have achieved an impressive 91% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam.

Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences has prepared students for the nursing profession since 1889. The school’s hospital-based, three-year diploma program provides both a solid theoretical foundation and strong practice-based experience. Reading Health System offers a nationally recognized healthcare environment for clinical experiences, and the program maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio, typically between 8:1 and 10:1. Graduates have achieved a solid 88% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. The nursing program also holds an affiliation with nearby Alvernia University that facilitates the seamless transfer of academic credit to the university’s RN-to-BSN completion program.

Mansfield University’s undergraduate nursing program utilizes the latest technology to prepare students for patient care. The program features human patient simulators – life-sized mannequins that cough, breath, have a pulse, and can even talk. The BSN curriculum includes two years of general education and two years of clinical experiences at the Robert Packer Hospital and other acute care medical facilities. Students also have the opportunity to learn in community settings such as nursing homes, elementary and secondary schools, nursery schools, and outpatient clinics. Over the past six years, Mansfield’s BSN graduates have scored an excellent 95% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.

Conemaugh School of Nursing offers a two-year diploma program with several unique aspects. Students are trained in a simulation laboratory accredited at the comprehensive level by the American College of Surgeons – one of less than 100 such facilities in the world. Students also receive clinical experience in a Level I resource trauma center, a Level III intensive care nursery, and an advanced primary stroke center. Graduates can take advantage of RN-to-BSN articulation agreements with several local colleges and universities, including Carlow University, Chatham University, Drexel University, and Mount Aloysius College. Conemaugh School of Nursing produces 60-75 newly minted nurses each year. These graduates have achieved an impressive 91% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam over the past decade.

For nearly 100 years, Immaculata University has delivered liberal education with an emphasis on service. The university’s nursing program offers several undergraduate and graduate pathways. Students new to nursing can pursue a traditional prelicensure BSN degree. This select program of approximately thirty students per cohort has passed the NCLEX exam at a stellar 94% rate over the past four years. Immaculata also offers an RN-to-BSN bridge program on the university’s main campus, at various sites throughout the tri-state area, and fully online. At the graduate level, nurses can pursue a three-year MSN with optional concentrations in nursing administration and nursing education, or a doctor of education (EdD) with a concentration in nursing education.

Wilson College nursing students routinely shadow nurses during a 12-hour shift at Summit Health’s Chambersburg Hospital. They also assess residents’ vital signs at the Menno Haven Retirement Community and observe patients at Keystone Health’s public clinics. The goal is to provide hands-on clinical experience as early as possible through the school’s three largest active partners. Undergraduate degree pathways include a traditional BSN curriculum, an LPN-to-BSN bridge, and an online RN-to-BSN completion program. Graduate nursing students can pursue an online MSN with nursing education and nursing leadership tracks. The MSN program allows students to seamlessly continue their nursing education to earn nurse practitioner certification through a partnership with Widener University School of Nursing.

Mount Aloysius College offers several undergraduate nursing pathways. The college has designed an innovative 2+2 program that combines the ADN and BSN curriculums. Students earn the ADN degree within the first two years of study, enabling them to pass the NCLEX-RN licensure examination and obtain immediate employment as a registered nurse. Indeed, MAC students have earned a strong 91% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. Progress to the BSN portion of the 2+2 program is then sequenced according to individual career needs and scheduling preferences. Mount Aloysius also conducts several traditional BSN programs including an eight-semester prelicensure pathway, a 16-month accelerated second degree, and an online RN-to-BSN curriculum conducted year-round in eight-week sessions. The college’s multimillion-dollar Nursing Simulation Center features four fully functional hospital units and 19 state-of-the-art manikins, with infant, pregnant, and talk-back models.

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1893, UPMC Mercy Hospital School of Nursing has graduated more than 6,000 nurses since its inception. The school’s sponsor, UPMC Mercy, is Pittsburgh’s only faith-based healthcare provider. The school offers a hospital-based registered nursing diploma, with patient interactions starting as early as the first week of the program. Students gain an extensive range of clinical experiences at UPMC Mercy, which holds designations as a Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center and a Primary Stroke Center. Graduates have performed very strongly on their licensure exams, with a first-time NCLEX pass rate as high as 93% in recent years. They have also secured employment in the field, with a typical job placement rate of approximately 90%.

Slippery Rock University is home to one of the earliest online nursing programs in a traditional, regionally accredited university. The school’s Department of Nursing offers an RN-to-BSN program that consists of 39 credits across nine mandatory nursing courses, two nursing electives, and two support courses (Statistics for the Social Sciences and Medical Health Care Ethics). Two flexible eight-week sessions per semester enable full-time RNs to focus on one course at a time. Part-time RNs may accelerate the program by taking three or more courses per semester. Graduates of the Slippery Rock RN-to-BSN program enjoy a 100% job placement rate, with 86% of graduates employed full-time in nursing and 14% employed part-time.

Cabrini University is a small Catholic institution that serves approximately 2,000 students enrolled in more than fifty programs across three academic schools. The School of Arts and Sciences houses the Nursing Department, which conducts a BSN program that prepares students to pass the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. The curriculum combines intensive coursework, immersive on-campus clinical simulations in Cabrini’s state-of-the-art Clinical Simulation Center, and off-campus clinical experiences at major hospitals and healthcare facilities. Coursework runs the gamut of important nursing topics, including quality and safety, clinical judgement, health assessment, nursing leadership, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and public health. Graduates of the Cabrini University BSN program are prepared to pursue leadership positions in complex healthcare environments.

Franklin County Career and Technology Center, colloquially known as CareerTech, provides vocational education for high school and adult students. The center is run by a joint operating committee of representatives from the participating school districts. Aspiring nurses can pursue a program in either certified nurse assisting or licensed practical nursing. The CNA program requires two components: sixty-five hours of classroom and lab instruction, and sixty hours of clinical experience at a local healthcare facility. Successful graduates are prepared to sit for the state’s nurse aide examination. The LPN program requires one year of fulltime study and offers two convenient start dates annually. In a typical year, between thirty and fifty students will successfully graduate from the CareerTech LPN program. Over the past decade, these graduates have an excellent 93% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. The classes of 2018 (36 out of 36) and 2020 (41 out of 41) scored a perfect 100% NCLEX pass rate.

Citizens School of Nursing is sponsored by Allegheny Valley Hospital, part of the Allegheny Health Network. The school conducts a two-year diploma program over five semesters that include 435 theory hours and 945 clinical hours. The curriculum includes eight elective courses in the natural sciences, humanities, and nursing that may be completed at either Penn State University or Westmoreland County Community College. Citizens School of Nursing is known for its low student-to-teacher ratio and its spacious facilities at a convenient new location in the Pittsburgh Mills mall. The diploma program typically graduates 60-90 RN candidates annually. Over the past decade, these students have achieved an 87% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX licensure examination.

Mercyhurst University has programs for aspiring nurses at all career stages, including an LPN certificate, multiple ADN pathways, an RN-to-BSN completion program, and an online MSN. The LPN certificate requires just one year of full-time study to complete. The traditional ADN has two convenient class schedules: a five-semester, full-time, weekday program and an eight-semester, part-time, evening and weekend program. LPNs may gain advanced standing through Mercyhurst North East’s ADN articulation program. The RN-to-BSN completion program offers a flexible hybrid-learning format that can be completed in one to two years. The MSN is the newest addition to Mercyhurst’s wide-ranging suite of nursing programs, with a fully online curriculum focused on integrative nursing leadership.

The Department of Nursing at East Stroudsburg University offers a four-year BSN program that combines a liberal arts foundation with basic preparation in professional nursing. A leadership and management internship at the end of senior year prepares students either for employment in the nursing field or for a smooth transition to graduate study. East Stroudsburg students are prepared to practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, community agencies, physicians’ offices, and long-term care facilities. They are also well-prepared for the NCLEX licensure examination, scoring an 86% first-time pass rate over the past decade.

King’s College is a Catholic institution in the liberal arts tradition. Founded in 1946 to educate the sons of local miners and mill workers, the college has grown to offer forty-one undergraduate majors and eight graduate programs. Nursing students can choose from either the RN-to-BSN completion program or the 1-2-1 Dual Degrees in Nursing program. The RN-to-BSN curriculum is delivered in a hybrid format with both fulltime and part-time enrollment options; the part-time track launched in the fall of 2018. That same semester, King’s College also enrolled its inaugural class of twenty-six students in the 1-2-1 program. Conducted in partnership with Luzerne County Community College, this innovative pathway enables graduates to earn both an associate of science degree from LCCC and a bachelor of science degree from King’s. Students take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination at the end of their third year of studies, enabling them to practice as registered nurses while competing the final year of coursework.

Originally founded as Princeton Information Technology Center, PITC Institute has more than twenty years of experience providing vocational training to residents of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The school currently offers courses of study in medical assisting, networking, and licensed practical nursing. The LPN program awards an associate of specialized technology (AST) degree and prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-PN national licensure examination. Between thirty and eighty students graduate from the practical nursing program each year. These LPN candidates have averaged an 80% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. PITC Institute is noted for its highly qualified instructors, fully equipped laboratory, and recently expanded facilities. Graduates are employed at well-known hospitals and long-term care facilities throughout the region.

Over the past fifty years, the Central Susquehanna LPN Career Center has guided many men and women to successful healthcare careers. The center’s practical nursing program offers both a one-year fulltime option and a two-year parttime pathway. The curriculum encompasses 1,547 hours of classroom instruction, laboratory exercise, and clinical practicum. As students progress through the program, the emphasis increasingly shifts towards hands-on clinical experience. The Central Susquehanna LPN Career Center graduates 50-80 students annually across both practical nursing pathways. These students have averaged an impressive 93% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-PN licensure exam over the past decade. Graduates also enjoy a job placement rate in excess of 90%.

Bucks County Community College provides comprehensive career education across three campuses, a network of satellite facilities, and an online platform that features over 300 e-learning and hybrid courses. The college has two pathways for aspiring RNs: a traditional ADN and an LPN-to-RN program. The traditional ADN program covers the liberal arts, selected sciences, and nursing, while the LPN-to-RN pathway offers a streamlined curriculum for existing LPNs. Over the past decade, graduates of these two programs have achieved a strong 85% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Bucks County Community College also offers a 12-month practical nursing certificate program. LPN graduates have achieved an impressive 90% pass rate on the NCLEX-PN licensure exam over the past decade.

Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology traces its roots in career training back more than fifty years. The academy’s practical nursing program provides approximately 1,540 clock hours of instruction over a twelve-month period. Two cohorts are admitted annually: one in March and one in September. Classes and clinical experiences are both conducted during weekday daytime hours. The Mifflin County LPN program typically produces 20-40 graduates annually. These students have enjoyed an 86% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-PN licensure examination over the past decade.