The United States of America is one of the most sought after study destinations by many students across the globe. This is because of the country’s standard educational sector, vast academic experience, alongside an extensive and state of the art learning facilities. Nursing is a great career choice. The field was celebrated and honoured by the World health organization (W.H.O) during the COVID 19 pandemic for its endless caregiving services.

Not only just World Health Organization, Nurses are honored globally, a recent statistics by the Bureau of Labour reveals a likelihood of an increase in Job opening for registered nurses. Which means an estimated 175,900 job opportunities in the coming years. The United States of America houses some of the top nursing schools ranging from Texas to Pennsylvania, and each of them offers a unique educational pathway to the profession.

Nursing is a very valuable profession to communities, and it also has an overwhelming demand throughout the United States. The pathway to become a nurse in the U.S. is piecemeal. Studying nursing takes several years and requires dedicated, commitment, immense effort and worthy of mention; clinical practice. A quicker pathway to Nursing and becoming a Registered (RN) nurse in the U.S. is through the “Associate degree in nursing” (ADN), which normally takes 2-3 years to complete. Another pathway which is more prefered by employers is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), it consists of a four year university degree, and also offer more career advancement opportunities.

After graduation from the approved nursing program, one can only become a Registered Nurse (RN) after passing the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX). It is an exam to demonstrate the readiness for entry level nursing practice, The NCLEX tests candidates in the following aspects; Safe and Effective Care Environment, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Psychosocial Integrity, Physiological Integrity.

Since the rudiments of the nursing program had been drawn up, The question here is what is the right study destination for students looking to commence their nursing career ?. The below contains ten top nursing programs in the United States.

Duke university

The Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A. it’s a private research university, which ranks at #10 in national universities according to U.S News. While in terms of Nursing the university ranks at #3. According to Collegeadvisor.com, the school has an acceptance rate of 6%, which quantifies it to be one of the most selective and competitive schools in the United States. According to statistics, the university has an enrollment sum of over 17,000 students alongside a dense undergraduate population of just 6,500 students. One of the most fascinating features that makes this university stand out as the first on this list is the 98% first attempt NCLEX passed by its students over the past decade.

The university offers an accredited BSN, as well as a Master Master of Science in nursing and doctoral nursing programs. 

Ohio State University

The Ohio State University is located in Columbus, Ohio. The University is one among the best nursing colleges in the region. It was ranked as one of the top online Master’s in Nursing Programs by The U.S. News & World Report, according to nursa.com. While ranked as #4 overall in nursing programs in the entire U.S. The college offers varieties of nursing programs such as BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) certificate programs. The university has an acceptance rate of over 57%. Which makes its selection process balanced. The University undergraduate enrollment is over 47,000. The university also offers students practical clinical experience at some of the best medical facilities within the region.

University of Alabama

The University of Alabama is located in Birmingham, Alabama. The college has an acceptance rate of over 89% which makes its selection process to be very flexible. It also has a total enrollment of 22,000 students alongside 13,500 undergraduates, According to Collegeadvisor.com. The University is ranked at #10, for the Best Nursing Schools in the U.S for Master’s. While ranked at #11 for Best Nursing Schools for Doctor of Nursing practice, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking. The college also offers varieties of accredited nursing programs such as BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. The university is considered as a world class medical research university and highly recommended colleges for nurses.

New York university

The New York University, from the name implies, is located in New York city. The university acceptance rate is 13%. Which is very low and can get highly competitive. According to collegeadvisor.com, the university admissions accepts only 4% of its applicants. It has a total enrollment of 61,000 students, while 29,009 undergraduates. The institute offers a four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing, alongside a 15 months accelerated BSN, MSN and doctoral programs. The school has a record of more than 400 students each year, who have successfully passed the NCLEX on the first attempt.

Emory University

Emory University is located in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a private nonprofit university, alongside the second oldest university of higher education in Georgia. Admissions in the university is also highly competitive, its acceptance rate is 13%. According to collegeadvisor.com. The total enrollment at Emory University is 5,900 and 689 of which are nursing undergraduates and doctoral. The University also offers accredited nursing programs such as; Master of Science in Nursing and doctoral programs. The University is tagged as the #1 Best Graduate School according to the U.S. News & World Report. It also ranked 6th in the list of Best Nursing Schools in the U.S. for Doctor of Nursing Practice. Emory University also offers accredited nursing programs such as BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

The university of North Carolina is located at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The university has over 300 undergraduate students in its nursing program, it has an acceptance rate of 19%, which makes the institute very selective. Similarly like others the university is also praised for producing excellent students with high NCLEX pass rate. The university also offers nursing programs in BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificate programs. The nursing school is accredited by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and the American Nurses Credentialing Center.  

Boston College

According to the U.S. News & World Report, the Boston college is ranked at #1 among the best MSN programs in Massachusetts, alongside securing the #10 spots for the Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs in the country. The college is accredited by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, to offer BSN and MSN programs at the Connell School of Nursing at Boston College. Which is also approved by The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing has consistently been demonstrating high academic standards, alongside producing nurses that have maintained a 94 percent first-time NCLEX pass rate over the years. 

University of Pennsylvania

The university of Pennsylvania is located in the town of Philadelphia, just like Duke university, the school is extremely competitive, with just an acceptance rate of 6%, it will be very difficult for aspiring students to gain admission into the institute. Over 23,000 students enrolled at UPenn, just over 10,000 are undergraduate students. While a total sum of 583 enrollment are of Nursing. The university is accredited by several professional bodies, making it the top destination for BSN, MSN and doctoral programs in nursing.

Case Western Reserve University

The case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, Ohio. It ranks among the best list of Nursing schools in the United States. The university has an acceptance of 30%, Which makes it slightly selective in its admission process. At the university, students begin their clinical placements at an early stage, most in their first semester, Which happens to fall on the first month in the University. The university offers BSN, MN, MSN, Doctorate and Dual Doctorate programs.

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. It has an acceptance rate of 20%. According to college.com. The university ranks at #25 in national universities, at the University of Michigan students get to undergo practical clinical experience in order to complement their curriculum. 

Conclusion

The United States of America is a top destination for nursing programs. It offers world-class accredited programs, experienced trainers and excellent facilities across its leading universities. With recent growth in the demand for healthcare experts, the country provides a great academic experience and a rewarding career path.