A better way to browse. Learn more.
A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.
Explore and compare 348 PHD top-ranked, accredited schools across all 50 states and territories. Our directory combines verified NCLEX-RN pass rates, IPEDS tuition data, and CCNE/ACEN accreditation status with authentic insights from our allnurses community members. Rankings are based on our Ranking Methodology, a 100-point composite score across 6 weighted categories.
Last updated: May 16, 2026
Sources: U.S. Dept of Education / IPEDS / College Scorecard / Editorial Team
NOTE: Program offerings and tuition are subject to change. Verify details directly with the institution.
A top-ten nursing school, University of Pennsylvania is a private nonprofit institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ranked #1 nationally. Annual in-state tuition is $68,686.
Accelerated-BSN, BSN, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Duke University ranks #2 nationally among nursing schools and is a private nonprofit institution in Durham, North Carolina. Annual in-state tuition is $68,758.
BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-AGNP, DNP-FNP, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland holds the #3 spot among the nation's nursing schools. Graduates earn a median of $87,555 within ten years.
BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-AGNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NL, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-BSN-Cert, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #4 in the nation, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a public institution in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It offers 14 nursing programs across various degree levels.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina holds the #5 spot among the nation's nursing schools. Graduates earn a median of $72,200 within ten years.
Accelerated-BSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NL, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, PhD, Post-BSN-Cert, Post-MSN-Cert
Georgetown University ranks #6 nationally among nursing schools and is a private nonprofit institution in Washington, District of Columbia. Total enrollment is about 20,000 students.
ABSN, BSN, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
A top-ten nursing school, Emory University is a private nonprofit institution in Atlanta, Georgia ranked #7 nationally. Total enrollment is about 15,200 students.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, PhD, Post-BSN-Cert, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #11 nationally, New York University is a private nonprofit institution in New York, New York. Graduates earn a median of $82,509 within ten years.
Accelerated-BSN, BSN, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NL, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #10 in the nation, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a public institution in Seattle, Washington. Graduates earn a median of $78,466 within ten years.
Accelerated-BSN, BSN, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, PhD
University of Alabama in Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama is a public institution ranked among the top 50 nursing schools. The acceptance rate is 69%.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
One of the top 50 nursing schools in the country, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is a private nonprofit institution in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Total enrollment is about 1,191 students.
BSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-FNP, PhD
Ranked #26 nationally, University of Detroit Mercy is a private nonprofit institution in Detroit, Michigan. Graduates earn a median of $71,030 within ten years.
BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
One of the top 50 nursing schools in the country, Case Western Reserve University is a private nonprofit institution in Cleveland, Ohio. It offers 13 nursing programs across various degree levels.
BSN, BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-BSN-Cert, Post-MSN-Cert
Columbia University in the City of New York in New York, New York is a private nonprofit institution ranked among the top 50 nursing schools. The school reports a 95% graduation rate.
BSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, DNP-PMHNP, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #33 nationally, Marquette University is a private nonprofit institution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Annual in-state tuition is $51,170.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-FNP, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
One of the top 50 nursing schools in the country, Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution in Columbus, Ohio. It offers 11 nursing programs across various degree levels.
Accelerated-BSN, BSN, CNA, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-BSN-Cert, Post-MSN-Cert
University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota is a private nonprofit institution ranked among the top 50 nursing schools. The acceptance rate is 75%.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD
One of the top 50 nursing schools in the country, Northern Kentucky University is a public institution in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It offers 15 nursing programs across various degree levels.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-AGNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NL, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #42 nationally, Samford University is a private nonprofit institution in Birmingham, Alabama. Annual in-state tuition is $40,150.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-AGNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
One of the top 50 nursing schools in the country, East Carolina University is a public institution in Greenville, North Carolina. Total enrollment is about 26,900 students.
ABSN, BSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NE, MSN-NL, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #46 nationally, Mount St. Joseph University is a private nonprofit institution in Cincinnati, Ohio. Graduates earn a median of $51,509 within ten years.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NL, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, PhD
University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas is a public institution ranked among the top 50 nursing schools. The school reports a 68% graduation rate.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, DNP-PMHNP, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
One of the top 50 nursing schools in the country, Yale University is a private nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut. It offers 7 nursing programs across various degree levels.
MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD, Post-MSN-Cert
Ranked #50 nationally, Michigan State University is a public institution in East Lansing, Michigan. Annual in-state tuition is $16,458.
ABSN, BSN, BSN-DNP, Direct-Entry-MSN, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-NE, MSN, MSN-AGNP, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, PhD
University of California-Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California is a public institution with a 93% graduation rate and over 47,335 students. Annual in-state tuition is $15,203.
ABSN, BSN, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, MSN-NL, MSN-PMHNP, PhD
| # | School Name | Location | In-State | Completion Rate | Programs | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $68,686 | 96.5% | 9 | |
| 2 | Duke University | Durham, NC | $68,758 | 96.2% | 12 | |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $65,230 | 94.4% | 14 | |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | $17,736 | 93.2% | 14 | |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | $8,994 | 91.7% | 14 | |
| 6 | Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $68,017 | 95% | 9 | |
| 7 | Emory University | Atlanta, GA | $64,280 | 90.9% | 15 | |
| 8 | New York University | New York, NY | $62,796 | 87.8% | 13 | |
| 9 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle, WA | $12,973 | 84% | 6 | |
| 10 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville, AL | $12,132 | 63.1% | 13 | |
| 11 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University | Baton Rouge, LA | $18,310 | 47.5% | 8 | |
| 12 | University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit, MI | $32,946 | 70.5% | 12 | |
| 13 | Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $66,608 | 86.4% | 13 | |
| 14 | Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | $71,845 | 95.1% | 12 | |
| 15 | Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI | $51,170 | 81.3% | 12 | |
| 16 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus, OH | $13,244 | 87.9% | 11 | |
| 17 | University of Mary | Bismarck, ND | $22,356 | 66% | 12 | |
| 18 | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY | $11,088 | 49.2% | 15 | |
| 19 | Samford University | Birmingham, AL | $40,150 | 78.4% | 13 | |
| 20 | East Carolina University | Greenville, NC | $7,361 | 63.6% | 11 | |
| 21 | Mount St. Joseph University | Cincinnati, OH | $38,150 | 52.9% | 11 | |
| 22 | University of Kansas | Lawrence, KS | $12,102 | 68% | 12 | |
| 23 | Yale University | New Haven, CT | $67,250 | 97% | 7 | |
| 24 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | $16,458 | 81.9% | 12 | |
| 25 | University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $15,203 | 92.6% | 8 |
