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Explore the top 25 accredited nursing schools offering Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) programs, ranked using the allnurses School Score — a 100-point index across 12 federal IPEDS & College Scorecard metrics, including NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, and net cost. Scores reflect overall school quality, not the PhD program alone.
Data Last updated: May 16, 2026
Sources:
IPEDS /
College Scorecard / Editorial Team
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 #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
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
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
