Cities across the US have a high demand for nurses to care for their growing and aging population. Huntsville, the second largest city in Alabama, is no exception.
Several major schools in Alabama, including the University of Alabama in Huntsville, offer a wide range of nursing degree programs to meet this demand for more nurses. Colleges and universities offering nursing programs ensure a steady stream of healthcare workers to look after the health and well-being of the sick, disabled, and elderly.
These programs range from short-term courses, like a certified nursing assistant (CNA) program, to medium and long-term programs, such as an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), bachelor’s in registered nursing (BSN), and nursing-related postgraduate studies.
The CNA is a short three-month course intended to provide basic training for nursing aides to assist regular nurses, who often need to tend to other services that require more experience and advanced training.
The ADN is a two-year nursing program that prepares students to pass the licensure exam for registered nurses, while the BSN is a four-year academic program offered by accredited colleges and universities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, salaries for nursing jobs range from a low of $10 per hour for CNAs to a high of $76 per hour for nurse anesthetists, one of the most lucrative nursing roles. All nursing specialties are in demand, explaining the growing popularity of nursing education across the country, including at Huntsville’s top colleges and universities.
Huntsville’s major nursing employers include Crestwood Medical Center, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of North Alabama, Huntsville Hospital System, Huntsville Memorial Hospital, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A wide number of elderly homes, corporate and school clinics, and community health centers round out Huntsville’s healthcare system.
Below is a complete list of colleges and universities offering nursing programs in the city of Huntsville, Alabama.