2024 Rankings: The 50 Best Nursing Schools in Missouri

Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College was the first school in the nation accredited by the National League for Nursing. The college has also been recognized as a Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence. Barnes-Jewish College conducts BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD degree programs across two campus sites, one at Washington University Medical Center and one at Missouri Baptist Medical Center. Approximately 400 BSN graduates sit for the National Council Licensure Examination annually, and they have passed this test at a 90% first-try rate over the past decade. More than 40% of graduates land positions at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

The School of Nursing at Saint Louis University created the first accelerated BSN and comprehensive online MSN programs in the nation, the first accelerated MSN and nursing PhD programs in Missouri, and the first DNP program in St. Louis. SLU’s BSN graduates have maintained a strong NCLEX-RN exam pass rate of 90% over the past decade, well above both state and national averages. In addition to impressive licensure exam pass rates, Saint Louis University’s programs are nationally recognized for their innovative and comprehensive curriculum.

Missouri State University’s School of Nursing is an integral part of the McQueary College of Health and Human Services. The school offers a breadth of program options. Undergraduates can pursue a traditional prelicensure BSN or an RN-to-BSN completion pathway. The prelicensure program graduates approximately fifty students annually, with an impressive 94% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. The school’s MSN program has three tracks (family nurse practitioner, population health leadership, nurse educator), with a post-master’s certificate also available in the final two areas. Finally, doctoral nursing students have three options: a post-baccalaureate DNP with an FNP focus, a post-master’s DNP, and a doctor of nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP) offered through the university’s School of Anesthesia.

Research College of Nursing began as the German Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1905. Over its history of 100-plus years, the college has graduated more than 4,000 professional nurses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The undergraduate program features accelerated and traditional BSN tracks. Across the two pathways, approximately 100 BSN students complete the program each year. These students have posted a strong 90% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade, including a stellar 97% pass rate in 2018. The graduate nursing curriculum features an MSN degree with three tracks: adult-gerontological nurse practitioner, executive practice / healthcare leadership, and family nurse practitioner. Research College of Nursing also offers an RN-to-MSN entry point for ADN- and diploma-prepared nurses.

For more than a century, Cox College has educated compassionate and dedicated nurses. The school enrolls nearly 1,000 students across a wide breadth of healthcare offerings at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. Cox College’s nursing program is distinguished by its small class sizes, focus on student leadership, and clinical partnership with CoxHealth. These advantages have enabled Cox graduates to perform strongly on their licensure exams. ASN students achieved a 92% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade, while BSN graduates scored an 88% first-time NCLEX pass rate over that time period. The college also offers a BSN completion pathway and three MSN tracks (family nurse practitioner, nurse educator, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner), all designed for working nurses and conducted almost completely online.

Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences, now an integral part of Rockhurst University, has educated nurses since 1903. The school is affiliated with Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, an internationally renowned healthcare facility. Students have several degree options including a prelicensure BSN, an RN-to-BSN bridge pathway, and an MSN degree with three specializations (adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, and nurse educator). The college is noted for its small class sizes, networking opportunities with one of Kansas City’s largest employers, local volunteer opportunities, and a 100% job placement rate. The prelicensure BSN program graduates 160-180 new nurses annually. Over the past decade, these students have averaged an 86% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN national licensure examination.

Chamberlain University is one of the largest nursing schools in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Approximately 150 students graduate annually from the campus’s accelerated three-year BSN program. These candidates have passed the NCLEX-RN licensure exam at a 90% first-try rate over the past decade. Part of Adtalem Global Education, Chamberlain also offers a wide breadth of online nursing programs. Options include RN-to-BSN and RN-to-BSN-to-MSN degree completion programs; an MSN curriculum with specialty tracks for nursing education, nurse executive leadership, family nursing practice, nursing informatics, and healthcare policy; and a post-master’s DNP program.

Southwest Baptist University offers ADN, traditional BSN, RN-to-BSN, and MSN programs. The ADN provides foundational nursing knowledge and skills for the registered nurse generalist, and it prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. ADN graduates have passed this licensure exam at a solid 86% rate over the past decade. The 34-credit-hour RN-to-BSN program is designed with the working professional in mind. It offers a flexible course sequence option including a fully online eight-week block schedule, with one block of experiential service learning activities that students may complete locally. The MSN program offers focal areas in nursing education and administration, with a combination of online courses, hybrid classes, and clinical experiences. Students may complete the MSN program in three years part-time, two years full-time, or 18 months accelerated.

The University of Central Missouri offers a unique nursing program that includes both urban and rural clinical experiences. This diverse exposure has helped UCM’s nursing graduates achieve a 100% employment rate. The school’s 70-80 annual BSN graduates have also enjoyed a solid 88% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. In addition to a traditional BSN, the undergraduate nursing department offers an online RN-to-BSN program that can be completed in just one calendar year. UCM’s graduate nursing department offers an MSN with two emphasis areas: nurse educator and family nurse practitioner.

Founded in 1873 as a teacher’s college, Southeast Missouri State University now serves 11,000 students through 150 academic programs across five distinct colleges. The College of Health and Human Services is the academic home for the university’s Department of Nursing. The department offers a traditional prelicensure BSN program, an RN-to-BSN bridge option, and an MSN degree with family nurse practitioner and nurse educator tracks. The traditional BSN program graduates a cohort of 50-70 students annually. These graduates have averaged a 92% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade, including stellar pass rates of 96% in 2018 and 94% in 2019 and 2020. The RN-to-BSN pathway is offered 100% online and requires just six nursing courses, with field experiences conducted in the student’s region. The MSN curriculum prepares students for advanced nursing practice and, should they so choose, continued doctoral study.

SoutheastHEALTH College of Nursing & Health Sciences offers an ADN program with four distinct tracks. Students with no prior nursing education can pursue the two-year fulltime pathway, while existing LPNs can enroll in an accelerated LPN-to-RN bridge program. The college also offers tracks during the evenings and weekends, both for LPN-to-RN students and for students with no prior nursing education. Across these four pathways, the college typically graduates about sixty students annually. These students have averaged an 86% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade, including phenomenal pass rates of 96% to 98% in each of the past three years. An RN-to-BSN program is also available for ADN- or diploma-prepared registered nurses who wish to complete their baccalaureate education.

Founded in 1833, Stephens College is the second-oldest women’s college in the country. The school provides programs in the health sciences, integrative studies, and performing arts. The Stephens College School of Health Sciences has a direct-entry BSN program with a limited enrollment of 24 students per cohort. Students begin nursing classes in the first year, with program completion in as little as three years of fulltime study. On campus, BSN students learn in a state-of-the-art simulated nursing center that was converted from an actual former patient care unit, known as The Learning Center at Boone Health. Off campus, and just a block away, students work with real patients at Magnet Hospital Boone Health to gain experience and fulfill clinical requirements.

Bolivar Technical College is the sister campus of Texas County Technical College. The school specializes in adult education, combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience to prepare graduates for immediate employment. Bolivar Technical College offers several nursing pathways including a ten-week CNA course, a one-year LPN certificate, and two entry options for an associate degree in nursing (20-month generic program, 12-month LPN-to-RN bridge). Across all programs, graduates have an excellent track record on their respective certification or licensing exams. For example, ADN graduates have posted an 86% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam over the past decade. Six of the past eight LPN classes notched a perfect 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-PN exam.

For more than four decades, Cass Career Center has offered career and technical programs that prepare students for both post-secondary education and highly skilled careers. The school’s Health Sciences Department conducts programs for aspiring certified nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses. CNA students work hands-on in a long-term healthcare facility. They also participate in job shadowing across a range of hospital settings including nursing, emergency room care, radiology, physical therapy, laboratory work, and medication order entry. LPN students attend classroom lectures, group discussions, laboratory training, and clinical experiences. Cass Career Center graduates a close-knit cohort of approximately twenty LPN candidates each year. Over the past decade, graduates have scored an impressive 97% pass rate on the NCLEX-PN licensure examination.

Missouri Baptist University is the only evangelical Christian university in Saint Louis. Located in the Walker Medical Building next to MBU’s campus, the School of Nursing offers a BSN program that teaches students about health, illness, and the patient-centered provision of nursing care in a faith-based environment. The university offers both a campus-based prelicensure pathway and a 100% online RN-to-BSN bridge option. Students learn and work in an 8,000-square-foot innovative learning space that includes a simulation lab, technology-equipped training classrooms, and community meeting areas.

Missouri Western’s Department of Nursing believes that successful nursing practice requires a holistic focus on person, health, and environment. The nursing faculty integrate this approach across several programs, including a four-year prelicensure baccalaureate degree, a two-year RN-to-BSN completion pathway, and a master’s degree. The MSN program offers two distinct tracks: health care leadership and nurse educator. Students who do not wish to complete the full MSN program may instead pursue a nurse educator graduate certificate. RN-to-BSN classes are conducted online, with a senior capstone course that provides local clinical opportunities in community health and leadership. The flagship prelicensure BSN program graduates approximately 90 students annually, with a solid 89% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade.

Missouri Southern State University was founded in 1937 as Joplin Junior College. Today the university serves 6,000 students across more than 140 academic programs, including nursing. The Nursing Department sits within the university’s School of Health Sciences. Nursing students can enroll in either a prelicensure BSN degree or an RN-to-BSN bridge program. Prelicensure students have scored an impressive 90% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. The class of 2018 also posted a 100% employment rate. MSSU’s BSN program can serve as a stepping stone for graduates to pursue more advanced nursing roles including clinical specialist, nurse administrator, nurse anesthetist, nurse educator, or nurse practitioner.

St. Charles Community College awards associate degrees and certificates in the arts, the sciences, business, and a range of vocational fields. Aspiring nurses can choose from a non-credit CNA certificate, a practical nursing certificate of achievement, and two pathways to an associate degree in nursing (traditional or LPN-to-RN bridge). The college also offers a six-credit post-baccalaureate registered nurse first assistant (RNFA) certificate which is approved by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). Graduates of St. Charles Community College are consistently well-prepared for their licensure and certification exams. For example, the LPN program has scored a 100% first-time NCLEX pass rate two of the past three years. The ADN graduating class of 2019 accomplished the same feat.

The Washington School of Practical Nursing conducts a highly regarded LPN certificate program at the Four Rivers Career Center. The program offers daytime classes every Monday through Thursday, with a new cohort of approximately thirty students entering each August and graduating the following July. Students complete 863 theory hours, 45 lab hours, and 456 clinical hours. Successful graduates are prepared for a range of employment opportunities including long-term care, urgent care, school nursing, and home healthcare. They may also advance their studies by entering an LPN-to-RN bridge program at a local institution. The Washington School of Practical Nursing has a stellar track record of success on the NCLEX-PN licensure examination, posting a 93% first-time pass rate over the past decade.

Since 1967, Cape Girardeau Career & Technology Center has provided career and technical training programs for high school students and adult learners. Students can earn a certificate or other credential in anything from digital media production to welding. For those seeking a career in nursing, Cape Girardeau CTC has both nursing assistant and practical nursing pathways for individuals with a high school diploma. The nine-week CNA program combines 90 hours of classroom instruction with 110 hours of hands-on practice in a long-term care facility. The LPN program offers three options: a 12-month day schedule, a 24-month evening schedule, and a special pathway for high school seniors. Practical nursing students complete their clinical rotations at six local healthcare facilities, including Saint Francis Medical Center, Southeast HEALTH, and Cross Trails Medical Center. Cape Girardeau CTC’s nursing graduates are well prepared to sit for the CNA certification test or the NCLEX-PN licensure exam. For example, LPN students have averaged a 93% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade.

The practical nursing program at Carthage Technical Center provides an academic and clinical foundation in just 10.5 months. The program is continuous, so classes run through the summer months. Across three trimesters, students take coursework in pharmacology, maternal health, newborn nursing, mental health, and community health. The average LPN graduating class is just 15-30 students, so the program is selective and each cohort is close-knit. A major component of Carthage Technical Center’s LPN program is the NCLEX-PN prep course. Completed during weeks 8-14, the course is 16 clock hours in length with a focus on test-taking approaches, common topic areas, and current nursing content. The results are impressive: Carthage Technical Center’s LPN graduates have scored an exceptional 93% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade.

St. Louis Community College is the largest college in the region. The school has 14 campuses and education centers throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area that provide more than 80 career training programs, 20 college transfer options, and 700 continuing education courses. The Center for Nursing & Health Sciences offers both a generic ADN program and an LPN-to-ADN pathway. The curriculum emphasizes intensive clinical experiences at local healthcare facilities like Mercy Hospital St. Louis, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. On campus, STLCC nursing students learn and work in state-of-the-art classrooms and simulation laboratories. The nursing program is large, graduating approximately 150 students annually across both tracks. Over the past decade, these students have averaged a noteworthy 89% first-time NCLEX pass rate.

North Central Missouri College provides degree and certificate programs to more than 1,600 students. The college has options ranging from arts and communications to nursing and STEM, with an impressive 98% placement rate across programs. Aspiring nurses can pursue their studies in a career ladder fashion through NCMC’s 11-month practical nursing certificate and nine-month PN-to-ADN bridge program. The practical nursing certificate has online components that allow students to complete some coursework on their own schedule. Approximately 80 students graduate from the LPN program annually, with a phenomenal 98% first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate over the past decade. The PN-to-ADN program prepares students for a career as a registered nurse, as well as for future entry into a BSN completion program. The college’s articulation agreements with at least a dozen local and online universities enable seamless transition of ADN credits into a baccalaureate program. Approximately 75-100 students graduate from the ADN program annually, with an impressive 93% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate over the past decade.

Kirksville Area Technical Center provides education and technical training to secondary students and adults on topics ranging from automotive repair to nursing. The center’s practical nursing program is approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing, and it is open to high school graduates and individuals with a GED. In addition to traditional classes, laboratory exercises, and clinical experiences at local healthcare facilities, LPN students complete several on- or off-campus workshops. KATC’s practical nursing program graduates a selective cohort of approximately 25 students each year. Over the past decade, these students have achieved an outstanding 93% first-time NCLEX pass rate. KATC practical nursing graduates are prepared to pursue roles at community health centers, clinics, and hospitals.

Rolla Technical Center has offered college and career preparation for high school students and adult learners since 1967. Accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, Rolla Technical Center offers programs in areas ranging from construction to practical nursing. The LPN pathway is provided in partnership with East Central College to a close-knit cohort of approximately 25 students annually. Practical nursing students can expect to spend 20-30 hours per week outside of class preparing, practicing, and studying. This accelerated program includes clinical rotations at area healthcare facilities, and it requires just 11 months of fulltime study to complete. Graduates are qualified to sit for the NCLEX-PN licensure examination, and upon successful completion, to pursue employment at community health centers, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. Over the past decade, Rolla Technical Center’s LPN graduates have averaged an 87% first-time NCLEX pass rate.