Best nursing schools in Arizona: Largest to smallest

Did you know that there are almost three million registered nurses (RNs) and roughly half a million licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in America? Also, just over two million individuals work as nursing, psychiatric, and home care aids. That's a lot of nurses, and the demand is only growing as the US population ages.

The state of Arizona is a serious nursing educator. There are over 40 accredited nursing schools across the state. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) provides annual statistics about its seven Arizona member institutions. These seven schools alone educated a total of 28,217 nursing students at the baccalaureate or graduate level.

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Arizona's high statewide enrollment in nursing education is partly driven by the wide variety of schools and programs. There are many public universities with state-subsidized tuition and numerous private colleges with small class sizes. You can opt to attend a big college whose population has a global feel or a smaller college with personalized attention. Aspiring nurses willing to invest the time can earn their bachelor's degree in four years and even attend graduate school. Others can make a quick career change in as little as one year.

In the near future, about half a million of the current nursing workforce will need to be replaced for a variety of reasons -- so there's plenty of room for you to join the nursing ranks.

Accredited Arizona nursing schools come in all sizes. We've ranked them below from largest to smallest.