Best nursing schools in Georgia: Largest to smallest

The nursing profession never seems to diminish in demand, and Georgia is certainly no exception. There are over 130,000 individuals employed in nursing roles across the state, including 37,430 nursing assistants, 24,350 licensed practical nurses (LPNs), 66,080 registered nurses (RNs), and 4,300 advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

Because nurses are so in demand, there are many programs available to launch prospective students on the path to their career of choice. These programs range from associate’s degrees (two years) to bachelor’s degrees (four years) to master’s degrees (six years) and can be found at institutions ranging in size from small community colleges to private colleges to large public universities.

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Community colleges are often relatively close by, have open enrollment (meaning that if you have a high school diploma, you can get in), and are inexpensive when compared with public and private four-year programs.

Private colleges and universities may be more expensive than the other two options, but they offer smaller class size, better student-to-teacher ratios, and can provide enhanced name recognition and prestige to your resume.

Public colleges and universities are often larger than their private counterparts (meaning more resources), are less selective, and frequently offer lower tuition for state (or county) residents.

If you start in a two-year program with the aim of transferring to a four-year program, remember that not all credits may transfer. If you know that a bachelor’s or master’s degree is in your future, you may want to start in a four-year program (or even a program that offers the option of continuing on to earn your master’s degree) rather than transferring in. This isn’t always possible, but it can save some time and money in the long run.

To help aspiring nurses get started in the right direction, we’ve compiled below a list of accredited Georgia schools and organized them by the size of their nursing programs.