We've organized a comprehensive list of Virginia nursing schools. Below you'll find information on specific nursing programs such as LPN certificates and ADN, BSN, and MSN degrees. You'll also find a profile of nursing education and careers in each major Virginia city.
Virginia is home to over one hundred accredited nursing schools. To help aspiring nurses organize the large number of choices, we have profiled below the duration, cost, and level of education required for each major nursing role.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
St. Mary's Hospital, Supplemental Health Care, Riverside Health System – all are major healthcare providers in the DC suburbs of Virginia, and all are currently looking for experienced nurses. More than 70,000 nurses are employed in the DC metro area. Recent advances in the healthcare industry, coupled with an aging U.S. population, will ensure that this talent pool continues to grow.
Overview of nursing programs
With a rapidly aging population, the need for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) is greater than ever. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that CNA employment will grow 21 percent over the next ten years, significantly faster than average. These new nursing assistants will be employed in a variety of healthcare settings, ranging from hospitals to long-term care facilities.
CNA role and training programs
For our 2020 rankings of LPN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Aspiring practical nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-PN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of practical nursing programs.
Registered nurses (RNs) constitute the majority of the nursing workforce. The U.S. is home to more than 2.7 million RNs, and this population is expected to increase by 19 percent in the next decade. In Virginia alone, there are more than 60,000 licensed RNs. Thanks to faster-than-average job growth, registered nursing is an attractive career option for aspiring healthcare workers.
Virginia’s nursing pathways
Chesapeake is part of the Hampton Roads metro area of Virginia, and nurses in the area make up almost one quarter of the state’s total nursing population. The nursing schools and employers in the area are thus significant players in Virginia’s healthcare field.
St. Mary's Hospital, Supplemental Health Care, Riverside Health System – all are major healthcare providers in the DC suburbs of Virginia, and all are currently looking for experienced nurses. More than 70,000 nurses are employed in the DC metro area. Recent advances in the healthcare industry, coupled with an aging U.S. population, will ensure that this talent pool continues to grow.
Overview of nursing programs
Nurses play a critical role in the recovery of patients in every healthcare environment. All nurses – including certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered nurses (RNs) – are at the forefront of delivering quality healthcare to the residents of Virginia Beach.
Overview of nursing programs
Roanoke’s prospective nurses can pursue one of three major nursing roles. All nursing roles will experience faster-than-average employment growth over the coming decade. However, there are important differences in job scope, education requirements, and compensation.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
Certified nursing assistant is the most junior nursing role. To become a CNA, students must complete a brief certificate program and sit for a state-administered examination to obtain licensure. CNAs in Roanoke, Virginia, earn roughly $22,500 per year.
It’s an exciting time for the nursing industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the industry will enjoy faster-than-average growth for the 2012-2022 decade. This means that aspiring nurses can expect a large number of employment opportunities for many years to come. This expectation is cemented by the behavior of major healthcare employers such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is on the lookout for new nurses to fill a host of positions.
Overview of nursing programs
Registered nurses (RNs) form the largest group of nursing professionals in Virginia, numbering over 60,000 throughout the state. Virginia is also home to 37,360 certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and 21,760 licensed practical nurses (LPNs). These figures reflect a large and growing demand for nurses by the state’s healthcare providers. To meet this employer demand, Virginia has a wide array of accredited schools and programs for each nursing role.
Virginia’s healthcare providers value competence, confidence, and well-rounded experience in their nurses. A quality education places aspiring nurses in good standing to meet these demands. Students should therefore not be deterred by the costs of a nursing degree or certificate program, but rather thoroughly explore their options.
Aspiring nurses who want an intimate and personalized education should strongly consider Virginia’s private colleges and universities. Over 30 private schools have Virginia campuses with nursing programs, including prestigious institutions like George Washington University, Hampton University, Marymount University, and Shenandoah University. The state’s private schools offer a breadth of nursing programs to prepare certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
Virginia’s public colleges and universities are a cost-effective option for state residents to pursue nursing education. Since public institutions are funded by the state government, students receive top-notch instruction, often in state-of-the-art facilities. Nursing students who live in Virginia need not worry about taking out hefty loans, because tuition is subsidized for state residents.
Many students may consider a nursing career but feel intimidated by the duration and cost of pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Vocational, career, and community colleges provide a good alternative, with shorter courses and more flexible programs of study.