2024 Rankings: The 60 Best Nursing Schools in Ohio

Twice designated a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing, Ohio State’s College of Nursing has educated over 12,000 nurses since its inception. The college places a strong emphasis on research and patient-centered practice across its various program offerings. Ohio State’s online MSN program consistently ranks among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Numerous other programs have garnered top-ten rankings as well, including the DNP degree and several of its subspecialties. The school graduates 200-230 students annually from its four-year BSN program, with an excellent first-time NCLEX pass rate of 94% over the past decade.

In its mission to address the healthcare needs of Ohioans, Kent State University offers nursing programs at several sites in Northeast Ohio. The ADN program graduates 200-250 new nurses annually at regional campuses in Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, and Tuscarawas. The prelicensure BSN program graduates another 400-500 students per year at the main campus in Kent and regional campuses in Geauga, Salem, Stark, and Trumbull. Kent State students consistently perform well on the NCLEX licensure exam, scoring an 86% ADN pass rate and an 89% BSN pass rate over the past decade. Graduate nursing students can select from four online tracks and five hybrid (mix of in-person and online) tracks in the MSN program. Kent State also offers a joint MSN/MBA degree and both types of doctoral nursing degrees. The university boasts clinical experiences with more than 350 partners and a 99.6% job placement rate within six months of graduation.

The nursing program at Xavier University is one of just a handful of programs in the nation endorsed by the American Holistic Nursing Association. Students learn from faculty with a diverse range of specialties including epidemiology, natural health, gerontology, and occupational health. With an emphasis on improving medical care for the Hispanic community, Xavier’s nursing department has also created an exclusive program that specializes in educating nurses fluent in Spanish. Graduates of all programs perform well on their licensure exams. The accelerated BSN class scored a perfect 100% NCLEX pass rate in 2018, and the direct entry MSN program accomplished the same feat in both 2017 and 2019.

The Gary and Linda Byers School of Nursing at Walsh University offers global learning experiences in countries like Haiti, Tanzania, and Italy. Students also enjoy close proximity to local hospitals like Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and Mercy Medical Center. The school graduates 60-90 students annually from its traditional four-year and fast-track BSN programs. These students have scored an impressive 92% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. Walsh University also integrates four specialty tracks across its MSN, post-graduate certificate, and DNP curriculum: adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, nurse educator, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner.

Otterbein University has a proud heritage of equality and inclusion, including its status as the first college in the nation to include women as both faculty members and students. The Department of Nursing’s flagship BSN program prepares students for careers in acute care, primary care, extended care, mental health, and community health settings. Coursework covers critical topics like pharmacology, nursing research, and informatics. The BSN program graduates 40-60 students annually, with an impressive 95% first-time NCLEX pass rate since 2016. The class of 2018 scored a perfect 100% (48 out of 48) NCLEX pass rate. Otterbein also offers graduate nursing programs that award MSN and DNP degrees. Concentrations are available for aspiring family nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners.

The BSN at Ohio University is one of the fastest-growing programs in the school’s College of Health Sciences and Professions. It is the only CCNE-accredited four-year program in southeast Ohio, serving the university’s mission to upgrade Appalachian Ohio health services. Ohio University conducts both the BSN program and a two-year ADN program at its satellite campuses in Chillicothe, Southern (Ironton), and Zanesville. The BSN program is also offered at the main campus in Athens. At the graduate level, Ohio University has an online MSN degree with tracks for aspiring nurse educators, nurse leaders, and nurse practitioners, including NP options in adult-gerontology, family, and psychiatric-mental health. All five MSN tracks are also available as post-graduate certificates. Finally, Ohio University offers a DNP program with a concentration in advanced clinical or executive practice and with pathways for both BSN- and MSN-educated nurses.

The Wright State University-Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health enrolls almost 700 undergraduate and 220 graduate nursing students. Classes in a range of nursing disciplines and specializations are led by 45 experienced faculty. The college graduates a large BSN class of 150-200 students each year, who have passed the NCLEX exam at rates as high as 97.8% in recent years. A multi-year strategic initiative called the Wright Nurse Project helps the college improve its curriculum towards more evidence-based pedagogy. Students have several opportunities for international immersion, including a study abroad program in the United Kingdom and global health initiatives in Tanzania.

Ohio Northern University offers a four-year prelicensure BSN program. Students begin their clinical experiences during sophomore year and benefit from an 8:1 student-to-faculty clinical ratio. The university graduates 20-30 prelicensure BSN candidates each year. These students have performed exceptionally well on the NCLEX exam, with a 96% first-time pass rate over the past decade. The graduating classes of 2018 and 2020 scored a perfect 100% NCLEX pass rate. ONU students utilize state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and experience a diverse range of healthcare settings. Over the past three years, 98.6% of nursing majors were either gainfully employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.

The School of Nursing at Cedarville University has a number of unique programs. For undergraduates, Cedarville offers both traditional and three-year BSN programs, as well as a cross-cultural nursing minor. The minor prepares students to work with cross-cultural populations on missions either in the U.S. or abroad. Cedarville graduates almost 100 BSN students annually, with a solid 87% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. Graduate options include an MSN degree with three tracks (family nurse practitioner, global public health nursing, nurse educator) and standalone certificate programs in the final two tracks.

The UT College of Nursing has a unique partnership with ProMedica. Collectively, the two institutions develop innovative educational programs, offer diverse clinical experiences, provide opportunities for interprofessional research collaboration, and build high-quality professional development programs. The College of Nursing offers a traditional BSN degree through a consortium with Bowling Green State University. UT graduates 150-200 students from this program annually, with a solid 84% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. The college also offers a graduate-entry clinical nurse leader program with just 30 students per cohort. These individuals have scored an 86% NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. UT’s MSN and DNP programs both offer four distinct nurse practitioner specializations.

Chamberlain University’s Cleveland and Columbus campuses offer a BSN program that can be completed in as little as three years of year-round study, instead of the typical four years with summers off. There are no prerequisites and no wait lists. BSN students receive hands-on experience in Chamberlain’s SIMCARE Center and onsite clinical settings, allowing them to work side-by-side with faculty, peers, mentors, and experienced professionals as they refine their nursing skills. Graduates from both campuses have performed well on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Over the past decade, Columbus graduates have achieved a 91% NCLEX pass rate, while their counterparts in Cleveland have averaged an 84% NCLEX pass rate since that program’s recent launch.

The University of Mount Union has two pathways to a BSN degree: the direct entry program and the accelerated second degree program. The direct entry option is a 128-credit-hour, four-year program that allows the student to be directly admitted into the program as a freshman with no waiting lists. Students are immediately introduced to nursing coursework, and they receive hands-on clinical training in the school’s newly built nursing facilities, including a simulation intensive care unit. The accelerated program is customized for adult learners with a bachelor’s degree in another field, and the program can be completed in as little as 15 months. Since the BSN program’s recent launch, graduates have averaged a near-perfect 99% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.

Aultman College dates back to 1890 when Stark County’s first hospital opened its doors. The college is northeast Ohio’s only health system-affiliated institution of higher learning, with more than 350 students enrolled across its health sciences, medical assisting, nursing, radiography, and social work programs. Nursing students can enroll in one of three degree programs: an associate of science in nursing (ASN), a prelicensure bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), or an RN-to-BSN completion pathway. Students receive unparalleled clinical and learning experiences at Aultman Hospital, Stark County’s largest employer and the area’s only Magnet-designated facility. Nursing graduates have an excellent track record on their licensure examinations. Over the past decade, ASN graduates have averaged an 87% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam, including a perfect 100% pass rate in 2020.

The University of Findlay has gained a national reputation for excellence in its science, health professions, animal science, and equestrian studies programs. The school recently launched a traditional BSN program that emphasizes critical thinking, ethics, diversity, health and human functioning, professional leadership, and emerging trends in healthcare. Students gain hands-on experience in Findlay’s nursing care skills lab and through clinical practice at local healthcare centers. Coursework covers important concepts like community health nursing, psychology, human anatomy, intercultural care, and maternal-child nursing. Exceptional high school students may be admitted directly into the program during their senior year.

East Ohio College trains hundreds of future healthcare professionals each year, with a breadth of program offerings that includes dental assisting, medical assisting, medical administration, and registered nursing. The school’s ADN program provides direct admittance and requires only 24 months of fulltime study to complete. Students review critical topics like health promotion and maintenance, nursing roles, nursing values, and therapeutic communication. Each spring, a small cohort of approximately 20-30 aspiring nurses graduates from the ADN program. These students have averaged an 87% first-time NCLEX pass rate since the program’s inception. The class of 2020 scored an impressive 95% first-time NCLEX pass rate.

Trinity Health System School of Nursing was founded in 1912 as the Ohio Valley Hospital School of Nursing. Over the ensuing century, more than 2,000 nurses have earned the school’s distinctive pin. Trinity offers a hospital-based diploma program with a robust 24-month curriculum, including two summer sessions. Clinical experience is offered at Trinity Medical Centers East and West, encompassing a broad range of outpatient and inpatient care. All non-nursing instruction is led by Eastern Gateway Community College, ensuring that Trinity students receive full college credit. The School of Nursing has posted a superb 96% NCLEX-RN pass rate over the past decade. Job placement has been equally impressive: greater than 95% of graduates have gained employment in the field within one year.

Wittenberg University is a top-ranked liberal arts college situated on a sprawling 114-acre wooded campus. The university offers two pathways to a BSN degree: a traditional four-year program and an RN-to-BSN bridge program. Admission to the traditional BSN program is competitive and currently limited to just 35 students. The curriculum requires 120-130 credit hours of both general education and nursing coursework. The RN-to-BSN completion program consists of 22 semester hours in nursing courses. Sample topics include Health Assessment, Cultural Competence in Health Care, Evolving Concepts in Leadership & Management, and Research & Evidence-Based Practice.

Franklin University offers a transfer-friendly RN-to-BSN program designed for nurses with an associate degree or nursing diploma. This accelerated program consists of nine six-week modules that are delivered online in a media-rich and hands-on manner. Courses cover critical topics like nursing leadership and management, clinical competence, evidence-based practice, community and population health, health informatics, healthcare law, and ethics. Students take 24 hours of core courses, 12 hours of general education requirements, 26 hours of university electives, 24 technical credit hours, and 34 hours in the major. Franklin University also offers an MSN degree program with a generalist track, an RN-to-MSN pathway, and specializations for aspiring nurse administrators and family nurse practitioners.

With eight campuses and an online division, Galen College of Nursing is one of the largest nursing schools in the United States. The Cincinnati campus offers several prelicensure programs for aspiring nurses, including two associate degree pathways (traditional, LPN-to-ADN bridge) and an innovative three-year BSN degree. The college also offers an RN-to-BSN completion program and an MSN degree with leadership and educator tracks through its online division. The Cincinnati campus graduates approximately 150-200 ADN students annually. These graduates have averaged a solid 86% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam over the past decade, including an impressive 95% pass rate in 2019.

The Ohio Institute of Allied Health is a healthcare career college that offers both LPN and RN diploma programs. Expert instructors teach nursing courses in small class sizes, with a diverse range of clinical experiences offered at local healthcare facilities. All programs are conducted at an accelerated pace, and classes are offered year-round. Over the past decade, LPN graduates have averaged an 88% NCLEX-PN pass rate, including several cohorts with a perfect 100% pass rate. Students in the RN diploma program have scored above an 85% NCLEX-RN pass rate three out of six years since the program’s launch.

Professional Skills Institute offers an LPN program that takes 72 weeks to complete. Divided into six 12-week quarters, this diploma program prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-PN licensure exam. Coursework covers a breadth of introductory healthcare topics like nutrition, electronic charting, gerontological nursing, maternal / infant nursing, and medication administration. Graduates of the program enjoy strong job placement rates with local hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, long-term care facilities, and nursing homes. PSI graduates 60-100 new practical nurses each year, and these students have achieved a strong 87% NCLEX pass rate over the last decade.

The Department of Nursing at Miami University provides two options for obtaining a BSN degree: a prelicensure full-time four-year curriculum and a fully online curriculum for RNs with an associate degree or nursing diploma. The BSN program prepares nurses for leadership and management roles, including research associate and occupational health nurse. Coursework explores the nursing process for health promotion, prevention, restoration, and maintenance with clients, families, and groups in community health settings. Students in the prelicensure curriculum begin clinical experiences during their sophomore year. These students have averaged approximately an 81% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam over the past decade.

Herzing University’s Akron campus offers a breadth of nursing options including LPN, ADN, BSN, and MSN programs. The LPN diploma can be completed in just 12 months of full-time study, while the ADN requires just 20 months to complete. Students in the ADN program have earned a solid 86% pass rate on the NCLEX licensure exam over the past decade. Herzing offers two BSN pathways. The prelicensure BSN is a year-round program that can be completed in three years rather than the traditional four. The RN-to-BSN includes 45 hours of experiential learning and may be completed in less than a year. Herzing University’s MSN program offers specializations in family nurse practitioner, nurse educator, and nursing leadership & administration. The MSN can be completed online in as little as 20 months.

For over sixty years, Columbus School of Practical Nursing has provided cost-effective vocational training to the Columbus community. The school offers a 12-month, three-trimester LPN certificate program, with new classes starting at the end of each January, May, and September. This flexible scheduling allows the program to educate 50-100 new LPNs each year. Graduates have scored an 88% pass rate on the NCLEX-PN national licensure exam over the past decade, higher than the Ohio and national averages. They have also secured employment in the field, with a 70% job placement rate within six months of program completion. Many students use the LPN role as a stepping stone to subsequent education, licensure, and employment as a registered nurse.

Buckeye Hills Career Center offers a diverse slate of adult education programs. Career training options run the gamut from cosmetology to peace officer, industrial maintenance technician to power lineman. The center’s practical nursing program enrolls two fulltime cohorts annually, one in September and one in January. The curriculum encompasses 1,382 clock hours on the basic nursing skills that students will need to function effectively in a variety of healthcare settings. Buckeye Hills Career Center graduates approximately thirty LPN students annually across both cohorts. These graduates have averaged an 89% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-PN licensure examination over the past decade.

Ashtabula County Technical & Career Campus provides extensive career training to both upper-level high school students and adult learners. The school’s programs are organized into academies, such as the Engineering Academy, the Health Care Academy, and the Public Safety Academy. The Health Care Academy offers several nursing options: a nurse aide course, a practical nursing diploma, and a registered nursing diploma. Nursing students engage in immersive coursework while gaining hands-on experience in day-to-day patient care, medical records management, and treatment plan development. A-Tech’s nursing programs are selective, with small class sizes and a strong track record of student performance on licensure examinations. The LPN program graduates 20-30 students annually, with an excellent 93% first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate over the past decade. The RN program graduates an additional 6-8 students each year, with an 83% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate since the program’s recent launch.

Since 1970, Great Oaks Career Campuses have provided education and training programs to high school students, adult learners, and businesses. One of the nation’s largest career and technical districts, Great Oaks has a practical nursing program for secondary school students. Coursework covers critical topics like patient-centered care, medical terminology, diagnostics, lifespan development, medical intervention, pathophysiology of diseases, and the Ohio Nurse Practice Act. Students can earn three credentials: state tested nurse aide (STNA), basic life support (BLS), and licensed practical nurse (LPN). The final credential is awarded upon passing the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. Great Oaks graduates a select cohort of 5-10 high school students annually from its practical nursing program. These students have achieved an exceptional 97% first-time NCLEX pass rate over the past decade. Graduates are prepared to pursue positions at hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.

UC Blue Ash is a regional college within the University of Cincinnati that offers local access to almost fifty degree and certificate programs. The college’s Department of Nursing has two associate degree pathways: a traditional ADN and an LPN-to-RN bridge. The two-year ADN program prepares students for entry-level nursing positions and for entry into the RN-to-BSN program at UC College of Nursing. Courses in the LPN-to-RN bridge are offered in a hybrid format which combines online learning with face-to-face classroom delivery. The LPN-to-RN pathway is a selective admissions program that is offered each summer, as long as minimum enrollment numbers are achieved.

Scioto Tech provides training in over fifty career qualifications to secondary and post-secondary students. The school’s most in-demand qualification is its practical nursing program designed for adult learners with a high school diploma or GED. The program includes 1,350 hours of classroom learning, laboratory exercises, and clinical experiences taken over 12 months. The curriculum explores basic nursing knowledge and skills, healthcare teamwork, clinical judgment, and the ethical foundations of nursing care delivery. Practical nursing students also receive CPR certification, and upon successful completion of the program, they are qualified to sit for the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. Over the past decade, Scioto Tech’s LPN graduates have averaged an 86% first-time NCLEX pass rate.

Hannah E. Mullins School of Practical Nursing is approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. The school’s practical nursing program may be completed on a fulltime or part-time schedule. The fulltime program requires 44 weeks of study, while the part-time program lasts for 88 weeks. Both options include immersive coursework on patient care, nutrition, pharmacology, and vital signs. Graduates are qualified to work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, residential care facilities, and home healthcare after successfully passing the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. Over the past decade, Hannah E. Mullins graduates have averaged an 85% first-time NCLEX pass rate.