Best Nursing Schools in NYC in 2023 (Online & On-Campus)

When looking for some amazing nursing schools in NY, the Big Apple is the place to be. The great thing about pursuing a career in nursing is that students have numerous pathways to earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees. To remain competitive in the field, nurses are choosing higher-level degrees such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Nursing schools in NYC and all across the country are offering accelerated track degree programs such as LPN to BSN and RN to MSN. Nurses already employed can attend online degree programs as a way to schedule their coursework around their work commitments.

The current job outlook for nursing is exceptional. Job growth for the next ten years is estimated to increase by 15 percent with more than 430,000 new job openings, according to data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The nursing field also offers a slew of lifelong benefits including scheduling flexibility, job security, career mobility, and high levels of reported job satisfaction.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC

By going to nursing schools in NYC, students are attending courses in one of the busiest cities in the world. Since New York City is one of the most densely populated cities, there are countless career opportunities in the healthcare field. Many graduates of nursing schools in NYC go on to work at renowned medical facilities such as Bellevue Hospital, NYC Health, and New York Presbyterian Hospital. New York City nursing schools typically offer different types of nursing degrees, ranging from LPN to DNP.

The following are the top-rated nursing schools in NYC that offer both on-campus and online courses for prospective nurses. Whether you’re looking for a BSN nursing program in New York or another type of nursing program, you’ll be sure to find it here.

1. Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY

The Nursing Department at the Manhattan Community College prepares students for both entry-level and mid-level healthcare jobs. All students enrolled in the associate degree program will be prepared to take their NCLEX at the conclusion of their studies and earn licensure as a registered nurse. Although only associate degrees are part of the course catalog, the college does have four-year matriculation agreements with nursing schools in NYC. The highly-rated nursing program carries much value in the field.

• Tuition: $5,170
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 20%

2. CUNY Bronx Community College

Bronx Community College has two different types of programs for nursing students: the 56-credit LPN certification program and the 67-credit Associated in Applied Science degree. The associate’s degree curriculum gets students ready to become registered nurses. Students will sit for their respective NCLEX tests at the conclusion of their studies. The community college is a top pick for nursing schools in NYC due to the low admission cost and high ROI.

• Tuition: $5,206
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 16%

3. Hostos Community College

Hostos Community College has an Associate in Applied Science degree program for students who wish to become registered nurses. At the end of the two-year curriculum, students will sit for the NCLEX-RN. All courses will be done in the classroom or in the laboratories at the college’s Bronx campus. The community college has a high percentage of NCLEX-RN test takers who pass on the first time.

• Tuition: $5,208
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 98%
• Graduation Rate: 12%

4. CUNY Kingsborough Community College

Community colleges like Kingsborough Community College present affordable program options for prospective registered nurses. The campus is located in Brooklyn with the nursing program having accreditation through the ACEN. At the conclusion of the two-year nursing degree, graduates receive an Associate in Applied Science and sit for the NCLEX-RN. The program is low-cost with the option to transfer credits to a BSN degree program at any other nursing schools in NYC upon graduation.

• Tuition: $5,252
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 50%
• Graduation Rate: 28%

5. Medgar Evers College

Medgar Evers College is an affordable NYC nursing school located in the heart of Brooklyn. The associate and bachelor degree programs in nursing are designed to maximize flexibility with many courses scheduled on the weekends and evenings. A certificate in practical nursing is also available through the college. The BSN program at Medgar Evers College has a highly successful job placement rate with 90 percent of graduates finding a nursing job after degree conferment.

• Tuition: $7,152
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 98%
• Graduation Rate: 12%

6. CUNY College of Staten Island

The College of Staten Island is part of the City University of New York and offers multiple degree types for nursing students. Programs include an associate degree, RN to BSN, post-undergraduate certificates, BSN, MSN, and DNP. Graduate students can choose a specialization like adult-gerontological health. The Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for nursing students has an active branch at the College of Staten Island.

• Tuition: $7,290
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 99%
• Graduation Rate: 30%

7. New York City College of Technology

The New York City College of Technology has an immersive nursing program that helps prepare nurses for careers at area hospitals and doctor’s offices. The nursing program at the college requires a total of 67 credits with all clinicals completed within five years of study. Graduates earn an associate degree and will become registered nurses at the conclusion of the program. The mean NCLEX pass rate at the New York City College of Technology is higher than the state average.

• Tuition: $7,120
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 77%
• Graduation Rate: 18%

8. CUNY Hunter College

Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing is the flagship nursing school of the City University of New York. The main campus is located on Park Avenue with a satellite campus on East 25^th Street. Academic programs for nurses include undergraduate, masters, post-masters, and doctoral. At the CUNY Graduate Center, students can earn a P.h.D in nursing. Master program specializations include Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Community Health, Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Nursing Administration.

• Tuition: $7,182
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 40%
• Graduation Rate: 52%

9. CUNY Lehman College

Lehman College is another nursing school in NYC that is part of the City University of New York System of Colleges. One of the most popular degree programs available from the college is the accelerated RN to BSN pathway. This online degree pathway allows students to continue working as a registered nurse while getting credits toward their BSN degrees. Another degree option is an accelerated 15-month BSN track. In-person courses will be completed at the college’s Bronx campus.

Their graduate program offers a pediatric nurse practitioner program and a family nurse practitioner program. They also offer post masters certificates in the pediatric nurse practitioner program, family nurse practitioner program, nursing education, and nursing administration. Finally, they offer the following doctoral programs: BS-DNP, MS-DNP, and FNP-DNP.

• Tuition: $7,210
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 35%
• Graduation Rate: 46%

10. Mildred Elley School

Mildred Elley is located in New York, New York with certificate programs for LPNs. The nursing school prepares students to take and pass the NCLEX-LPN and receive licensure in practical nursing. Benefits of Mildred Elley are the NYC nursing school has flexible scheduling options and an extensive career counselor department that will assist with job placement. 

• Tuition: $14,235
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 42%

11. St. Paul’s School of Nursing

Saint Paul’s School of Nursing has two convenient locations: a campus in Queens and Staten Island. The nursing degree programs are accredited through the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. The college offers an Associate Degree in Nursing with a fast-track path for current LPNs or LVNs (licensed vocational nurses). The courses and labs for the associate degree program prepare students to sit for the NCLEX-RN.

• Tuition: $17,395
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 42%

12. Helene Fuld College of Nursing

Located in the heart of New York City on East 120^th Street, the Helene Fuld College of Nursing is dedicated to providing a well-rounded education to future health professionals. Program options for future nurses include LPN to RN, RN to BSN, and a generic BSN degree for undergraduates without a background in nursing. Program lengths range from one to four years with the majority of students passing the NCLEX successfully on their first sitting.

• Tuition: $20,476
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 65%

13. Touro College

The School of Health Sciences is a division of Touro College located in Brooklyn. The undergraduate degrees from Touro College include a Generic BSN and RN-BSN. The college’s NCLEX pass rates are above the state average and most nurses find job placement within six months of graduation. For a four-year college, the annual tuition fees are very low with generous financial aid packages available.

• Tuition: $19,870
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 74%
• Graduation Rate: 57%

14. Monroe College-Bronx

Monroe College’s School of Nursing in the Bronx boasts very high pass rates for nursing examinations: 100 percent LPN pass rate and 92 percent NCLEX-RN pass rate. Nursing degree options at Monroe College include an associate, bachelors, and practical nurse certificate. The college’s nursing degrees have proven high ROI with nursing jobs secured within a year of graduation.

• Tuition: $25,428
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 55%
• Graduation Rate: 53%

15. St. Joseph’s College

St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn makes it possible for both incoming freshman and working professionals to earn their higher education degrees in nursing. The four-year BSN program was designed for undergraduates with no prior nursing experience while the college’s RN-BSN pathway is for registered nurses who wish to be considered for promotional opportunities. Graduate options for nurses include MSNs with specializations in nursing education, adult-gerontology clinical, and primary care nurse practitioner.

• Tuition: $27,830
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 68%
• Graduation Rate: 71%

16. St. Francis College

Located in Brooklyn, St. Francis College has two types of nursing programs to choose from: a traditional four-year BSN track and a flexible RN to BSN pathway for working nurses. The programs include nursing coursework in the classroom and real-world clinical experience. The college recently updated their health building to include two floors of state-of-the-art lab space with robotic simulation technologies.

• Tuition: $25,188
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 78%
• Graduation Rate: 59%

17. AMG School of Nursing

AMG School of Nursing is a preparatory college for individuals looking to earn their LPNs quickly. The Brooklyn nursing school’s LPN program can be completed in less than a year with an option to take blocks of  courses in the evening. The NYC nursing school has a staggering 100 percent NCLEX pass rate for LPNs.

• Tuition: $30,000
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 82%

18. College of Mount Saint Vincent

The College of Mount Saint Vincent is a liberal arts university located in the Bronx. The School of Nursing at the university has a traditional BSN program as well as options to earn an accelerated dual undergraduate degree or earn both a BSN/MSN simultaneously. The nursing programs at the College of Mount Saint Vincent have in-person requirements, but students are also able to take some courses and tests virtually.

• Tuition: $38,180
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 91%
• Graduation Rate: 54%

19. Long Island University-Brooklyn

The Long Island University’s campus in Brooklyn is the perfect nursing school for students looking to pursue a BSN. The college’s competitive nursing department offers fast-tracking for those looking to confer dual degrees. Undergraduates can graduate with both a BSN and MSN for Nursing and Healthcare Management. The accelerated BSN at Long Island University lasts a total of 16 months with courses held year-round.

• Tuition: $37,763
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 83%
• Graduation Rate: 47%

20. Phillips School of Nursing

The Phillips School of Nursing is a part of Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City. The school specializes in assisting nurses with earning their bachelors or associate degrees at an accelerated pace. Students can finish their associate degree in 15 months while registered nurses can get their BSN in 15 months. Students in the program are offered clinical rotations in Manhattan’s top-tier medical facilities. The competitive nursing school only accepts 20 percent of all applicants.

• Tuition: $900/credit
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 20%
• Graduation Rate: 88%

21. Pace University

The Liehard School of Nursing is home to Pace University’s cutting-edge nursing degree programs. The college’s NCLEX-RN pass rate is 97.7 percent—a much higher average than the New York average pass rate of 84 percent. Program options for nursing students from Pace University include BSN, MSN, DNP, and certificate graduate programs like Family Nurse Practitioner.

• Tuition: $45,280
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 80%
• Graduation Rate: 54%

22. Wagner College

The Nursing Department at Wagner College is located in Staten Island and has accreditation through the ACEN. Programs offered at Wagner College include a bachelor, master, and doctor of nursing practice. Specializations can be chosen for MSN degrees including nurse educator or family nurse practitioner. The nursing programs at Wagner College have received national recognition as a 2012-2016 Center of Nursing Education Excellence. 

• Tuition: $47,090
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 70%
• Graduation Rate: 70%

23. New York University

New York University has a number of nursing programs at their Rory Meyers College of Nursing. The department boasts the highest median salary of all NYU alumni. The nursing school also has the distinction of having one of the highest amounts of funding provided through the National Institute of Health. Academic programs for nurses are varied with bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees offered as well as non-degree certification programs.

• Tuition: $51,828
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 28%
• Graduation Rate: 84%

24. Fordham University

Fordham at Rose Hill has a number of health-related majors open to new students including nursing. The nursing program is located at the college’s Bronx campus and features undergraduate and graduate level track programs. The private college does carry an expensive price tag, but posts high graduation rates and post-degree job placement figures. Each student is assigned an advisor to help navigate his or her nursing degree program.

• Tuition: $52,687
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 46%
• Graduation Rate: 79%

25. Colombia University

Columbia University is the most prestigious college in all of New York City. Graduates from the university become leaders in professions across all industries. The nursing programs are unique at Columbia with the curriculums designed to graduate master-level nurses. The Masters Direct Entry program helps students earn both their BSN and MSN at the same time. A Doctor of Nursing Practice and Ph.D. in Nursing are also offered through Columbia University.

• Tuition: $59,430
• Admission Acceptance Rate: 7%
• Graduation Rate: 95%

Ranking Methodology

Each nursing degree program was ranked based on a number of factors. including tuition costs, acceptance rate, and graduation rate. Tuition costs made up 50 percent of each school’s score while the acceptance rate and graduation rate was the other 50 percent. Tuition costs for New York City colleges are subject to change annually. If an NYC college with nursing majors is not listed above or any schools note an error, please contact our editorial team to make the appropriate corrections. Explore RNtoBSNProgram.com to learn more about the best nursing schools in NYC and all around the world.