### SUMMARY

 Going to school for Registered Nursing is a valuable choice and generally a requisite first step for students desiring to begin a career as an obstetrician/gynecologist, a nurse practitioner, or a nurse anesthetist. Interestingly, registered nursing is an extremely popular degree choice, being the 1st most popular degree. In the last year, there were 146,866 registered nursing graduates. In-state tuition for registered nursing at private colleges is, on average, 3.4 times more expensive than their public fellows.

 With an impressive 1091 colleges offering this degree chances are that any universities you are excited about will have a degree program for you. If you are looking to immerse yourself with other registered nursing undergraduates, consider colleges in Illinois which have the most students admitted to registered nursing annually. less precisely, the best region to major in registered nursing is in the Southeast region with [University of Central Florida](/colleges/university-of-central-florida), [The University of West Florida](/colleges/the-university-of-west-florida), and [University of North Carolina Wilmington](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection of the best conference to study registered nursing is the Sun Belt Conference with [Georgia Southern University](/colleges/georgia-southern-university), [University of Louisiana at Lafayette](/colleges/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette), and [The University of Texas at Arlington](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington) representing the conference. That said, our choice for the best college for registered nursing is [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). You might also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The 'best' school does not have to be the best school for you. There can be a bunch of facets to consider when choosing college. Things like campus amenities, transportation services, and food could alter your choice on where to go to school. Here at authority.org, we've weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which registered nursing college has the top college campus, the answer is [University of Pennsylvania](/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania). If, for example, you are mostly interested in which university has the top campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, government databases, student reviews, and more in order to evaluate every U.S. major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can find our comprehensive list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand our selection of the school with the best student life for registered nursing is [University of Pennsylvania](/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania). Are you curious why? Keep reading to discover more about our top recommendations. Many of our decisions will probably shock you.

 If cost is a significant factor in your decisions, you might consider avoiding [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university)&nbspis the most expensive university for registered nursing, at least regarding out of state students. We do have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that could put the expense of [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you may be interested to know that registered nursing is the 277th most expensive program in America, with an average associated cost of $25,600. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for registered nursing in the country is Oregon with expenses at the primary three institutions amounting to $36,750 at George Fox University, equalling $47,478 at University of Portland, and costs equalling $47,478 at Linfield College-School of Nursing. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region of the country for registered nursing is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Fairfield University](/colleges/fairfield-university) with a cost of $49,080, [Boston College](/colleges/boston-college) with a cost of $56,780, and [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) with a cost of $52,420.

 Our cheapest region for registered nursing is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Brigham Young University-Idaho](/colleges/brigham-young-university-idaho) with a cost of $4,208, [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790, and [Western Governors University](/colleges/western-governors-university) with a cost of $6,380. In better news, the most affordable college for registered nursing is [Saint Luke's College of Health Sciences](/colleges/saint-luke-s-college-of-health-sciences). Authority.org's full list of the most affordable schools can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can anticipate paying around $8,900 for a degree in registered nursing. The cost balloons dramatically to a median of $19,700 for the out-of-state public-school undergrad. Our pick for the university with the best value for registered nursing: [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). Through this link you can find our comprehensive list about the schools we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. That being said, this idea is based on the assumption that you are an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when it comes to in-state tuition, but as we do not know what state(s) you might qualify for in-state tuition, we are approaching this discussion through out-of-state tuition costs.

 Earnings for registered nursing majors range widely, but two years after finishing the degree students will often earn around $61,000. There can be a lot of variation in earnings potential; top positions can enjoy pay up to $94,900. Right out of college, the lowest end positions within the registered nursing space make $38,900, which could be worse. The highest earning grads from registered nursing come from [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university)&nbspand if you want to find the colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The prevailing diversity of registered nursing ranks on the higher end, ranking within the 50th percentile of all majors. The school with the highest composite diversity for registered nursing is [University of Pennsylvania](/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list for the colleges with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of Registered Nursing sits only in the 10th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 57th percentile. White students make up the largest proportion at 60% of those studying registered nursing. Additionally, 86% of undergrads seeking a registered nursing degree are women.

 We have insufficient professors data for registered nursing to make the conclusions we normally would have made in this sentence. If we consider information other than basic rankings it becomes clear that the school with the overall best professors for registered nursing is [University of Pennsylvania](/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania). You will find an explanation of our evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with many of the best examples of professors in the U.S.

 Finally, the most difficult school to get into for registered nursing is [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we do have a general page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, here at Authority we hope you believe that considering higher education from examples mainly informed by superlatives can create issues. We at Authority hope you explore our more nuanced pages on different universities and peruse some of our background pages on important details to look out for as your college search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Registered nursing is the 1st most popular degree in America, with 146,866 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #2 [Business Administration and Management](/rankings/best-colleges-for-business-administration-and-management).

 The degree is offered at a total of 1,091 colleges across the nation, and is the 14th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 19% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that something like 5/8 of colleges offering registered nursing are public making it a quite accessible field.

 The southeast produces the most registered nursing graduates, largely led by [University of Central Florida](/colleges/university-of-central-florida), while it’s the Sun Belt Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, Illinois ranks highest, with particular help from [Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville](/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) and [Resurrection University](/colleges/resurrection-university).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more registered nursing graduates than [Central Alabama Community College](/colleges/central-alabama-community-college), which graduated 9573 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study registered nursing). More students studied registered nursing as a percentage of total students at [Samuel Merritt University](/colleges/samuel-merritt-university) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Registered nursing is the 277th most expensive degree in the United States, with a median cost of $25,615 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #278, [Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services](rankings/best-colleges-for-applied-horticulture-and-horticultural-business-services), with a median cost of $25,593).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top 50 registered nursing programs predominantly led by [Fairfield University](/colleges/fairfield-university) with an annual cost of $49,080. The most expensive state for registered nursing is Oregon led by [George Fox University](/colleges/george-fox-university) and [University of Portland](/colleges/university-of-portland).

 Public schools with solid programs typically charge 70.94% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 35.5% less than the median private school. So be sure to take a look at public shools in your state ASAP.

 The most pricey option in the top 25 is [Duke University](/colleges/duke-university), which is the 39th most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Sentara College of Health Sciences](/colleges/sentara-college-of-health-sciences). It costs just $



### SALARY

 College is a major investment for most students. It is critical to be confident you boost your future earning power. Therefore, we hope the following job placement and income information help you make an informed decision when electing your focus.

 Fresh out of university, Registered Nursing graduates take in $72,174 per year on average, making them the 13th highest earning graduates. Further into their professions, they generally bring home something between $38,921 and $94,940, but average roughly $60,959. Just so you know, that's 58% greater than the American average.

 The most popular job title for a Registered Nursing graduate is Clinical Research Nurse, which commonly earn roughly $49,000; next are Nurse and Home Health Nurse, which often make near $42,000 and $47,000 respectively.

 The Far West has the best paid Registered Nursing graduates. The most well paid state for Registered Nursing graduates is HI. California Collegiate Athletic Association has the highest grossing Registered Nursing graduates of any conference..



### STUDENTS

 College is a profoundly constructive period of one's life; it's a time for personal growth and evolution. Undergraduates try to figure out who they can be and learn the required skills to become a successful adult. But learning is more than sitting in the classroom - the campus dialogue, the nugget of wisdom learned from an old instructor, the exposure to a different point of view. Therefore, a diverse student population tremendously improves what you gain from your time spent at school.

 Registered Nursing is a slightly more ethnically diverse focus than average\*. 60% of the United States' Registered Nursing majors are white students, followed by latino students (13%), asian students (11%), and black students (10%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [West Coast University-Dallas](/colleges/west-coast-university-dallas)&nbspin Dallas, TX.

 Secondly, Registered Nursing skews very female, more so 90% of subjects. A tad above 6 in 7 students majoring in Registered Nursing identify as women. [University of Utah](/colleges/university-of-utah) in Salt Lake City, UT has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another significant type of diversity is economic diversity. Sadly, Registered Nursing ranks in the bottom 10% of focuses class diversity. 36% of its majors come from homes bringing in more than $110,000 per year, 16% are from households making between $75,000 and $110,000 a year, and 20% grew up in households making under $30,000 a year. [Goshen College](/colleges/goshen-college) has the most financially diverse student body in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Registered Nursing. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the West Coast Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 11%
* Black: 10%
* Latino: 13%
* White: 60%
* Other: 5%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 14%
* Female: 86%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 20%
* 30k - 48k: 13%
* 48k - 75k: 15%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 36%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 60%
* Out of State: 33%
* International: 7%


Villanova University

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Virginia's College at Wise

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Duke University

Emory University

University of Rochester

Georgetown University

University of Virginia-Main Campus

University of Miami

Boston College

Creighton University

West Coast University-Dallas

Stanbridge University

Texas Christian University

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University

University of Portland

Marian University

New York University

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Ohio University-Main Campus

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Saint Louis University

Bishop State Community College

Azusa Pacific University

Search for the best Registered Nursing colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Registered Nursing Popularity

There are about 1,068,224 students enrolled in Registered Nursing in the USA.

POPULARITY