Nursing Schools and Programs in The United States

Nursing Studies in The United States

You can study nursing at the University of Alabama.

Nursing in the United States is a regulated profession: to work as a nurse, graduates need a licence from the state where they practise. Nursing programmes therefore combine classroom science with supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other care settings, and they prepare students for the national licensing exam. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nursing programmes usually include courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, psychology and the social and behavioural sciences.

Qualifications and levels

• Licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN): a state-approved programme that typically takes about one year
• Associate degree in nursing (ADN or ASN): offered mainly by community colleges; it leads to the registered nurse (RN) licence exam
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): typically four years at a college or university
• RN-to-BSN programmes for registered nurses who hold an associate degree or diploma
• Accelerated and direct-entry programmes for graduates who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field
• Master's degrees (MSN) and doctorates: the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the research-based PhD

The BLS notes that registered nurses can qualify through a bachelor's degree, an associate degree or a diploma from an approved programme, but employers, particularly hospitals, may require a bachelor's degree. Advanced practice roles (nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners) require at least a master's degree.

Examples from the schools' own pages: Broward College in Florida offers a full-time and a part-time Nursing RN associate degree and an LPN-to-RN transition. The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing offers a BSN, a Master of Science in Nursing, a Master of Professional Nursing, a DNP and a PhD. Columbia University School of Nursing in New York, which opened in 1892, runs a 15-month, full-time Master's Direct Entry programme for graduates who are not nurses; it has 76 to 78 credits and leads to a Master of Science in Nursing and the NCLEX.

Accreditation and licensing

Nursing programmes are accredited by specialised agencies. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits baccalaureate, graduate and residency programmes, and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is recognised by the US Department of Education for all types of nursing programmes. A programme approved by the state board of nursing is needed to sit the licence exam.

Graduates take the NCLEX, the national licensing exam developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Registration involves the state's nursing regulatory body and the test provider Pearson VUE, and each state sets its own extra requirements, such as a criminal background check. The exam uses real-world case studies to test clinical judgement.

Admission and visa

Admission to nursing is often competitive and has prerequisites. Broward College, for example, says that its health science programmes may require prerequisite courses, admission tests such as the TEAS or HESI, or prior experience. Bachelor's programmes ask for secondary school records and English test scores; accelerated and direct-entry master's programmes require a first degree and science prerequisites.

International students must first be accepted by a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Degree programmes use the F-1 student visa; the M visa covers non-academic or vocational study, which can apply to some certificate programmes. Clinical placements and licensing rules differ by state, so students should ask the school how its programme leads to a licence.

Where to study nursing in the United States

Nursing schools are found in every state. The cities with several schools on this page include Philadelphia (Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania and others), Los Angeles (UCLA among them), Baltimore, Miami (the University of Miami and Florida International University), New York (Columbia University) and San Diego (San Diego State University). Large public universities such as the Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and the University of Florida also teach nursing, as do community colleges such as Broward College, Tacoma Community College and Pasadena City College.

Careers

Registered nurses work in hospitals, doctors' offices, home healthcare, nursing care facilities, clinics and schools. According to the BLS, employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 180,800 openings a year, and the median annual wage was $97,550 in May 2025. Licensed practical and vocational nurses earned a median of $64,400. Employment of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners is projected to grow 36 percent over the same decade, with a median wage of $134,920 in May 2025.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a nurse in the United States?

A practical nursing programme takes about one year, an associate degree usually two years of full-time study and a BSN typically four years. Graduates with another bachelor's degree can take an accelerated programme, such as Columbia's 15-month direct-entry master's.

What is the NCLEX?

It is the national licensing exam for nurses. Graduates of an approved programme register through the nursing regulatory body of the state where they plan to practise.

Can I work as a nurse in the US after studying there?

You need a state licence, which requires an approved programme and passing the NCLEX. Working after graduation also depends on your immigration status, which the school's international office can explain.

Is an associate degree enough to become a registered nurse?

Yes, ADN graduates can take the RN licence exam, but hospitals may prefer a bachelor's degree. Many nurses later complete an RN-to-BSN programme.