by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Nursing Practice is the 105th most popular major in the country with 8,862 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.
At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 7,040 nursing practice graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,735 and $124,256 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major” ranking, we looked at 297 colleges that offer a degree in nursing practice. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in nursing practice.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree nursing practice students.
Out of the 297 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Rush University landed the #1 spot on the list. Rush University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 210 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Out of the 297 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester landed the #2 spot on the list. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to 34 students in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Nursing Practice at University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. This small school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 71 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing Practice at LSU Health - New Orleans
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Touro University Nevada. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. Touro University Nevada is a private not-for-profit institution located in Henderson, Nevada. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Anthony College of Nursing. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. Located in Rockford, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nursing practice students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Saint Anthony College of Nursing Nursing Practice Report
University of Maryland - Baltimore landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to 141 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Nursing Practice at University of Maryland - Baltimore
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. This small school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 23 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Nursing Practice Report
The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center is located in Memphis, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 87 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Chamberlain University - Illinois ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. Chamberlain University - Illinois is a large private for-profit school situated in Addison, Illinois. It awarded 563 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing Practice at Chamberlain University - Illinois
Lenoir - Rhyne University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. Lenoir - Rhyne University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hickory, North Carolina. It awarded 25 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing Practice at Lenoir - Rhyne University
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is a small school located in Little Rock, Arkansas that handed out 26 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Palm Beach Atlantic University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nursing practice students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Nebraska Medical Center came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. University of Nebraska Medical Center is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 40 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 2 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
With a ranking of #14, Oregon Health & Science University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. Located in Portland, Oregon, this small public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified doctorate’s nursing practice students in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Oregon Health & Science University Nursing Practice Report
Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Nursing Practice at Baptist College of Health Sciences
With a ranking of #16, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing Nursing Practice Report
Oklahoma City University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. This small school is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and it awarded 17 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
South University’s online programs did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking, coming in at #18. Savannah, Georgia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to 32 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full South University’s online programs Nursing Practice Report
Pacific Lutheran University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major list. Pacific Lutheran University is a small school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 19 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in San Marcos, California. It awarded 42 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Bradley University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. Bradley University is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 42 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Mount St. Joseph University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s nursing practice students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Wilkes University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 15 doctorate’s nursing practice degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Barry University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking, coming in at #24. Barry University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 76 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Northern Kentucky University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Nursing Practice Major ranking. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, this fairly large public school awarded 75 degrees to qualified doctorate’s nursing practice students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing Practice at Northern Kentucky University
Not only did these schools make the top 45 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
