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2025 Best Nursing Schools in Washington

38 Colleges in Washington
3,756 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$84,107 Avg Early-Career Salary
Nursing is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #3 most popular major in the country. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 38 schools in Washington to determine which ones were the best for nursing students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 3,756 degrees in nursing to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Nursing School

Best Nursing Schools in Washington The nursing program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Nursing rankings. For our Best Overall Nursing School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Nursing Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Nursing
Bachelor's Degrees in Nursing
Master's Degrees in Nursing
Doctor's Degrees in Nursing

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Nursing Schools in Washington list to help you make the college decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Nursing in Washington

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top Washington Schools in Nursing

1
Seattle U crest
Seattle University
Seattle, WA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
311 Nursing Degrees Awarded
4.2% Growth in Graduates

Seattle University is a good choice for students interested in a degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Seattle, Seattle U is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #155 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Seattle U is a great university overall.

There were approximately 311 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Seattle U in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from Seattle University receive $9,278 more than the typical nursing graduate.

More information about a degree in nursing from Seattle University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
289 Nursing Degrees Awarded
10.7% Growth in Graduates

University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a wonderful option for students interested in a degree in nursing. UW Seattle is a very large public university located in the large city of Seattle. A Best Colleges rank of #44 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.

There were roughly 289 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Nursing degree recipients from University of Washington - Seattle Campus earn a boost of around $11,906 over the average earnings of nursing graduates.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Nursing - RN to BSN Program Name

With the affordable and transfer-friendly online RN to BSN program at Southern New Hampshire University, you can build upon your prior educational journey and enhance your professional experience in a program designed to fit around your schedule.

More information about a degree in BS in Nursing - RN to BSN from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Gonzaga crest
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
251 Nursing Degrees Awarded
9.6% Growth in Graduates

Gonzaga University is a great option for students pursuing a degree in nursing. Gonzaga is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Spokane. A Best Colleges rank of #195 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Gonzaga is a great university overall.

There were roughly 251 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Gonzaga in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from Gonzaga University earn $28,390 more than the average nursing student.

More information about a degree in nursing from Gonzaga University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
484 Nursing Degrees Awarded
7.2% Growth in Graduates

Washington State University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in nursing. Wazzu is a very large public university located in the town of Pullman. A Best Colleges rank of #182 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Wazzu is a great university overall.

There were approximately 484 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Wazzu in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the nursing major at Washington State University make $4,047 above the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in nursing from Washington State University

5
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
106 Nursing Degrees Awarded
9.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Shoreline, Shoreline Community College is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 23rd out of 50 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were about 106 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Shoreline Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, nursing degree recipients typically make about $78,850 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in nursing from Shoreline Community College

6
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
105 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$83,117 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle Central is a public college with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #892 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Seattle Central is a great college overall.

There were roughly 105 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Seattle Central in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the nursing program report average early career income of $83,117.

More information about a degree in nursing from Seattle Central College

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
145 Nursing Degrees Awarded
2.8% Growth in Graduates

PLU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Tacoma. A Best Colleges rank of #568 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means PLU is a great university overall.

There were about 145 nursing students who graduated with this degree at PLU in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, nursing degree recipients typically make about $83,116 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in nursing from Pacific Lutheran University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Nursing - RN to BSN - Accelerated RN to MSN Program Name

At Southern New Hampshire University, we understand the demands placed on today's nursing professionals. When it comes to your education, consider saving money and time by electing the RN to MSN pathway. Eligible students will complete graduate courses within their undergraduate program. This pathway allows you to gain a BSN along the way and ultimately shorten your time within the MSN Nursing Education or Population Healthcare tracks.

More information about a degree in BS in Nursing - RN to BSN - Accelerated RN to MSN from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Walla Walla U crest
Walla Walla University
College Place, WA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
53 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$90,709 Median Starting Salary

Walla Walla U is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small suburb of College Place. This university ranks 21st out of 50 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were approximately 53 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Walla Walla U in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from Walla Walla University make $6,602 more than the typical nursing graduate.

More information about a degree in nursing from Walla Walla University

9
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
83 Nursing Degrees Awarded
15.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Kirkland, LWTech is a public school with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #370 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means LWTech is a great school overall.

There were about 83 nursing students who graduated with this degree at LWTech in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program earn around $83,313 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in nursing from Lake Washington Institute of Technology

10
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
107 Nursing Degrees Awarded
14.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Community College is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 30th out of 50 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were approximately 107 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Walla Walla Community College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the nursing program report average early career income of $75,416.

More information about a degree in nursing from Walla Walla Community College

Best Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
California 330 17,965
Oregon 266 1,502
Nevada 192 1,994
Hawaii 164 534
Alaska 119 177

View All Rankings >

One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.

Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 3,509
Nursing Practice 72
Nursing Administration 50
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 34
Clinical Nurse Leader 28
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 18
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 17
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 13
Nurse Anesthetist 12
Nursing Science 3

View All Nursing Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 2,280
Health & Medical Administrative Services 1,232
Mental & Social Health Services 977
Public Health 808
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 767
Allied Health Professions 754
Dental Support Services 575
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science 568
Medicine 448
Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences 331

View All Nursing Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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