by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 21 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,006 doctor's degrees in nursing to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The nursing doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their doctor's degree.
The nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for nursing students seeking a a doctor's degree.
Samuel Merritt University is a wonderful option for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Samuel Merritt University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Oakland.
Students who graduate with their doctorate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $136,861.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Samuel Merritt University
It's difficult to beat Loma Linda University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in nursing. Loma Linda University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Loma Linda.
After graduation, nursing doctorate recipients generally earn around $135,439 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Loma Linda University
It is hard to beat Seattle University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Seattle, Seattle U is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Seattle University
University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a great decision for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. UW Seattle is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Seattle.
Soon after graduation, nursing doctorate recipients typically earn an average of $119,434 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Located in the large city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.
Nursing doctor's degree recipients from University of San Francisco earn a boost of around $16,689 over the typical earnings of nursing graduates.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of San Francisco
University of Portland is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Portland.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Portland
Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of California - Irvine
UCLA is a fairly large public university located in the city of Los Angeles.
Nursing doctor's degree recipients from University of California - Los Angeles earn a boost of approximately $19,719 over the average income of nursing graduates.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of California - Los Angeles
Gonzaga is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Spokane.
Those nursing students who get their doctor's degree from Gonzaga University receive $2,269 more than the average nursing graduate.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from Gonzaga University
Cal State Fullerton is a very large public university located in the suburb of Fullerton.
Doctorate recipients from the nursing degree program at California State University - Fullerton make $33,889 above the typical college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a doctorate in nursing from California State University - FullertonExplore the best nursing schools for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 180 | 451 |
| Washington | 122 | 315 |
| Oregon | 107 | 43 |
| Nevada | 84 | 79 |
| Hawaii | 53 | 16 |
| Alaska | 19 | 3 |
One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing Practice | 446 |
| Registered Nursing | 210 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 105 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 88 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 44 |
| Nursing Science | 37 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 20 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 16 |
| School Nursing | 11 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 10 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 2,824 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 2,558 |
| Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences | 1,807 |
| Dentistry | 1,089 |
| Alternative Medicine & Systems | 706 |
| Chiropractic | 450 |
| Optometry | 318 |
| Public Health | 130 |
| Communication Sciences | 112 |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 98 |
