by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2021-2022, 319,502 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In , nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $70,911 and had an average of $28,318 in loans still to pay off.
At the associate degree level specifically, there were 83,190 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,431 and $15,731 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major” ranking analyzed 1,123 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. That schools that top this list have a program in nursing in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree nursing students.
Out of the 1,123 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Carrington College, Mesquite landed the #1 spot on the list.
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.
Out of the 1,123 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, St. Peter’s Hospital College of Nursing landed the #1 spot on the list. St. Peter’s Hospital College of Nursing is located in Albany, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 64 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Nursing at St. Peter’s Hospital College of Nursing
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major. Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Geneva, New York. It awarded 41 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Jefferson Regional Medical Center School of Nursing. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Jefferson Regional Medical Center School of Nursing is a small school located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas that handed out 44 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major. Located in Syracuse, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 102 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Galen College of Nursing - ARH. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major. Galen College of Nursing - ARH is a small school located in Hazard, Kentucky that handed out 126 associates’s nursing 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Elizabeth College of Nursing. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major. Saint Elizabeth College of Nursing is a small school located in Utica, New York that handed out 47 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 at Saint Elizabeth College of Nursing
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Belanger School of Nursing. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Schenectady, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 58 students 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.
Out of the 1,123 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Career College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Canoga Park, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 39 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Out of the 1,123 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Premiere International College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Fort Myers, Florida, and it awarded 2 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
Read full report on Nursing at Premiere International College
Out of the 1,123 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, St. Joseph’s College of Nursing landed the #1 spot on the list. St Joseph’s College of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Syracuse, New York. It awarded 173 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
Read full report on Nursing at St. Joseph’s College of Nursing
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Joseph School of Nursing. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. St Joseph School of Nursing is a small school located in Nashua, New Hampshire that handed out 57 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Montefiore School of Nursing. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Montefiore School of Nursing is a small school located in Mount Vernon, New York that handed out 64 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major. Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health is a small public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 106 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
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 more about Nursing at Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cochran School of Nursing. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major. Cochran School of Nursing is located in Yonkers, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 27 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Galen College of Nursing - Cincinnati ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. This small school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 169 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Helene Fuld College of Nursing did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking, coming in at #18. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 330 students in 2021-2022.
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%.
Advance Science College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Advance Science College is a small school located in Miami Lakes, Florida that handed out 33 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
Hope College of Arts and Sciences did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking, coming in at #19. Hope College of Arts and Sciences is a private for-profit institution located in Pompano Beach, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 35 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Lawrence Memorial is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 105 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Nursing at Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing
Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing is a small school located in Troy, New York that handed out 57 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Nursing at Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing
EDP University - Manati came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Located in Manati, Puerto Rico, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 87 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Universal Career School came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Bolivar Technical College | Bolivar, MO |
| 52 | Felbry College School of Nursing | Columbus, OH |
| 53 | Career Networks Institute | Santa Ana, CA |
| 54 | Texas County Technical College | Houston, MO |
| 55 | Carolinas College of Health Sciences | Charlotte, NC |
| 56 | Maine College of Health Professions | Lewiston, ME |
| 57 | Riverside College of Health Careers | Newport News, VA |
| 58 | Baptist Health College - Little Rock | Little Rock, AR |
| 59 | Rasmussen University - Kansas | Topeka, KS |
| 60 | Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio | San Antonio, TX |
| 61 | Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences | Lancaster, PA |
| 62 | Fortis College - Cutler Bay | Cutler Bay, FL |
| 63 | Northwestern College - Bridgeview | Oak Lawn, IL |
| 64 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | Concord, NC |
| 65 | Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Cape Girardeau, MO |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 166 | Lower Columbia College | Longview, WA |
| 167 | James A Rhodes State College | Lima, OH |
| 168 | Weatherford College | Weatherford, TX |
| 169 | Missouri State University - West Plains | West Plains, MO |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
