1
by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region” ranking.
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.
Across the Southeast region, there were 76,869 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $67,908 and $28,529 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 25,103 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,020 and $16,931 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 345 colleges that offer 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.
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 an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region” 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 southeast region associate degree nursing students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Premiere International College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region. Premiere International College is a small school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 2 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 345 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Jefferson Regional Medical Center School of Nursing landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 44 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 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 Galen College of Nursing - ARH. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region. 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Advance Science College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region. Advance Science College is a private for-profit institution located in Miami Lakes, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. 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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hope College of Arts and Sciences. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region. Pompano Beach, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 35 students in 2021-2022.
Universal Career School did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #7.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
With a ranking of #8, NRI Institute of Health Sciences did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region list. NRI Institute is a private for-profit institution located in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Nursing at NRI Institute of Health Sciences
American National University - Lexington ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Pikeville, Kentucky, this small private for-profit school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at American National University - Lexington
With a ranking of #10, Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and it awarded 370 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%.
Centra College of Nursing landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Centra College of Nursing is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 98 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Southside College of Health Sciences came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Colonial Heights, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 50 students in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.
Read more about Nursing at Southside College of Health Sciences
Gwinnett Institute came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking. This small school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 56 associates’s nursing degrees 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%.
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #14. Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations is a small private not-for-profit school situated in West Palm Beach, Florida. It awarded 45 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
Read more about Nursing at Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations
Carolinas College of Health Sciences ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region list. Carolinas College of Health Sciences is a small public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 131 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.
Riverside College of Health Careers ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region list. Riverside College of Health Careers is a private not-for-profit institution located in Newport News, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 69 associates’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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.
Read full report on Nursing at Riverside College of Health Careers
Baptist Health College - Little Rock did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #17. Baptist Health College - Little Rock is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 235 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
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. 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 more about Nursing at Baptist Health College - Little Rock
Fortis College - Cutler Bay did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #18. Fortis College - Cutler Bay is a small private for-profit school situated in Cutler Bay, Florida. It awarded 45 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Cabarrus College of Health Sciences is a small school located in Concord, North Carolina that handed out 74 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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.
Taylor College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Taylor College is a small school located in Belleview, Florida that handed out 16 associates’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Beckfield College - Florence did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Florence, Kentucky, this small private for-profit school handed out 80 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.
HCI College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #22. West Palm Beach, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 110 students in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Bryant & Stratton College - Virginia Beach did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #23. Virginia Beach, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 116 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
Full Bryant & Stratton College - Virginia Beach Nursing Report
Eastern Virginia Career College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, this small private for-profit school handed out 48 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%. 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.
Fortis Institute - Pensacola ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Nursing Major in the Southeast Region list. Fortis Institute - Pensacola is located in Pensacola, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 77 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
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 | Midway University | Midway, KY |
| 52 | Andrew College | Cuthbert, GA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
