2021 Best Nursing Colleges for Non-Traditional Students
640
Colleges
162,800
Bachelor's Degrees
$31,681
Avg Cost*
Finding the Best Nursing Schools for Non-Traditional Students
Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 2nd of all the majors we analyze. In <nil>, 162,800 bachelor's degrees were awarded to students with this major.
This year's Best Nursing Colleges for Non-Traditional Students ranking looked at 640 colleges that offer a bachelor's in nursing. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent nursing programs, but they also offer a lot of support to non-traditional students.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as affordability, and overall quality of the nursing program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 for Non-Traditional Students list to help you make the college decision.
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.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
2021 Best Nursing Schools for Non-Traditional Students in the United States
Check out the nursing programs at these schools if you want to see which ones are the best for non-traditional students.
Top 25 Nursing Schools for Non-Traditional Students
Walden University has taken the #1 spot in this year's nursing ranking for non-traditional students. Located in the large city of Minneapolis, Walden University is a private for-profit school with a very large student population.
The student loan default rate at Walden University is lower than is typical, just 1.1% of students default in three years. There are approximately 46,455 students at Walden University and they are all exclusively distance learners. 27,673 students are part time.
Full Nursing at Walden University Report
University of Providence landed the #2 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Located in the city of Great Falls, University of Providence is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population. University of Providence also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges for Nursing list. It's in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 3.0%. 490 students at University of Providence are exclusively online. About 148 of the students at University of Providence are attending part time.
Full Nursing at University of Providence Report
Molloy College landed the #3 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Molloy is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Rockville Centre. In addition to being on our best for non-traditional students list, Molloy has also earned the #1 rank in our Best Colleges for Nursing ranking.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 0.7%. There are approximately 2,193 students at Molloy that take at least one class online. There are roughly 1,963 part time students in attendance at Molloy.
Read More…
Capella University earned the #4 spot in our 2021 rankings. Capella University is a very large private for-profit school located in the large city of Minneapolis.
The student loan default rate at Capella University is lower than is typical, just 1.1% of students default in three years. All 38,716 students take classes exclusively online at Capella University. There are roughly 30,933 part time students in attendance at Capella University.
Read full report on Nursing at Capella University
Thomas Jefferson University landed the #5 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Philadelphia. Thomas Jefferson University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
About 0.7% of Thomas Jefferson University students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. Approximately 4,099 students take at least one class online at Thomas Jefferson University. 2,287 students are part time.
Full Nursing at Thomas Jefferson University Report
The #6 spot in this year's ranking belongs to Grand Canyon University. Grand Canyon University is a fairly large private for-profit school located in the city of Phoenix.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 1.5%. 79,865 students at Grand Canyon University are exclusively online. 80,777 students are part time.
Read full report on Nursing at Grand Canyon University
Western Governors University earned the #7 spot in our 2021 rankings. WGU is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Salt Lake City.
The student loan default rate at WGU is lower than is typical, just 0.7% of students default in three years. All 150,116 students take classes exclusively online at WGU.
Full Nursing at Western Governors University Report
California State University - Sacramento earned the #8 spot in our 2021 rankings. Sac State is a fairly large public school located in the city of Sacramento. On top of its placing in our non-traditional rankings, Sac State also did well on our Best Colleges for Nursing list. It's in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
About 1.7% of Sac State students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 16,876 students at Sac State that take at least one class online. There are roughly 7,378 part time students in attendance at Sac State.
Read More…
Gwynedd Mercy University earned the #9 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the suburb of Gwynedd Valley, Gwynedd - Mercy is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population. In addition to being on our bet for non-traditional students list, Gwynedd - Mercy is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
About 1.3% of Gwynedd - Mercy students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. 639 students at Gwynedd - Mercy are exclusively online. 527 students are part time.
Full Nursing at Gwynedd Mercy University Report
Azusa Pacific University earned the #10 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the large suburb of Azusa, Azusa Pacific is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population. Azusa Pacific also made our Best Colleges for Nursing list, coming in at #5.
About 1.1% of Azusa Pacific students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. Approximately 1,851 students take at least one class online at Azusa Pacific. There are roughly 2,771 part time students in attendance at Azusa Pacific.
Full Nursing at Azusa Pacific University Report
College of Saint Elizabeth landed the #11 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Located in the suburb of Morristown, CSE is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. CSE excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 4.3%. There are approximately 336 students at CSE that take at least one class online. 420 students are part time.
Full Nursing at College of Saint Elizabeth Report
The #12 spot in this year's ranking belongs to California State University - East Bay. Cal State East Bay is a large public school located in the suburb of Hayward.
About 1.3% of Cal State East Bay students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. 7,069 of Cal State East Bay students are exclusively distance learners. 3,650 students are part time.
Read More…
The University of Texas at Arlington comes in at #13 in this year's ranking. Located in the city of Arlington, UT Arlington is a public college with a very large student population. On top of its placing in our non-traditional rankings, UT Arlington also did well on our Best Colleges for Nursing list. It's in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
The student loan default rate at UT Arlington is lower than is typical, just 1.4% of students default in three years. 17,309 of UT Arlington students are exclusively distance learners. About 22,217 of the students at UT Arlington are attending part time.
Full Nursing at The University of Texas at Arlington Report
Adelphi University landed the #14 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Located in the suburb of Garden City, Adelphi is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population. Adelphi also took the #4 spot in our Best Colleges for Nursing rankings.
About 1.1% of Adelphi students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 4,430 students at Adelphi that take at least one class online. 1,287 students are part time.
Full Nursing at Adelphi University Report
Our rankings recognize Holy Family University as the #15 school in this year's rankings. Holy Family is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Holy Family excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
About 1.8% of Holy Family students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. There are approximately 1,624 students at Holy Family that take at least one class online. There are roughly 1,086 part time students in attendance at Holy Family.
Full Nursing at Holy Family University Report
Sonoma State University earned the #16 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the suburb of Rohnert Park, SSU is a public school with a moderately-sized student population. In addition to being on our bet for non-traditional students list, SSU is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 1.4%. Approximately 4,146 students take at least one class online at SSU. 1,263 students are part time.
Read full report on Nursing at Sonoma State University
Rivier University comes in at #17 in this year's ranking. Rivier is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Nashua.
The student loan default rate at Rivier is lower than is typical, just 1.5% of students default in three years. 733 of Rivier students are exclusively distance learners. There are roughly 1,262 part time students in attendance at Rivier.
Read More…
California State University - Fullerton earned the #18 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the suburb of Fullerton, Cal State Fullerton is a public college with a very large student population. Cal State Fullerton excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
The student loan default rate at Cal State Fullerton is lower than is typical, just 0.8% of students default in three years. There are approximately 25,781 students at Cal State Fullerton that take at least one class online. About 10,634 of the students at Cal State Fullerton are attending part time.
Full Nursing at California State University - Fullerton Report
University of Phoenix - Arizona landed the #19 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Located in the large city of Phoenix, UOPX - Arizona is a private for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 2.6%. 85,576 of UOPX - Arizona students are exclusively distance learners.
Read full report on Nursing at University of Phoenix - Arizona
Thomas Edison State University earned the #20 spot in our 2021 rankings. Located in the city of Trenton, TESU is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 1.5%. 9,645 students at TESU are exclusively online. There are roughly 9,641 part time students in attendance at TESU.
Read full report on Nursing at Thomas Edison State University
Our rankings recognize Wilmington University as the #21 school in this year's rankings. Wilmington University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of New Castle.
About 1.6% of Wilmington University students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. 9,747 students at Wilmington University are exclusively online. 9,527 of Wilmington University students are attending part time.
Full Nursing at Wilmington University Report
The #22 spot in this year's ranking belongs to Felician University. Felician is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Lodi.
The student loan default rate at Felician is lower than is typical, just 2.2% of students default in three years. There are approximately 940 students at Felician that take at least one class online. 592 of Felician students are attending part time.
Read More…
University of Saint Joseph landed the #23 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. USJ is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of West Hartford. On top of its placing in our non-traditional rankings, USJ also did well on our Best Colleges for Nursing list. It's in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
About 0.7% of USJ students default on their loans in three years, which is lower than average. Approximately 442 students take at least one class online at USJ. There are roughly 607 part time students in attendance at USJ.
Full Nursing at University of Saint Joseph Report
Florida National University - Main Campus landed the #24 spot in our 2021 best nursing schools for non-traditional students. Located in the large suburb of Hialeah, Florida National University - Main Campus is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
The student loan default rate at Florida National University - Main Campus is lower than is typical, just 2.4% of students default in three years. Approximately 1,674 students take at least one class online at Florida National University - Main Campus. About 1,174 of the students at Florida National University - Main Campus are attending part time.
Read full report on Nursing at Florida National University - Main Campus
The #25 spot in this year's ranking belongs to Immaculata University. Immaculata is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Immaculata. Immaculata excels when it comes to major quality. It's ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Colleges for Nursing list.
The school has a low student loan default rate of 1.0%. There are approximately 716 students at Immaculata that take at least one class online. 1,282 of Immaculata students are attending part time.
Full Nursing at Immaculata University Report
