by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 24 schools in Pennsylvania to determine which ones were the best for nursing students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 1,946 master's degrees in nursing to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of nursing for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for nursing students working on their master's degree.
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 Master's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list to help you make the college decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in nursing.
University of Pennsylvania is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in nursing. UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Philadelphia.
Students who graduate with their master's from the nursing program state that they receive average early career wages of $115,382.
More information about a master’s in nursing from University of Pennsylvania
Drexel University is a great choice for individuals interested in a master's degree in nursing. Drexel is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia.
Master's students who receive their degree from the nursing program earn an average of $117,291 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Drexel University
Villanova University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in nursing. Villanova is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Villanova.
Those nursing students who get their master's degree from Villanova University earn $4,611 more than the average nursing student.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Villanova University
Thomas Jefferson University is a wonderful option for students pursuing a master's degree in nursing. Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Philadelphia.
After graduation, nursing master's recipients typically earn around $117,607 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Thomas Jefferson University
Pitt is a fairly large public university located in the city of Pittsburgh.More information about a master’s in nursing from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
Located in the large city of Philadelphia, La Salle is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
Nursing master's degree recipients from La Salle University get an earnings boost of about $16,203 over the average income of nursing majors.
More information about a master’s in nursing from La Salle University
Duquesne is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Pittsburgh.
After graduating, nursing master's recipients generally earn about $94,344 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Duquesne University
Gannon is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Erie.
Those nursing students who get their master's degree from Gannon University make $68,066 more than the standard nursing graduate.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Gannon University
Located in the suburb of Chester, Widener is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the nursing program state that they receive average early career wages of $108,805.
More information about a master’s in nursing from Widener University
Located in the large suburb of Center Valley, DeSales is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
Master's students who receive their degree from the nursing program earn an average of $115,780 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a master’s in nursing from DeSales UniversityExplore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 261 | 2,540 |
| Maryland | 193 | 624 |
| New Jersey | 188 | 445 |
| District of Columbia | 154 | 448 |
| Delaware | 109 | 129 |
One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Allied Health Professions | 1,377 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 879 |
| Communication Sciences | 634 |
| Public Health | 622 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 581 |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 358 |
| Health/Medical Prep Programs | 142 |
| Bioethics/Medical Ethics | 136 |
| Other Health Professions | 124 |
| Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences | 98 |
