Clinical Nurse Leader programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 44 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for clinical nurse leader students pursuing a degree.
Where you study clinical nurse leader matters for your future. That is why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Clinical Nurse Leader rankings. Our overall ranking combines our degree-level rankings, weighted by degrees awarded at each level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we have developed a number of rankings, including this Best Clinical Nurse Leader Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Best Schools for Clinical Nurse Leader in the United States
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the clinical nurse leader degrees they offer, see the list below.
No school ranked higher than Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science this year for clinical nurse leader. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Los Angeles. About 30% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 53 clinical nurse leader students who graduated with this degree at Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science in the most recent data year. Graduates of the clinical nurse leader program make about $132,827 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,250 to complete this degree.
See the full clinical nurse leader program report for Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science
University Of San Diego came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best clinical nurse leader schools. Set in the city of San Diego, University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 84% of students finish within six years. About 37 clinical nurse leader degrees were awarded at University Of San Diego in the most recent year. Graduates of the clinical nurse leader program make about $124,795 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,795.
Get the full clinical nurse leader details for University Of San Diego
Rowan University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in clinical nurse leader, ranking #3. Rowan University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Glassboro. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. Rowan University awarded about 41 clinical nurse leader degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the clinical nurse leader program make about $102,156 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete this degree.
See the full clinical nurse leader program report for Rowan University
A rank of #4 makes University Of Rochester one of the top schools for clinical nurse leader. University Of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Rochester. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. University Of Rochester awarded about 19 clinical nurse leader degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, clinical nurse leader degree recipients from University Of Rochester generally make around $89,788. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full clinical nurse leader details for University Of Rochester
Capella University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in clinical nurse leader, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit university. About 20% of students finish within six years. Capella University awarded about 171 clinical nurse leader degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their clinical nurse leader degree from Capella University earn around $107,183 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,826 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in clinical nurse leader from Capella University
Curry College earned the #6 position for clinical nurse leader this year. Located in the suburb of Milton, Curry College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Curry College graduates 51% of students within six years. About 17 clinical nurse leader degrees were awarded at Curry College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, clinical nurse leader degree recipients from Curry College generally make around $96,366. Curry College graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full clinical nurse leader program report for Curry College
Xavier University came in at #7 for clinical nurse leader this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Cincinnati. About 68% of students finish within six years. Xavier University awarded about 10 clinical nurse leader degrees in the most recent data year. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of Xavier University earn a median of $78,516 early in their careers. Xavier University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Get the full clinical nurse leader details for Xavier University
Pacific Lutheran University earned the #8 position for clinical nurse leader this year. Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Tacoma. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. About 31 clinical nurse leader degrees were awarded at Pacific Lutheran University in the most recent year. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median of $91,961 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $29,000.
Get the full clinical nurse leader details for Pacific Lutheran University
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 44 schools evaluated.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
