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2024 Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania

25 Colleges in Pennsylvania
483 Doctor's Degrees
$111,672 Avg Early-Career Salary
Nursing is of the hottest doctor's degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #5 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 25 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 483 doctor's degrees in nursing to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Doctor's Degree

Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania Your choice of nursing for getting your doctor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality nursing program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Early-Career Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their doctor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their doctor's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list, to help you choose the best school for you.


 

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Nursing in Pennsylvania

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing.

10 Top Pennsylvania Schools for a Doctorate in Nursing

1
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
49 Annual Graduates

University of Pennsylvania is a great option for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Pennsylvania

2
77 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

3
33 Annual Graduates

Thomas Jefferson University is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Thomas Jefferson University

4
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
16 Annual Graduates

Villanova University is a good decision for students pursuing a doctor's degree in nursing. Located in the large suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Villanova University

5
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Duquesne is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.

Soon after graduation, nursing doctorate recipients usually earn around $101,788 in their early careers.

More information about a doctorate in nursing from Duquesne University

6
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA

Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Drexel is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.

Doctorate recipients from the nursing program at Drexel University make $14,694 more than the standard college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a doctorate in nursing from Drexel University

7
Widener crest
Widener University
Chester, PA
7 Annual Graduates

Widener is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Chester.More information about a doctorate in nursing from Widener University

8
4 Annual Graduates

University of Scranton is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Scranton.More information about a doctorate in nursing from University of Scranton

9
Chatham crest
Chatham University
Pittsburgh, PA

Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Chatham is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

Nursing doctor's degree recipients from Chatham University get an earnings boost of around $11,804 over the average earnings of nursing graduates.

More information about a doctorate in nursing from Chatham University

10
DeSales crest
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA

Located in the rural area of Center Valley, DeSales is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a doctorate in nursing from DeSales University


 

Best Nursing Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
New York 174 302
Maryland 119 248
New Jersey 115 209
District of Columbia 81 52
Delaware 53 44

View All Rankings >

Nursing is one of 34 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Nursing Practice 193
Registered Nursing 148
Nurse Anesthetist 68
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 28
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 19
Nursing Science 14
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 7
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 3
Clinical Nurse Specialist 3

Majors Similar to Nursing

Related Major Annual Graduates
Medicine 2,307
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions 1,342
Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences 1,017
Dentistry 506
Optometry 166
Communication Sciences 76
Public Health 33
Alternative Medicine & Systems 31
Allied Health Professions 26
Mental & Social Health Services 23

Notes and References

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