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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Nursing

673 Ranked Colleges
51,725 Degrees Awarded
$98,290 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Nursing Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 319,502 degrees handed out in 2021-2022, nursing is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. 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.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 51,725 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major” ranking analyzed 673 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their nursing program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree nursing students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Nursing

1

Out of the 673 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Puerto Rico School of Nurse Anesthetists landed the #1 spot on the list. Puerto Rico School of Nurse Anesthetists is located in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 20 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 Puerto Rico School of Nurse Anesthetists

2
USU crest
United States University
San Diego, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. USU is a small school located in San Diego, California that handed out 640 masters’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%.

Read full report on Nursing at United States University

3
Miami Regional University crest
Miami Regional University
Miami Springs, Florida

Out of the 673 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Miami Regional University landed the #3 spot on the list. Miami Regional University is a small private for-profit school situated in Miami Springs, Florida. It awarded 527 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Nursing at Miami Regional University

4
Frontier Nursing University crest
Frontier Nursing University
Versailles, Kentucky

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Frontier Nursing University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Frontier Nursing University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Versailles, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 707 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Nursing at Frontier Nursing University

5

Out of the 673 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science landed the #5 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 217 students in 2021-2022.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

6

South University’s online programs did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking, coming in at #6. South University’s online programs is a private for-profit institution located in Savannah, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 477 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read full report on Nursing at South University’s online programs

7
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Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan

Spring Arbor University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 369 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Spring Arbor University Nursing Report

8

Graceland University - Lamoni landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Graceland University - Lamoni is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lamoni, Iowa. It awarded 144 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Graceland University - Lamoni Nursing Report

9
10

Chamberlain University - Illinois landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Addison, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 3,637 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at Chamberlain University - Illinois

11
Dewey University - Hato Rey crest
Dewey University - Hato Rey
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico

With a ranking of #11, Dewey University - Hato Rey did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Located in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 90 diplomas to qualified masters’s nursing students in 2021-2022.

Read more about Nursing at Dewey University - Hato Rey

12

Maryville University of Saint Louis ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Maryville U is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 785 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Maryville University of Saint Louis Nursing Report

13
Clarkson College crest
Clarkson College
Omaha, Nebraska

Clarkson College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Clarkson College is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 128 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Nursing at Clarkson College

14

With a ranking of #14, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified masters’s nursing students 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing Nursing Report

15
Regis College crest
Regis College
Weston, Massachusetts

Regis College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. This small school is located in Weston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 354 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Nursing at Regis College

16
Samuel Merritt University crest
Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, California

With a ranking of #16, Samuel Merritt University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Samuel Merritt University is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 236 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Nursing at Samuel Merritt University

17
Allen College crest
Allen College
Waterloo, Iowa

Allen College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. Allen College is located in Waterloo, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 51 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Allen College Nursing Report

18

Herzing University - Madison ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major list. This small school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 218 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at Herzing University - Madison

19
Simmons crest
Simmons University
Boston, Massachusetts

Simmons University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Simmons is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 440 masters’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Simmons University Nursing Report

20

21
Rush University crest
Rush University
Chicago, Illinois

Rush University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 167 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Nursing at Rush University

22
Aspen University crest
Aspen University
Phoenix, Arizona

Aspen University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking, coming in at #22. This medium-sized school is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and it awarded 379 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Nursing at Aspen University

23

University of South Alabama came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. Mobile, Alabama is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s nursing degrees to 749 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nursing at University of South Alabama

24

South University, Tampa landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. South University, Tampa is a small school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 64 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Full South University, Tampa Nursing Report

25

West Coast University - Orange County came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major ranking. This small school is located in Anaheim, California, and it awarded 299 masters’s nursing degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY
43
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Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, FL
44
45
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Carlow University
Pittsburgh, PA
46
47
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Ursuline College
Pepper Pike, OH
48
49
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Nursing Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
52Cox CollegeSpringfield, MO
53Holy Names UniversityOakland, CA
54Albany Medical CollegeAlbany, NY
55Mount St. Joseph UniversityCincinnati, OH
56Florida National University - Main CampusHialeah, FL
57Briar Cliff UniversitySioux City, IA
58Touro University NevadaHenderson, NV
59Alverno CollegeMilwaukee, WI
60AdventHealth UniversityOrlando, FL
61Caribbean University - BayamonBayamon, PR
62Bellin CollegeGreen Bay, WI
63King UniversityBristol, TN
64SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY
65University of MobileMobile, AL
RankCollegeLocation
66Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA
67Wagner CollegeStaten Island, NY
68The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX
69Indiana Wesleyan University - National & GlobalMarion, IN
70Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health SciencesQuincy, IL
71South University, SavannahSavannah, GA
72Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish CollegeSaint Louis, MO
73Molloy CollegeRockville Centre, NY
74St. John Fisher CollegeRochester, NY
75Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied HealthOmaha, NE
76Universidad del TuraboGurabo, PR
77Northwest Nazarene UniversityNampa, ID
78Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN
79University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL
80Westminster College UtahSalt Lake City, UT
81Otterbein UniversityWesterville, OH
82Universidad Adventista de las AntillasMayaguez, PR
83Russell Sage CollegeTroy, NY
84Goshen CollegeGoshen, IN
85Florida Southern CollegeLakeland, FL
86Benedictine UniversityLisle, IL
87Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbock, TX
88St. John’s CollegeSpringfield, IL
89South University, ColumbiaColumbia, SC
90Saint Joseph’s College of MaineStandish, ME
RankCollegeLocation
91Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, CT
92Western University of Health SciencesPomona, CA
93Loyola University New OrleansNew Orleans, LA
94Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI
95University of Maryland - BaltimoreBaltimore, MD
96Grand Canyon UniversityPhoenix, AZ
97University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock, AR
98Houston Baptist UniversityHouston, TX
99Inter American University of Puerto Rico - AreciboArecibo, PR
100DeSales UniversityCenter Valley, PA
101Western Governors UniversitySalt Lake City, UT

Notes and References

References

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Footnotes

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