2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing
1,160
Ranked Colleges
165,538
Degrees Awarded
$64,238
Avg Salary
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking.
With 322,592 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, nursing is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,916 and had an average of $25,426 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 165,538 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 1,160 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in nursing. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in nursing.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Nursing Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree nursing students.
Top 25 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing
Out of the 1,160 schools in the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Governors University landed the #1 spot on the list. Salt Lake City, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 10,730 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full WGU Nursing Report
Out of the 1,160 schools in the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Chamberlain University - Illinois landed the #2 spot on the list. Chamberlain University - Illinois is located in Addison, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8,124 bachelors’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at Chamberlain University - Illinois
Out of the 1,160 schools in the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Canyon University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, this large private for-profit school awarded 4,530 degrees to qualified bachelors’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 more about Nursing at Grand Canyon University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Arlington. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s. UT Arlington is a large public school situated in Arlington, Texas. It awarded 3,456 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 more about Nursing at The University of Texas at Arlington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Capella University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 3,199 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Nursing at Capella University
With a ranking of #6, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. OHIO Athens is a large school located in Athens, Ohio that handed out 2,089 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Nursing at Ohio University - Athens Campus
Aspen University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Aspen University is a private for-profit institution located in Denver, Colorado. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,430 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Aspen University Nursing Report
West Coast University - Orange County ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. West Coast University - Orange County is a small private for-profit school situated in Anaheim, California. It awarded 971 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
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 full report on Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County
Southern New Hampshire University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southern New Hampshire University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has a large population, and it awarded 945 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Southern New Hampshire University Nursing Report
National University College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. National University College is a private for-profit institution located in Bayamon, . The school has a large population, and it awarded 919 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Nursing at National University College
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is a medium-sized school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 917 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 more about Nursing at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
With a ranking of #12, Walden University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 900 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Nursing at Walden University
With a ranking of #13, University of Phoenix - Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of Phoenix - Arizona is a private for-profit institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 876 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Nursing at UOPX - Arizona
University of North Carolina at Wilmington came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Wilmington, North Carolina, and it awarded 782 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
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 more about Nursing at UNCW
West Coast University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. West Coast University - Los Angeles is a small school located in North Hollywood, California that handed out 778 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.
Read full report on Nursing at West Coast University - Los Angeles
University of Central Florida did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school awarded 772 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Central Florida Nursing Report
West Coast University - Ontario did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. West Coast University - Ontario is located in Ontario, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 698 bachelors’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.
Read full report on Nursing at West Coast University - Ontario
The University of Texas at Tyler landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Tyler, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s nursing degrees to 630 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler
Galen College of Nursing - Louisville ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is a small school located in Louisville, Kentucky that handed out 623 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Nursing at Galen College of Nursing - Louisville
American Sentinel University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Aurora, Colorado, this small private for-profit school awarded 620 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
Full American Sentinel University Nursing Report
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s list. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 585 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
Purdue University Northwest came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Purdue University Northwest is located in Hammond, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 581 bachelors’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Full Purdue Northwest Nursing Report
East Tennessee State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. ETSU is a public institution located in Johnson City, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 563 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Nursing at ETSU
Drexel University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Drexel is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 533 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Drexel Nursing Report
Northern Arizona University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Nursing Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Northern Arizona University is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 526 bachelors’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full NAU Nursing Report
college factual
