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2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing

1,695 Ranked Colleges
322,592 Degrees Awarded
$35,600 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing” ranking, we looked at 1,695 colleges that offer a degree in nursing. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality nursing programs as well as strong veteran support.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the nursing program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing”.

Top 25 Best Nursing Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 291 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying nursing list, U-M has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 47,907 students enrolled at U-M, 570 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $27,058. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

2
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Out of the 1,695 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

USC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 46,287 students enrolled at USC, 1,311 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 862 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,487. During this same period, 388 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

3
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 294 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 53,372 students enrolled at University of Florida, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Florida Veteran Student Life Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 209 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,092 students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Veteran Student Life Report

5

Out of the 1,695 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 669 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State University - Main Campus, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ohio State University - Main Campus offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Ohio State]](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

6
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, this large public school awarded 531 degrees to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rutgers New Brunswick, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 50,411 students enrolled at Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,625. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Rutgers University - New Brunswick does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

7

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. This large school is located in College Station, Texas, and it awarded 216 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying nursing list, Texas A&M College Station has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M University - College Station, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,925. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Texas A&M University - College Station does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

8
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #8, Drexel University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 919 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying nursing list, Drexel has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 23,589 students enrolled at Drexel, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Drexel does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Drexel Veteran Student Life Report

9
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 227 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Purdue University - Main Campus supports 46,655 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,765. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Purdue University - Main Campus does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

10
ECPI University crest
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

ECPI University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. ECPI University is a private for-profit institution located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 780 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

ECPI University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 14,353 students enrolled at ECPI University, 12 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,344. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. ECPI University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

11

University of Alabama at Birmingham landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking. UAB is a large school located in Birmingham, Alabama that handed out 1,151 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

UAB also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 22,563 students enrolled at University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1,194 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 508 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,983. On top of their other funding sources, 15 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Alabama at Birmingham Veteran Student Life Report

12
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking. ECU is located in Greenville, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 482 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

ECU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, East Carolina University supports 28,798 students, and 8 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,409. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. East Carolina University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at ECU]](/colleges/east-carolina-university/student-life/veterans/)

13
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

With a ranking of #13, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 288 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 30,318 students enrolled at University of Iowa, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read More…

14
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. Georgetown University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 320 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Georgetown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 19,371 students enrolled at Georgetown University, 10 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $30,300. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Georgetown University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

15

Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking. Virginia Commonwealth University is located in Richmond, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 377 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our vets studying nursing list, VCU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 29,070 students enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,085. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Virginia Commonwealth University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at VCU]](/colleges/virginia-commonwealth-university/student-life/veterans/)

16
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking, coming in at #16. University of Kansas is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 297 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

KU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 26,744 students enrolled at KU, 70 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,917. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

17
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale crest
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

With a ranking of #17, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a fairly large school located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that handed out 1,193 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 20,330 students enrolled at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale, 75 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 56 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,004. On top of their other funding sources, 21 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

18

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nursing degrees to 258 students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1,283 of the 48,149 students enrolled at University of Washington - Seattle Campus were GI Bill® students, of which 769 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,190. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Veteran Student Life Report

19
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. The University of Alabama is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 590 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UA also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 2,081 of the 37,840 students enrolled at UA were GI Bill® students, of which 1,128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,975. To help with additional expenses, 357 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

20
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking. Located in Lexington, Kentucky, this large public school awarded 339 degrees to qualified ’s nursing students in 2020-2021.

UK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 29,986 students enrolled at UK, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UK Veteran Student Life Report

21
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 665 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NYU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, New York University supports 52,775 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,388. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at NYU]](/colleges/new-york-university/student-life/veterans/)

22

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #22 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 257 ’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, University of Wisconsin - Madison supports 44,640 students, and 4 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Wisconsin - Madison does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Wisconsin - Madison]](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/student-life/veterans/)

23
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Webster University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking, coming in at #23. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s nursing degrees to 172 students in 2020-2021.

Webster not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 8,197 students enrolled at Webster, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,175. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Webster offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full Webster Veteran Student Life Report

24
Xavier crest
Xavier University
Cincinnati, Ohio

Xavier University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 460 ’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying nursing list, Xavier has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Xavier supports 7,061 students, and 249 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 184 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,316. In addition to receiving other benefits, 75 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Xavier Veteran Student Life Report

25

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #25 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing list. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 252 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 7 of the 44,589 students enrolled at University of California - Los Angeles were GI Bill® students, of which 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,071. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing

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

26
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
27
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
28
29
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
30
Samford crest
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama
31
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida
32
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
33
Quinnipiac crest
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut
34
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
35
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
36
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
37
38
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri
39
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona
40
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
41
42
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia
43
44
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska
45
46
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California
47
48
49
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
50
Pace University crest
Pace University - New York
New York, New York

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Veteran Friendly for Nursing

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

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Nevada - Las VegasLas Vegas, NV
52Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC
53Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA
54Moravian CollegeBethlehem, PA
55University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY
56Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL
57University of South AlabamaMobile, AL
58University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA
59University of Cincinnati - Main CampusCincinnati, OH
60University of Virginia - Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
61Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL
62Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI
63Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI
64George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
65University of RochesterRochester, NY
RankCollegeLocation
66University of New Mexico - Main CampusAlbuquerque, NM
67Rutgers University - CamdenCamden, NJ
68University of ArizonaTucson, AZ
69University of MississippiUniversity, MS
70The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
71Belmont UniversityNashville, TN
72University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
73University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS
74National UniversityLa Jolla, CA
75Lewis UniversityRomeoville, IL
75Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint Louis, MO
77Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
77University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
79University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL
80University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
81South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD
82East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
83Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL
84Indiana University - Purdue University - IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN
85Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
86University of Alaska AnchorageAnchorage, AK
87San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
88Bellarmine UniversityLouisville, KY
89Jacksonville UniversityJacksonville, FL
90University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
RankCollegeLocation
91University of Nebraska Medical CenterOmaha, NE
92Marymount UniversityArlington, VA
93Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, CT
94Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY
95Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH
96California State University - Long BeachLong Beach, CA
97Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI
98Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbock, TX
99University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
100Molloy CollegeRockville Centre, NY
101Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
102Central Texas CollegeKilleen, TX
103Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA
104Augusta UniversityAugusta, GA
105Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
106University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
107University of California - IrvineIrvine, CA
108Pacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, WA
109Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA
110Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA
111Troy UniversityTroy, AL
112University of Maryland Global CampusAdelphi, MD
113Texas A&M University - Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX
114University of Nevada - RenoReno, NV
115Point Loma Nazarene UniversitySan Diego, CA
RankCollegeLocation
116Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
117Hampton UniversityHampton, VA
118University of Colorado at Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, CO
119South University, TampaTampa, FL
119University of New Hampshire - Main CampusDurham, NH
121North Dakota State University - Main CampusFargo, ND
122Stockton UniversityGalloway, NJ
123University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences CenterOklahoma City, OK
124Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
125Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA
126Duquesne UniversityPittsburgh, PA
127Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA
128Mount Marty UniversityYankton, SD
129Columbia CollegeColumbia, MO
130University of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayette, LA
130West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA
132University of Missouri - Kansas CityKansas City, MO
133Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT
134University of HoustonHouston, TX
135California State University - San MarcosSan Marcos, CA
135Radford UniversityRadford, VA
137The College of Saint ScholasticaDuluth, MN
138Hawaii Pacific UniversityHonolulu, HI
139Texas Woman’s UniversityDenton, TX
140University of California - DavisDavis, CA
RankCollegeLocation
141Helene Fuld College of NursingNew York, NY
142University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
143University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GA
144York College of PennsylvaniaYork, PA
145Chamberlain University - IllinoisAddison, IL
146Chamberlain University - VirginiaArlington, VA
147Duke UniversityDurham, NC
148Alverno CollegeMilwaukee, WI
149University of ToledoToledo, OH
150Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY
151Nazareth CollegeRochester, NY
152Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI
152University of North Carolina at WilmingtonWilmington, NC
154Winona State UniversityWinona, MN
155University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
155Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville, NC
157Boise State UniversityBoise, ID
158Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ
159Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
160Bethel University MinnesotaSaint Paul, MN
160Minnesota State University - MankatoMankato, MN
162Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied HealthOmaha, NE
163Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC
164Mercer UniversityMacon, GA
165Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityWest Palm Beach, FL
RankCollegeLocation
165Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, AL
167University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
168University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY
169Indiana Wesleyan UniversityMarion, IN
170Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LA
171Kent State University at KentKent, OH
172Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester, NH
173University of Akron Main CampusAkron, OH
174The College at BrockportBrockport, NY
175University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL
176University of Maryland - BaltimoreBaltimore, MD
177The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX
177St. John Fisher CollegeRochester, NY
177Clemson UniversityClemson, SC
180University of Wisconsin - Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI
181Towson UniversityTowson, MD
182Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PA
183Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT
184University of DelawareNewark, DE
185University of Saint MaryLeavenworth, KS
186Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan CampusTeaneck, NJ
186Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY
188California University of PennsylvaniaCalifornia, PA
189Saint Ambrose UniversityDavenport, IA
190San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA
RankCollegeLocation
191Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY
192University of St FrancisJoliet, IL
193University of Pittsburgh - BradfordBradford, PA
194Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
194Chamberlain University - NevadaLas Vegas, NV
196University of MaryBismarck, ND
197Chamberlain University - FloridaJacksonville, FL
198University of Missouri - St LouisSaint Louis, MO
199University of St. ThomasHouston, TX
200Bowie State UniversityBowie, MD
201United States UniversitySan Diego, CA
202Saint Martin’s UniversityLacey, WA
203King UniversityBristol, TN
204DePaul UniversityChicago, IL
205University of the Incarnate WordSan Antonio, TX
206Baldwin Wallace UniversityBerea, OH
207Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg, MD
208Stevenson UniversityStevenson, MD
209Loyola University New OrleansNew Orleans, LA
210Franciscan University of SteubenvilleSteubenville, OH
211The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
212University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI
213Viterbo UniversityLa Crosse, WI
214University of Massachusetts - LowellLowell, MA
215Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
RankCollegeLocation
216DeSales UniversityCenter Valley, PA
217University of Mary Hardin - BaylorBelton, TX
218Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, TX
219Santa Fe CollegeGainesville, FL
220San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
221D’Youville CollegeBuffalo, NY
222Messiah UniversityMechanicsburg, PA
223Otterbein UniversityWesterville, OH
224Mount St. Joseph UniversityCincinnati, OH
225Auburn University at MontgomeryMontgomery, AL
226University of California - San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
227New York Institute of TechnologyOld Westbury, NY
228Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ
229Delaware State UniversityDover, DE
230Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
231Samuel Merritt UniversityOakland, CA
232Spring Arbor UniversitySpring Arbor, MI
233Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
234University of MemphisMemphis, TN
235Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TN
236The University of Tennessee - Health Science CenterMemphis, TN
237Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityTallahassee, FL
237Nova Southeastern UniversityFort Lauderdale, FL
239California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
240University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock, AR
RankCollegeLocation
240Northwestern State University of LouisianaNatchitoches, LA
240Daemen CollegeAmherst, NY
243Hofstra UniversityHempstead, NY
244Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY
245St. Joseph’s College - New YorkBrooklyn, NY
245Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX
247Wright State University - Main CampusDayton, OH
248University of WyomingLaramie, WY
248Upstate Medical UniversitySyracuse, NY
250Regis UniversityDenver, CO
251Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV
252Texas A & M University - Central TexasKilleen, TX
253La Salle UniversityPhiladelphia, PA
254Goodwin CollegeEast Hartford, CT
255Excelsior CollegeAlbany, NY
255The University of TampaTampa, FL

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References

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