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2024 Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region

502 Colleges in the Southeast Region
77,470 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$67,632 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in nursing, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #3 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 502 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 77,470 degrees in nursing during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Nursing School

Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region Your choice of nursing school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. We derive our Best Overall Nursing School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Nursing Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Nursing
Bachelor's Degrees in Nursing
Master's Degrees in Nursing
Doctor's Degrees in Nursing

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.


 

Best Schools for Nursing in the Southeast Region

The schools below may not offer all types of nursing degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Southeast Region Schools in Nursing

1
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
424 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$113,428 Median Starting Salary

Vanderbilt University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in nursing. Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Nashville. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were about 424 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from Vanderbilt University earn $45,796 more than the typical nursing grad.

More information about a degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
573 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$98,214 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat Duke University if you wish to pursue a degree in nursing. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 573 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year. Nursing degree recipients from Duke University receive an earnings boost of about $30,582 over the average earnings of nursing graduates.

More information about a degree in nursing from Duke University

3
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
571 Nursing Degrees Awarded
5.3% Growth in Graduates

It's hard to beat Emory University if you wish to pursue a degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Emory is a great university overall.

There were approximately 571 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent year we have data available. Nursing degree recipients from Emory University get an earnings boost of about $30,078 above the average earnings of nursing majors.

More information about a degree in nursing from Emory University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
292 Nursing Degrees Awarded
11.3% Growth in Graduates

University of Virginia - Main Campus is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in nursing. University of Virginia is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Charlottesville. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were about 292 nursing students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the nursing program at University of Virginia - Main Campus earn $19,131 more than the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of Virginia - Main Campus

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
913 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$102,110 Median Starting Salary

Located in the rural area of Versailles, Frontier Nursing University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

There were about 913 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Frontier Nursing University in the most recent data year. Those nursing students who get their degree from Frontier Nursing University receive $34,478 more than the standard nursing grad.

More information about a degree in nursing from Frontier Nursing University

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
94 Nursing Degrees Awarded
26.6% Growth in Graduates

MTSA is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Madison.

There were approximately 94 nursing students who graduated with this degree at MTSA in the most recent data year. Nursing degree recipients from Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Inc receive an earnings boost of about $106,718 above the typical income of nursing graduates.

More information about a degree in nursing from Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Inc

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
130 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$82,743 Median Starting Salary

UTHSC is a small public university located in the city of Memphis.

There were approximately 130 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UTHSC in the most recent data year. Those nursing students who get their degree from The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center make $15,111 more than the typical nursing graduate.

More information about a degree in nursing from The University of Tennessee - Health Science Center

8
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
520 Nursing Degrees Awarded
14.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #91 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means U Miami is a great university overall.

There were roughly 520 nursing students who graduated with this degree at U Miami in the most recent data year. Those nursing students who get their degree from University of Miami earn $25,628 more than the average nursing student.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of Miami

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,193 Nursing Degrees Awarded
11.7% Growth in Graduates

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Fort Lauderdale. This university ranks 5th out of 77 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 1193 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the nursing program make an average of $67,825 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in nursing from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale

10
Samford crest
Samford University
Birmingham, AL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
278 Nursing Degrees Awarded
20.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Birmingham, Samford is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 4th out of 40 schools for overall quality in the state of Alabama.

There were roughly 278 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Samford in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from Samford University make $10,094 more than the typical nursing grad.

More information about a degree in nursing from Samford University

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
296 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$101,930 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Charleston, MUSC is a public university with a small student population.

There were roughly 296 nursing students who graduated with this degree at MUSC in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the nursing degree program at Medical University of South Carolina earn $34,298 more than the average college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in nursing from Medical University of South Carolina

12
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
294 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$79,362 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #58 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UF is a great university overall.

There were roughly 294 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent data year. Those nursing students who get their degree from University of Florida earn $11,730 more than the average nursing grad.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of Florida

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
209 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$82,395 Median Starting Salary

UNC Chapel Hill is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #43 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were approximately 209 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent data year. Those nursing students who get their degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill make $14,764 more than the typical nursing grad.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
471 Nursing Degrees Awarded
$97,174 Median Starting Salary

UofSC is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #152 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UofSC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 471 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UofSC in the most recent year we have data available. Nursing degree recipients from University of South Carolina - Columbia receive an earnings boost of around $29,542 above the typical income of nursing graduates.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of South Carolina - Columbia

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,151 Nursing Degrees Awarded
2.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Birmingham, UAB is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Alabama.

There were roughly 1151 nursing students who graduated with this degree at UAB in the most recent data year. Nursing degree recipients from University of Alabama at Birmingham receive an earnings boost of about $20,103 above the typical income of nursing graduates.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of Alabama at Birmingham

16
Miami Regional University crest
Miami Regional University
Miami Springs, FL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
713 Nursing Degrees Awarded
1.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Miami Springs, Miami Regional University is a private for-profit university with a fairly small student population.

There were approximately 713 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Miami Regional University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, nursing degree recipients usually earn around $65,193 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in nursing from Miami Regional University

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
325 Nursing Degrees Awarded
2.5% Growth in Graduates

LSU Health - New Orleans is a small public university located in the city of New Orleans.

There were about 325 nursing students who graduated with this degree at LSU Health - New Orleans in the most recent data year. Those nursing students who get their degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans make $44,010 more than the average nursing student.

More information about a degree in nursing from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
377 Nursing Degrees Awarded
1.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Richmond, VCU is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were roughly 377 nursing students who graduated with this degree at VCU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the nursing program at Virginia Commonwealth University get $39,258 above the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University

19
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,443 Nursing Degrees Awarded
19.8% Growth in Graduates

Rasmussen University - Florida is a medium-sized private for-profit university located in the city of Ocala. This university ranks 9th out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 1443 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Rasmussen University - Florida in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the nursing program make around $62,297 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in nursing from Rasmussen University - Florida

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
503 Nursing Degrees Awarded
2.0% Growth in Graduates

FIU is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Miami. This university ranks 6th out of 77 colleges for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 503 nursing students who graduated with this degree at FIU in the most recent year we have data available. Nursing degree recipients from Florida International University get an earnings boost of approximately $14,702 above the average earnings of nursing majors.

More information about a degree in nursing from Florida International University

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
382 Nursing Degrees Awarded
3.9% Growth in Graduates

Ole Miss is a very large public university located in the remote town of University. This university ranks 2nd out of 26 colleges for overall quality in the state of Mississippi.

There were roughly 382 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Ole Miss in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from University of Mississippi earn $2,901 more than the typical nursing grad.

More information about a degree in nursing from University of Mississippi

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
229 Nursing Degrees Awarded
0.9% Growth in Graduates

Southern Adventist is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Collegedale. This university ranks 5th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were roughly 229 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Southern Adventist in the most recent data year. After graduating, nursing degree recipients generally earn about $65,727 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in nursing from Southern Adventist University

23
ECPI University crest
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
780 Nursing Degrees Awarded
13.6% Growth in Graduates

ECPI University is a large private for-profit university located in the city of Virginia Beach. This university ranks 10th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were about 780 nursing students who graduated with this degree at ECPI University in the most recent data year. After graduation, nursing degree recipients usually make an average of $60,933 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in nursing from ECPI University

24
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
34 Nursing Degrees Awarded
29.4% Growth in Graduates

Wake Forest University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Winston-Salem. A Best Colleges rank of #128 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Wake Forest University is a great university overall.

There were about 34 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Wake Forest University in the most recent year we have data available. Those nursing students who get their degree from Wake Forest University earn $101,798 more than the average nursing student.

More information about a degree in nursing from Wake Forest University

25
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
887 Nursing Degrees Awarded
0.9% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Louisville, Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

There were approximately 887 nursing students who graduated with this degree at Galen College of Nursing - Louisville in the most recent data year. After graduating, nursing degree recipients generally earn an average of $62,842 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in nursing from Galen College of Nursing - Louisville

Rest of the Top 50 Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region

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28
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
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30
NUS Florida crest
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL
31
BC crest
Broward College
Fort Lauderdale, FL
32

33
Union crest
Union University
Jackson, TN

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35
36
37
38
Shenandoah crest
Shenandoah University
Winchester, VA
39
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
40
Augusta University crest
Augusta University
Augusta, GA
41

42

43
44
45
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
46
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
47
48
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50

 

Remaining Award Winners

This section shows the rest of the colleges awarded a Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 502 different Southeast nursing schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
52 Valencia College Orlando, FL
53 Auburn University Auburn, AL
54 Marymount University Arlington, VA
55 Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL
56 Anderson University South Carolina Anderson, SC
57 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
58 Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS
59 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
60 Barry University Miami, FL
61 Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA
62 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
63 Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord, NC
64 AdventHealth University Orlando, FL
65 Marshall University Huntington, WV
66 Radford University Radford, VA
67 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA
68 Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA
69 Delgado Community College New Orleans, LA
70 Bellarmine University Louisville, KY
71 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
72 Belmont University Nashville, TN
73 Herzing University - Birmingham Birmingham, AL
74 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
75 South University’s online programs Savannah, GA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Nursing Schools in the Southeast Region award.

Rank College Location
76 Georgia State University Atlanta, GA
77 Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL
78 Herzing University - Winter Park Winter Park, FL
79 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA
80 King University Bristol, TN
81 Gardner - Webb University Boiling Springs, NC
82 Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FL
83 Trident Technical College Charleston, SC
84 Hillsborough Community College Tampa, FL
85 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN
86 Carolinas College of Health Sciences Charlotte, NC
87 Harding University Searcy, AR
88 Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY
89 The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN
90 West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV
91 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
92 Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY
93 Florida SouthWestern State College Fort Myers, FL
94 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
95 Chamberlain University - North Carolina Charlotte, NC
96 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
97 South College Knoxville, TN
98 Pensacola State College Pensacola, FL
99 University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL
100 Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC

Best Nursing Colleges by State

Explore the best nursing colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 7,016
Florida 282 21,034
North Carolina 279 7,329
Virginia 274 6,630
Tennessee 269 5,906
South Carolina 248 3,276
Kentucky 244 6,143
Louisiana 242 3,416
Mississippi 234 2,801
Arkansas 234 2,878
Alabama 233 7,210
West Virginia 207 1,768

View All Rankings >

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

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 67,149
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 3,286
Nursing Practice 2,407
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 789
Nursing Administration 769
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 583
Nurse Anesthetist 554
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 485
Nursing Science 395
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 340

View All Nursing Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Health & Medical Administrative Services 28,266
Allied Health Professions 26,607
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 22,141
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 20,908
Public Health 9,543
Health Sciences & Services 9,114
Medicine 6,910
Dental Support Services 6,847
Mental & Social Health Services 6,611
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions 5,783

View All Nursing Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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