2025 Best Registered Nursing Associate Degree Schools

Ranked #3 in popularity, registered nursing is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual reviewed 943 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of registered nursing. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 81,666 associate degrees in registered nursing during the <nil> academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Associate Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Registered Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

The registered nursing associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to registered nursing students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of registered nursing students who choose to seek a associate degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized registered nursing related body.

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

The registered 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 the Best Registered Nursing Associate Degree Schools.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Registered Nursing in the United States

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for registered nursing students seeking a an associate degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools for an Associate in Registered Nursing

1

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

507 Annual Graduates

Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in registered nursing. Located in the midsize city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale

2

Rasmussen University - Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN

Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

711 Annual Graduates

Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a good choice for individuals interested in an associate degree in registered nursing. Located in the city of St. Cloud, Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a private for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Rasmussen University - Minnesota

3

Galen College of Nursing - Louisville
Louisville, KY

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

327 Annual Graduates

Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is a good choice for individuals interested in an associate degree in registered nursing. Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is a small private for-profit college located in the city of Louisville.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Galen College of Nursing - Louisville

4

Valencia College
Orlando, FL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

437 Annual Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in registered nursing needs to check out Valencia College. Valencia College is a fairly large public college located in the city of Orlando.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Valencia College

5

Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences
Lancaster, PA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

234 Annual Graduates

PA College is a small private not-for-profit college located in the rural area of Lancaster.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences

6

Southern Regional Technical College
Thomasville, GA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

108 Annual Graduates

Southwest Georgia Technical College is a medium-sized public college located in the distant town of Thomasville.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Southern Regional Technical College

7

Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

38 Annual Graduates

MSMU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Mount Saint Mary’s University

8

Rasmussen University - Florida
Ocala, FL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

1,113 Annual Graduates

Located in the small city of Ocala, Rasmussen University - Florida is a private for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Rasmussen University - Florida

9

Broward College
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

413 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Fort Lauderdale, BC is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Broward College

10

Modesto Junior College
Modesto, CA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

82 Annual Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Modesto, MJC is a public college with a large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Modesto Junior College

11

Merced College
Merced, CA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

54 Annual Graduates

Merced Community College District is a fairly large public college located in the small city of Merced.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Merced College

12

Carrington College, Sacramento
Sacramento, CA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

93 Annual Graduates

Carrington College, Sacramento is a small private for-profit college located in the suburb of Sacramento.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Carrington College, Sacramento

13

ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

678 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Virginia Beach, ECPI University is a private for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from ECPI University

14

Eastern Arizona College
Thatcher, AZ

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

59 Annual Graduates

Located in the town of Thatcher, Eastern Arizona College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Eastern Arizona College

15

South Texas College
McAllen, TX

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

190 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of McAllen, South Texas College is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from South Texas College

16

El Centro College
Dallas, TX

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

336 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from El Centro College

17

Rasmussen University - Illinois
Rockford, IL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

770 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Rockford, Rasmussen University - Illinois is a private for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Rasmussen University - Illinois

18

Miami Dade College
Miami, FL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

664 Annual Graduates

MDC is a fairly large public college located in the city of Miami.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Miami Dade College

19

Tarrant County College District
Fort Worth, TX

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

344 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County College is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Tarrant County College District

20

Capital Community College
Hartford, CT

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

471 Annual Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Hartford, Capital Community College is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Capital Community College

21

Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, CT

Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

69 Annual Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Fairfield, Sacred Heart is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Sacred Heart University

22

SUNY Westchester Community College
Valhalla, NY

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

49 Annual Graduates

SUNY Westchester Community College is a moderately-sized public college located in the suburb of Valhalla.More information about a associate in registered nursing from SUNY Westchester Community College

23

North Florida College
Madison, FL

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

40 Annual Graduates

Located in the rural area of Madison, NFC is a public college with a small student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from North Florida College

24

College of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas, NV

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

170 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Las Vegas, CSN is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from College of Southern Nevada

25

Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Rosa, CA

Associate Degree Highest Degree Type

100 Annual Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Santa Rosa, SRJC is a public college with a large student population.More information about a associate in registered nursing from Santa Rosa Junior College

Rest of the Top 50 Best Registered Nursing Associate Degree Schools

26

Riverside City College
Riverside, CA

27

Pacific College
Costa Mesa, CA

28

City College of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

29

College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, NY

30

Delaware Technical Community College - Terry
Dover, DE

31

Gateway Technical College
Kenosha, WI

32

Weber State University
Ogden, UT

33

Nassau Community College
Garden City, NY

34

AmeriTech College - Draper
Draper, UT

35

Harrisburg Area Community College
Harrisburg, PA

36

Madison Area Technical College
Madison, WI

37

Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN

38

Southwestern College
Chula Vista, CA

39

Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL

40

Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA

41

Rasmussen University - North Dakota
Fargo, ND

42

Seminole State College of Florida
Sanford, FL

43

Delaware County Community College
Media, PA

44

Southern Adventist University
Collegedale, TN

45

Community College of Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD

46

Southside Virginia Community College
Alberta, VA

47

GateWay Community College
Phoenix, AZ

48

Hillsborough Community College
Tampa, FL

49

Wallace Community College, Dothan
Dothan, AL

50

Regis College
Weston, MA

Additional Award Winners

This section represents the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Registered Nursing Associate Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 20% of the 943 different United States registered nursing schools we analyzed.

Rank	College	Location
51	Florida State College at Jacksonville	Jacksonville, FL
52	Chippewa Valley Technical College	Eau Claire, WI
53	Suffolk County Community College	Selden, NY
54	Lone Star College System	The Woodlands, TX
55	Union County College	Cranford, NJ
56	Butte College	Oroville, CA
57	Quinsigamond Community College	Worcester, MA
58	SOWELA Technical Community College	Lake Charles, LA
59	Central New Mexico Community College	Albuquerque, NM
60	Helene Fuld College of Nursing	New York, NY
61	Austin Community College District	Austin, TX
62	St Petersburg College	St. Petersburg, FL
63	Baltimore City Community College	Baltimore, MD
64	San Jacinto Community College	Pasadena, TX
65	Mt. San Jacinto College	San Jacinto, CA
66	Athens Technical College	Athens, GA
67	Shoreline Community College	Shoreline, WA
68	Rasmussen University - Wisconsin	Green Bay, WI
69	Laboure College	Milton, MA
70	Sampson Community College	Clinton, NC
71	Yuba College	Marysville, CA
72	Lanier Technical College	Gainesville, GA
73	Seattle Central College	Seattle, WA
74	Western Technical College	La Crosse, WI
75	Purdue University Global	West Lafayette, IN
76	Eastern Florida State College	Melbourne, FL
77	Santa Fe College	Gainesville, FL
78	Monroe College	Bronx, NY
79	Milwaukee Area Technical College	Milwaukee, WI
80	Herzing University - Birmingham	Birmingham, AL
81	Community College of Philadelphia	Philadelphia, PA
82	Herzing University - Akron	Akron, OH
83	Essex County College	Newark, NJ
84	Bryant & Stratton College - Virginia Beach	Virginia Beach, VA
85	San Joaquin Delta College	Stockton, CA
86	Community College of Allegheny County	Pittsburgh, PA
87	Goodwin College	East Hartford, CT
88	Borough of Manhattan Community College	New York, NY
89	Bryant & Stratton College - Wauwatosa	Wauwatosa, WI
90	Bergen Community College	Paramus, NJ
91	New England Institute of Technology	East Greenwich, RI
92	Santa Barbara City College	Santa Barbara, CA
93	College of the Canyons	Santa Clarita, CA
94	Pasco-Hernando State College	New Port Richey, FL
95	Gadsden State Community College	Gadsden, AL
96	Lurleen B Wallace Community College	Andalusia, AL
97	Daytona State College	Daytona Beach, FL
98	Gwinnett Technical College	Lawrenceville, GA
99	Del Mar College	Corpus Christi, TX
100	Chattahoochee Technical College	Marietta, GA
101	Herzing University - Winter Park	Winter Park, FL
102	Virginia Highlands Community College	Abingdon, VA
103	Florida SouthWestern State College	Fort Myers, FL
104	Northeast Wisconsin Technical College	Green Bay, WI
105	San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario	Ontario, CA
106	University of Hawaii Maui College	Kahului, HI
107	Western Kentucky University	Bowling Green, KY
108	Pueblo Community College	Pueblo, CO
109	Arkansas State University - Main Campus	Jonesboro, AR
110	Rappahannock Community College	Glenns, VA
111	Excelsior University	Albany, NY
112	Mercy College of Ohio	Toledo, OH
113	Kapiolani Community College	Honolulu, HI
114	Lake Washington Institute of Technology	Kirkland, WA
115	Rochester Community and Technical College	Rochester, MN
116	Northland Pioneer College	Holbrook, AZ
117	Fresno City College	Fresno, CA
118	Bishop State Community College	Mobile, AL
119	Marshall University	Huntington, WV
120	Mountain Empire Community College	Big Stone Gap, VA
121	Delgado Community College	New Orleans, LA
122	Shelton State Community College	Tuscaloosa, AL
123	Ocean County College	Toms River, NJ
124	Angelina College	Lufkin, TX
125	Lincoln Memorial University	Harrogate, TN
126	Pensacola State College	Pensacola, FL
127	San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia	Visalia, CA
128	Oklahoma City Community College	Oklahoma City, OK
129	Cuyahoga Community College District	Cleveland, OH
130	Vermont Technical College	Randolph, VT
131	Sacramento City College	Sacramento, CA
132	Richmond Community College	Hamlet, NC
133	Mohave Community College	Kingman, AZ
134	Mesa Community College	Mesa, AZ
135	Victor Valley College	Victorville, CA
136	Glendale Community College	Glendale, AZ
137	College of the Desert	Palm Desert, CA
138	Bevill State Community College	Jasper, AL
139	Sinclair Community College	Dayton, OH
140	Houston Community College	Houston, TX
141	Trocaire College	Buffalo, NY
142	Rockland Community College	Suffern, NY
143	Harcum College	Bryn Mawr, PA
144	Weatherford College	Weatherford, TX
145	Lawson State Community College - Birmingham Campus	Birmingham, AL
146	Brookdale Community College	Lincroft, NJ
147	Mount Wachusett Community College	Gardner, MA
148	Wake Technical Community College	Raleigh, NC
149	Moorpark College	Moorpark, CA
150	Albany State University	Albany, GA
151	Wallace Community College, Selma	Selma, AL
152	Walla Walla Community College	Walla Walla, WA
153	Gaston College	Dallas, NC
154	Denver College of Nursing	Denver, CO
155	Coastal Pines Technical College	Waycross, GA
156	Arkansas Northeastern College	Blytheville, AR
157	Raritan Valley Community College	Branchburg, NJ
158	Mississippi Delta Community College	Moorhead, MS
159	College of Central Florida	Ocala, FL
160	Pima Community College	Tucson, AZ
161	Orange County Community College	Middletown, NY
162	Ventura College	Ventura, CA
163	Amarillo College	Amarillo, TX
164	Henry Ford College	Dearborn, MI
165	Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College	Rice Lake, WI
166	Grossmont College	El Cajon, CA
167	San Antonio College	San Antonio, TX
168	Queensborough Community College	Bayside, NY
169	College of San Mateo	San Mateo, CA
170	Lansing Community College	Lansing, MI
171	Rivier University	Nashua, NH
172	Howard Community College	Columbia, MD
173	Allegany College of Maryland	Cumberland, MD
174	University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne	Fort Wayne, IN
175	Montgomery College	Rockville, MD
176	Temple College	Temple, TX
177	Prince George’s Community College	Largo, MD
178	Columbus Technical College	Columbus, GA
179	Lehigh Carbon Community College	Schnecksville, PA
180	Wenatchee Valley College	Wenatchee, WA
181	Lower Columbia College	Longview, WA
182	Blackhawk Technical College	Janesville, WI
183	Indian River State College	Fort Pierce, FL
184	Cincinnati State Technical and Community College	Cincinnati, OH
185	Maria College of Albany	Albany, NY
186	Rio Hondo College	Whittier, CA
187	Cabarrus College of Health Sciences	Concord, NC
188	Good Samaritan College of Nursing & Health Science	Cincinnati, OH

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Registered Nursing students that almost earned our Best Registered Nursing Associate Degree Schools award.

Rank	College	Location
189	LaGuardia Community College	Long Island City, NY
190	Minneapolis Community and Technical College	Minneapolis, MN
191	Evergreen Valley College	San Jose, CA
192	College of the Sequoias	Visalia, CA
193	Eastern International College - Jersey City	Jersey City, NJ
194	Greenville Technical College	Greenville, SC
195	Fox Valley Technical College	Appleton, WI
196	Anne Arundel Community College	Arnold, MD
197	Front Range Community College	Westminster, CO
198	Saddleback College	Mission Viejo, CA
199	Neosho County Community College	Chanute, KS
200	Santa Ana College	Santa Ana, CA
201	Community College of Rhode Island	Warwick, RI
202	North Idaho College	Coeur d’Alene, ID
203	Southwest Mississippi Community College	Summit, MS
204	Jackson State Community College	Jackson, TN
205	South Florida State College	Avon Park, FL
206	New York City College of Technology	Brooklyn, NY
207	Central Ohio Technical College	Newark, OH
208	Golden West College	Huntington Beach, CA
209	Florida National University - Main Campus	Hialeah, FL
210	Bellevue College	Bellevue, WA
211	Everett Community College	Everett, WA
212	Highline College	Des Moines, WA
213	County College of Morris	Randolph, NJ
214	Northern Virginia Community College	Annandale, VA
215	North Shore Community College	Danvers, MA
216	Pasadena City College	Pasadena, CA
217	Gardner - Webb University	Boiling Springs, NC
218	Northcentral Technical College	Wausau, WI
219	Mt. San Antonio College	Walnut, CA
220	Gulf Coast State College	Panama City, FL
221	Miami Regional University	Miami Springs, FL
222	Texas State Technical College	Waco, TX
223	Cuesta College	San Luis Obispo, CA
224	University of Rio Grande	Rio Grande, OH
225	Patrick Henry Community College	Martinsville, VA
226	Allan Hancock College	Santa Maria, CA
227	Grayson College	Denison, TX
228	Cerritos College	Norwalk, CA
229	Central Texas College	Killeen, TX
230	Wallace State Community College, Hanceville	Hanceville, AL
231	Tacoma Community College	Tacoma, WA
232	Phoenix College	Phoenix, AZ
233	College of Lake County	Grayslake, IL
234	Northland Community and Technical College	Thief River Falls, MN
235	Carolinas College of Health Sciences	Charlotte, NC
236	Owens Community College	Perrysburg, OH
237	Portland Community College	Portland, OR
238	Southwest Tennessee Community College	Memphis, TN
239	Brunswick Community College	Bolivia, NC
240	Tulsa Community College	Tulsa, OK
241	Lincoln Land Community College	Springfield, IL
242	Shasta College	Redding, CA
243	Los Angeles Harbor College	Wilmington, CA
244	American River College	Sacramento, CA
245	Elgin Community College	Elgin, IL
246	Des Moines Area Community College	Ankeny, IA
247	Western Nevada College	Carson City, NV
248	Butler Community College	El Dorado, KS
249	Springfield Technical Community College	Springfield, MA
250	Century College	White Bear Lake, MN
251	Schoolcraft College	Livonia, MI
252	Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College	Tifton, GA
253	Tallahassee Community College	Tallahassee, FL
254	West Georgia Technical College	Waco, GA
255	Augusta Technical College	Augusta, GA
256	Moraine Park Technical College	Fond du Lac, WI
256	Trinidad State Junior College	Trinidad, CO
258	Chabot College	Hayward, CA
259	Yavapai College	Prescott, AZ
260	Salem Community College	Carneys Point, NJ
261	William Rainey Harper College	Palatine, IL
262	Mercer County Community College	West Windsor, NJ
263	SUNY Delhi	Delhi, NY
264	John C Calhoun State Community College	Tanner, AL
265	Clark College	Vancouver, WA
266	River Valley Community College	Claremont, NH
267	Clark State Community College	Springfield, OH
268	Horry-Georgetown Technical College	Conway, SC
269	Northwest Technical College	Bemidji, MN
270	Alvin Community College	Alvin, TX
271	Mississippi University for Women	Columbus, MS
272	Murray State College	Tishomingo, OK
273	Hagerstown Community College	Hagerstown, MD
274	Louisiana Tech University	Ruston, LA
275	Collin County Community College District	McKinney, TX
276	Bryant & Stratton College - Parma	Parma, OH
277	Polk State College	Winter Haven, FL
278	Illinois Central College	East Peoria, IL
279	University of Arkansas at Little Rock	Little Rock, AR
280	Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health	Los Angeles, CA
281	North Central State College	Mansfield, OH
282	Santa Monica College	Santa Monica, CA
283	Paris Junior College	Paris, TX
284	Anoka-Ramsey Community College	Coon Rapids, MN
285	Lake Area Technical Institute	Watertown, SD
286	Kingsborough Community College	Brooklyn, NY
287	Ridgewater College	Willmar, MN
288	Pennsylvania College of Technology	Williamsport, PA
289	Hudson Valley Community College	Troy, NY
290	Southeast Technical College	Sioux Falls, SD
291	Meridian Community College	Meridian, MS
292	Vincennes University	Vincennes, IN
293	North Hennepin Community College	Brooklyn Park, MN
294	Spokane Community College	Spokane, WA
295	Sullivan University	Louisville, KY
296	Idaho State University	Pocatello, ID
297	Saint Johns River State College	Palatka, FL
298	Bunker Hill Community College	Boston, MA
299	Los Angeles City College	Los Angeles, CA
300	Salt Lake Community College	Salt Lake City, UT
301	Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College	Perkinston, MS
302	Harford Community College	Bel Air, MD
303	Marion Technical College	Marion, OH
304	Montgomery County Community College	Blue Bell, PA
305	Wor-Wic Community College	Salisbury, MD
306	McLennan Community College	Waco, TX
307	Passaic County Community College	Paterson, NJ
308	Florida Gateway College	Lake City, FL
309	Lee College	Baytown, TX
310	Mission College	Santa Clara, CA
311	Southern Crescent Technical College	Griffin, GA
312	Atlantic Cape Community College	Mays Landing, NJ
313	Delta College	University Center, MI
314	Olympic College	Bremerton, WA

Registered Nursing by Region

View the Best Registered Nursing Associate Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Registered Nursing

Registered Nursing is one of 23 different types of Nursing programs to choose from.

Most Popular Majors Related to Registered Nursing

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Nursing Science	836
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	236
Nursing Practice	161
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing	68

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle. More about our data sources and methodologies.