2026 Best Registered Nursing Schools in District of Columbia
Registered Nursing is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their registered nursing programs.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best registered nursing schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Registered Nursing in District of Columbia
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the registered nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Registered Nursing
Leading the list is Georgetown University, our #1 school for registered nursing. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. Roughly 95% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 328 registered nursing degrees were awarded at Georgetown University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, registered nursing degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $131,652. Typical student debt for the program is $17,417.
Read more about the registered nursing program at Georgetown University
George Washington University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in registered nursing, landing the #2 spot this year. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. About 84% of students finish within six years. About 208 registered nursing degrees were awarded at George Washington University in the most recent year. Students who receive their registered nursing degree from George Washington University earn around $107,851 in the first couple years of their career. George Washington University graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans.
Read more about the registered nursing program at George Washington University
Howard University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in registered nursing, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. Howard University graduates 70% of students within six years. Howard University awarded about 74 registered nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the registered nursing program make about $79,646 in their early career. Howard University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full registered nursing program report for Howard University
Catholic University Of America came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best registered nursing schools. Set in the city of Washington, Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 80% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 81 registered nursing students who graduated with this degree at Catholic University Of America in the most recent data year. Graduates of the registered nursing program make about $108,768 in their early career. Catholic University Of America graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full registered nursing program report for Catholic University Of America
Trinity Washington University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best registered nursing schools. Trinity Washington University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The six-year graduation rate is 49%. There were roughly 46 registered nursing students who graduated with this degree at Trinity Washington University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the registered nursing program make about $79,349 in their early career. Trinity Washington University graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in registered nursing from Trinity Washington University
Saint Michael College Of Allied Health landed the #6 spot for registered nursing this year. Saint Michael College Of Allied Health is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Washington. About 18 registered nursing degrees were awarded at Saint Michael College Of Allied Health in the most recent year. Graduates of the registered nursing program make about $74,782 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,260.
Read more about the registered nursing program at Saint Michael College Of Allied Health
More Registered Nursing Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 7 schools evaluated.
- 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.