20 Best Nursing Schools in New York – 2024 Rankings

Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

In 2017, New York passed a law that requires all nurses to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing within 10 years of receiving their initial RN license. (Currently licensed nurses are exempt from this requirement and will be grandfathered into the system at their existing level of education.) Nurse retainment is a big problem in the Empire State; New York nurses have strong unions, which have lobbied successfully for the creation of additional nursing positions that will lower hospital patient-to-nurse staffing levels. Presently, New York is looking at approximately 37,000 nursing vacancies; most of these vacancies are in primary care. Graduates of accredited nursing schools in New York are so sought after that recruiters in New York City are offering perks like apartments and performance bonuses to attract them.

RECOMMENDED ONLINE NURSING SCHOOLS

WHAT ARE THE BEST ACCREDITED NURSING SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK FOR BSN PROGRAMS?

(After closely assessing all nursing schools approved by the New York State Board of Nursing, based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the best accredited nursing schools in New York offering BSN programs.)

1. University of Rochester, Rochester

About University of Rochester School of Nursing: The School of Nursing at the University of Rochester prepares students for health care leadership roles both in professional practice and in research. The School was founded in 1925, making it one of the first nursing education programs offered under the auspices of a major American university. Today, “U.S. News and World Reports” consistently ranks the School among the top nursing degrees in NY. The School is also widely recognized for the effort it puts into recruiting a diverse student body that seeks to include individuals from many backgrounds that have been largely underrepresented in the traditional nursing workforce.

Students spend most of their time in the Helen Wood Hall, which is right across the way from Strong Memorial Hospital and the University of Rochester Medical Center. In addition to classrooms, and faculty and administrative offices, this building boasts a simulated hospital environment where students get to learn and practice the clinical skills that are so essential to a successful nursing career. Students have the chance to perfect their skills at the nursing school’s School-Based Health Centers, which provide comprehensive health services to Rochester schoolchildren in grades 6 through 12, as well as at acute care hospitals and community clinics throughout the region.

Financial Aid: The Financial Aid office works one-on-one with every student admitted into its nursing programs to secure grants, scholarships and other types of support that will minimize student debt upon graduation. The school offers a number of merit scholarships as well as grants for University of Rochester Medical Center employees. Students may also be eligible for federal and state grants upon completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

2. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook

About Stony Brook School of Nursing: Are you passionate about health justice? The School of Nursing at the State University of New York at Stony Brook is known for its activism in the field of social welfare. As one of six professional schools associated with the university’s Health Sciences Center, the School’s high-quality nursing education programs are designed to train aspiring nurses to take the lead in health issues that impact both the local community and the world beyond. The nursing school is located on the East Campus, close to the Stony Brook Cancer Center and Ambulatory Surgery Center, the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital, which is Suffolk County’s only Level 1 Trauma Center.

Students acquire patient skills in a state-of-the-art simulation environment, and they must pass performance tests before they are allowed to participate in hospital and community health center practicums. To keep up with the dynamic pace at which new course materials are presented, every student is encouraged to have access to his or her own personal computer.

Financial Aid: Stony Brook’s nursing school is the recipient of a $2.3-million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services that’s allocated toward need-based scholarships. Additionally, the university offers a number of merit-based scholarships for which nursing students are eligible. Students can also apply for grants and loans by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

3. St John Fisher College, Rochester

About Wegmans School of Nursing: In 1943, three colleges in New York’s Finger Lakes district banded together to offer nursing training for prospective members of the Army Cadet Nurse Corps. That program was the genesis of the nursing education now offered by the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher College. Though today St. John Fisher is an independent college, its nursing school still reflects the educational philosophy of its founding Basilian Fathers: “Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge.”

The School is located in a 41,000-square-foot facility that contains classrooms, video-conferencing-equipped seminar rooms and computer labs. The facility’s showpiece is the 10,400-square-foot Glover-Crask Simulation Center, which contains practice hospital rooms with simulated obstetrics and pediatric units. The School’s Learning Resource Center is another innovative laboratory designed to aid students in improving nursing skills. Students go on to clinical rotations at hospitals, community clinics, elementary schools and other health care providers throughout Rochester and the Finger Lakes district.

Financial Aid: All first-time college students entering St. John Fisher College are automatically considered for merit scholarships. Additionally, scholarships are available for transfer students so long as they have maintained grade point averages of 2.75 or higher at the institution they previously attended. The Nursing School also sponsors a one-time White Coat Award that can be applied toward tuition the first year a student begins the nursing curriculum. Pell Grants, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants and TEACH Grants may be available, too, upon completion of the FAFSA form.

4. New York University, New York

About NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing: If you’re looking for a nursing school in NY that can help you become a high achiever, Rory Meyers College of Nursing at New York University may well be it. Nursing graduates of this private research university hold leadership positions throughout the nursing profession and make the highest median salaries of all undergraduates who matriculate from NYU. The School is a respected research institution, ranked #11 in funding by the National Institutes of Health; its Global Initiatives team studies nursing practice and outcomes in locations like Ecuador, Rwanda, Tanzania and Lithuania. The School even has its own publication: “NYU Nursing Magazine.”

The College’s nursing education programs regularly earn high marks from “U.S. New and World Report.” More than 1,000 students attend more than 100 learning session each week at the new, 10,000-square-foot Clinical Simulation Center, which was designed to mirror hospital and outpatient environments that students will encounter frequently once they become practicing nurses. Off-campus clinical rotations take place at acute care hospitals, community health care agencies and extended care nursing facilities throughout the metropolitan New York City area.

Financial Aid: Rory Meyers College of Nursing offers 30 endowed scholarships as well as Global fellowships through the NYU Office of Global Awards. Students must complete both the FAFSA and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE before they can be considered for these types of financial awards. Students may also be eligible for Pell Grants and other types of federal- and state-funded financial aid.

5. Columbia University, New York

About Columbia University School of Nursing: As part of the Columbia University Medical Center, students at Columbia University’s School of Nursing learn side by side with colleagues in the affiliated medical and dentistry colleges. Founded in 1892, the School is home to the oldest midwifery program in the U.S. It was also the first nursing school to be chosen by the United Nations as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborative Center.

The average age of students accepted into the School is 27 and more than half are ethnic or racial minorities. The School’s new, seven-story building features a 16,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art simulation learning laboratory that’s designed to help students acquire clinical skills in a variety of simulated settings that mirror hospital rooms, exam rooms, patient rooms and a high-tech labor and delivery suite. Students will have the opportunity to hone those skills further through clinical rotations at more than 200 sites around New York City, including major medical centers like New York Presbyterian. The nursing school’s ambitious research agenda is funded through grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other prestigious agencies and foundations.

Financial Aid: Ninety percent of students admitted into the School of Nursing in 2017 received some sort of institutional financial assistance in the form of scholarships, grants or both. MDE and MDE/DNP scholarships are both merit-based.; needs-based aid is awarded on the basis of information contained in the FAFSA. Eligible student veterans may also qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program, which is funded conjointly by Columbia University and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

6. SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo

About University at Buffalo School of Nursing: When the School of Nursing at the State University of New York at Buffalo first opened in 1936, it was a tiny division squeezed into the School of Medicine. Since then, the School has grown into a nationally lauded program that “U.S. News and World Report” ranks among the best nursing programs in New York and among the top 20 percent of nursing schools in the U.S. With a relatively small enrollment of 430 students, the School is able to offer aspiring nurses personal attention as well as access to the resources of a large, research-focused university.

The School of Nursing is located on South Campus, which is a cluster of classic, ivy-covered buildings interspersed with cutting-edge research facilities. Students practice basic bedside skills in a high-tech simulation lab before pursuing clinical rotations at Buffalo General Hospital, the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), Millard Fillmore Hospital, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University’s other teaching hospitals. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the University’s innovative Remote Area Medical (RAM) program, which brings free health care services to underinsured and underserved individuals in impoverished areas across the U.S.

Financial Aid: The School of Nursing makes more than $180,000 in scholarships available to nursing students through the Helene Fuld Trust Fellowship. Nursing students may apply for funding through the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program, too. Qualified students may also be eligible for merit-based scholarships through the University itself as well as for needs-based financial support from state and federal sources awarded on the basis of FAFSA submissions.

7. Hunter College, New York

About Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing: As befits a nursing school that’s located in the heart of New York City, the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing at Hunter College focuses on educating nurses who will thrive in urban settings with diverse populations. Clinical rotations take place at the NYU Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital, Manhattan campus of the VA NY Harbor Health Care System and a variety of other healthcare settings throughout NYC after students have perfected their skills in the Nursing Simulation Lab on the Brookdale Campus. The School also sponsors The Nurses Writing Project, which is a unique program designed to teach nurses how to use narrative and story-telling to enrich their professional lives.

The School was formed in 1969 when the Bellevue Hospital diploma program merged with Hunter College’s baccalaureate program. The Bellevue Hospital program was founded in 1873 as the first nurse training program in the U.S. to base its educational offerings on Florence Nightingale’s principles. Hunter-Bellevue also operates the Center for Nursing Research, which aims to help nurse scientists through every stage of the research process from study design to publication.

Financial Aid: The Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing offers a number of institutional scholarships that can be based on merit, need or the declaration of a nursing major. Scholarship eligibility can only be established once a valid FAFSA has been submitted, and additional documentation, including the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) form and the Excelsior Scholarship application, may be required. Additionally, students enrolled at Hunter College may qualify for Pell grants and other types of federal and state support.

8. SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton

About Decker School of Nursing @ Binghamton University: In 2020, the Decker School of Nursing at the State University of New York in Binghamton will be moving to the University’s new 8-acre Health Science Campus. Decker, which has been ranked the 7th best nursing school in New York State by Niche.com, is in the early stages of transforming itself into a college of nursing and related health sciences. Decker is committed to preparing skilled nurse clinicians and leaders who promote health and wellness across diverse communities.

Students learn the basics of bedside care in an innovative Practice Center that’s equipped with manikins and clinical decision-making software; they develop their skills further in two simulated hospital rooms that can be configured as an ER, an ICU, a med/surg ward, or a labor and delivery suite. From there, students pursue a variety of clinical experiences, interacting with patients of all ages and cultural backgrounds, at acute care hospitals, community clinics and other health care settings throughout Binghamton and surrounding communities.

Financial Aid: Twenty-six nursing-specific scholarship opportunities are available to students enrolled at the Decker School of Nursing. Students are also eligible for merit-based and donor-preference scholarships awarded by Binghamton University as well as for need-based aid such as Pell grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants determined by their responses to Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.

9. Adelphi University, Garden City

About Adelphi College of Nursing and Public Health: With day, evening and weekend classes throughout the year, Adelphi University’s College of Nursing and Public Health is designed to meet the needs of aspiring nurses who are looking for a way to integrate their nursing education with the other aspects of their busy lives. The College was founded in 1943 to help train nurses for the U.S. war effort. A new, 100,000-square-foot building is under construction that will include classrooms, seminar rooms and high-tech simulation labs when complete. In the meantime, students have access to CESil Clinical Education and Simulation Lab, which is equipped with a 22-bed lab, seven clinical exam rooms, high-fidelity and low-fidelity manikins, and two classrooms fully set up for web conferencing.

The College believes that experiential learning is the best model for imparting new skills. Nursing students learn by participating in clinical rotations at local hospitals such as Winthrop-University Hospital and by one-one-one mentoring with experienced nurses at facilities such as North Shore University Hospital and St. Francis Hospital. The College has also formed strong, collaborative partnerships with leading health care organizations.

Financial Aid: Merit-based scholarships are available to graduate and undergraduate students who attend Adelphi College of Nursing and Public Health. New students are automatically considered for these scholarships upon acceptance to the University. Need-based University grants may be made available as well upon completion of the FAFSA form. Additionally, students may also be eligible to receive Pell grants and other forms of state and federal financial aid.

10. Molloy College, Rockville Centre

About Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing @ Molloy College: The Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing at Malloy College is another one of several nursing colleges in NY that’s located on Long Island. Students who attend this school are taught that nursing is both a science and an art. Malloy College was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Amityville in 1955, and its nursing school was first accredited in 1969. Though the School accepts students from all religious backgrounds, its humanistic approach to nursing practice is grounded in Catholic tradition and principles. The School maintains a low 8:1 student/faculty ratio so that students can benefit from mentoring and personalized instruction.

Instruction takes place in an ultramodern, 50,000-square-foot building that holds classrooms, meeting areas, nursing simulation laboratories, a computer laboratory, a telepresence room, a healing garden and a second-floor roof garden. This new Barbara H. Hagan Center has been designed and constructed with a focus on environmentally sound building principles. Nursing labs provide students with the opportunity to participate in actual scenarios that enable them to develop critical thinking skills and confidence. Once they’ve acquired basic clinical skills, students pursue clinical rotations in a variety of inpatient settings throughout Long Island.

Financial Aid: Nursing students are eligible for support through the nursing school’s multi-million dollar endowment for nursing scholarships. Entering students who will be attending the School fulltime may be eligible for full- or partial-tuition scholarships upon completion and submission of FAFSA and TAP applications. Scholarships in combination with need-based aid from New York state cannot exceed tuition charges. Additionally, nursing students may qualify for needs-based aid through institutional Malloy College grants as well as through federal and state funding sources.