Top Nursing Programs In Arizona

Gateway Community College Lpn

Gateway Community College offers the Licensed Practical Nurse program for students that want to begin their nursing education. The program provides a certificate of completion for this terminal nursing program. As one of the best nursing assistant schools in Phoenix, AZ it also offers a great nursing assistant program. Gateway Community College offers the LPN program at its Washington Campus, located in Phoenix.

Learn nursing theory, and patient care techniques through a variety of classroom, and patient care learning experiences. Students also participate in simulation learning experiences. Enroll in this program and gain the opportunity to sit for the NCLEX exam upon completion. The school is one of the schools in the Maricopa Nursing Consortium.

• Tuition: $85 per credit hour
• NCLEX first time pass rate: 100%
• Accreditation: Approved by Arizona State Board of Nursing

Chamberlain College Of Nursing Phoenix

Chamberlain College of Nursing offers nursing programs that can be completed in as few as three semesters. The programs are offered full-time and part-time and are available completely online. Clinicals are required for students, but they can often be completed at the students workplace.

• In-State Tuition: $18,630
• Online Programs Offered: 5

University Of Arizona College Of Nursing

University of Arizona CC BY-SA 4.0

As part of the states flagship university state institution, the University of Arizonas College of Nursing is among the best in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranks the school 33rd in the country for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and 39th for its Master of Nursing program.

Those accolades dont come easy. Theyre the result of concentrated efforts on the part of the UA Nursing team to not only teach the fundamentals of the profession but also create a supportive learning environment. One of the best ways to make that environment is to recognize excellent work whenever you see it. To that end, UA Nursing has joined with the DAISY Foundation to draw attention to extraordinary nurses in their program. Similarly, the SUNFlower Award goes to those who provide enthusiastic mentoring for students in the program. These awards announce to the world that UA Nursing cares deeply about good character and top-quality nursing, and refuses to let good practitioners work in the shadows.

Recognition programs operate alongside programs to help students gain practical experience working in UA Nursings Steele Innovative Learning Center, a state-of-the-art simulation lab. The lab features 12 beds, several high-fidelity mannequins, and cutting-edge equipment. With these innovative features preparing them, UAs nurses lead the way to the next generation of healthcare professionals.

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Breckinridge School Of Nursing And Health Sciences

An RN-BSN is available for students at Breckinridge School of Nursing. Courses are offered online through the ITT Technical Institute in Indiana, allowing students to better educate themselves within the field of nursing.

Breckinridge School of Nursing Facts

Breckinridge School of Nursing is one of six different schools within ITT Technical Institute. Although Breckinridge resides in Arizona, ITT Technical Institute has locations all over the United States. Operational since 1969, the school offers a wide range of education options and many opportunities for students to obtain their degree.

• NCLEXRN Pass Rates: 82.35%
• Program Length or Credit Hours: 13.5 credit hours per quarter
• Admissions Requirements: Application needed, High School Graduate or GED.
• Tuition: $426.00 per credit hour
• Accreditation: The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

Best Bsn Programs In Arizona In 2020

If youre looking for a nursing program in Arizona, youre in luck. Being in the Southwest part of the country, Arizona has a long history of development in large urban locations spread apart by mountains or vast areas of empty desert and wilderness. This geographic set of facts tends to drive placement and availability of higher education institutions to clump up in certain locations where there is sufficient infrastructure and development to support a sizable population and student body. However, with modern conveniences and advances in education technology, potential nursing students will not have any trouble finding BSN programs in Arizona that are close to home.

Please note that achieving a BSN degree doesnt automatically open the door for starting occupational work as a nurse. A student still needs to have an initial license in nursing from the Arizona State Board of Nursing. Many students achieve this early by passing the NCLEX exam after achieving a practical nursing degree at the associate level.

Generally, there are 16 recognized BSN programs in Arizona. They all require the completion of 120-125 credits in varying coursework and nursing programs that is graded at an academic college level. Below are the most prominent and state-approved bachelors degree programs in Arizona. Whether youre looking for a nursing program in Phoenix or another city, youll be sure to find an option below.

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Arizona Registered Nursing Salaries

Below is a table of the hourly mean RN Salary and the annual median wage in all the metropolitan areas in the state of Arizona. By looking at this table, you will notice that the annual median wage in Fayetteville metropolitan area has the highest annual median wage. However, Little Rock has the highest number of employed RNs.

The average salary for a nurse in Arizona is $67,760 with about 5 to 9 years or experience. The top nursing salaries go to Nurse Anesthetists who get paid on average $155,180 with 5 to 9 years of experience.

Registered nurses that have a bachelor’s degree typically earn more than registered nurses who only have an associate’s degree or higher level diploma as well as those without any college education at all. In addition to salaries being impacted by educational attainment levels, they also vary based upon geographic location within the state of Arkansas with some areas having significantly lower wages than others due to the shortage of jobs available in these regions.

Top 10 Best Nursing Schools In Arizona

When it comes to places to enjoy a long nursing career, its tough to beat Arizona. With some of the hottest temperatures around the year and plenty of affordable housing, Arizona is an excellent state to put your roots down.

But before you can begin your nursing career in Arizona, you need to become a registered nurse . And to get the best jobs, its smart to get a bachelors degree in nursing , at the very least. To maximize your chance of a job in Arizona, its best to study in the state to gain valuable connections and complete state-specific requirements.

This is a nurse panel-reviewed selection based on a number of factors including,

• Reputation
• Only ACEN or CCNE accredited schools are eligible

Nurse Panel

Our selection panel includes 5 Registered Nurses with over 55 years of combined nursing experience and 7 nursing degrees.

• Tracy Everhart, MSN, RN, CNS
• Tyler Faust, MSN, RN
• Kathleen Coduvell Gaines, BSN, RN, BA, CBC
• Leah Helmbrecht, BSN, RN

Because nursing careers take different forms, the top 10 Arizona nursing schools are ranked in no particular order.

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Choosing A Great Nursing School

The nursing program you select can have a big impact on your future. That’s why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Nursing rankings. 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.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

How We Ranked The Best Arizona Nursing Schools

Whether theyre going back to school to earn a higher salary, or just starting their nursing career, nursing students have to keep a lot of factors in mind. Nursing School Hub editors focus on the most important will a program provide quality education and a real career impact. We rank programs according to their return on investment, using data on cost, reputation, and salary from IPEDS, Niche, and College Scorecard.

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Bachelors In Nursing Programs

University of Arizona The University of Arizona allows undergraduates to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing upon successful completion of the four-year, 120 credit program. Students spend the first two years of the program fulfilling university requirements in math, science, and English before entering into the nursing major for the final two years. Nursing core courses encompass such topics as foundations in nursing care, pharmacology, acute and chronic illness management, mental health nursing, and transition to the professional nursing role. Successful applicants to the program, which is extremely competitive, must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in the first two years of study with most students having a minimum of a 3.4 GPA throughout the four-year program.

Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona Universitys Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is offered at its Flagstaff, Tucson, and Yuma campuses with each campus admitting a select number of students each year. The program is typically very competitive, with over 600 applications each year and only 160 open seats in the program. Flagstaff accepts only 60 applicants each year. In addition to general college and liberal studies core coursework, nursing majors must also complete 67 nursing credits, including a senior capstone project, to fulfill degree requirements. Graduates of the nursing program are generally eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses .

Rankings: The 20 Best Nursing Schools In Arizona

For our 2021 rankings, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac collected data on over 3,000 nursing schools and campuses throughout the United States. We evaluated each school on three dimensions:

• The institutions academic prestige and perceived value
• The breadth and depth of nursing programs offered
• Student success, particularly on the NCLEX licensure examination

We then combined these assessments into an overall score and ranked the schools accordingly. For a detailed description of our assessment methodology and dimension weights, please see here.

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What To Look For In A Bsn Program In Arizona

BSN students should be prepared to engage in a scientifically rigorous and culturally diverse learning environment. With experienced teachers and instructors who themselves have professional accreditation and acclaim, nursing students can take advantage of rich learning opportunities both in the classroom and in clinical rotation. Students should ensure that their teachers are members in good standing in the nursing profession and that the program itself is in good standing from an accreditation and licensure perspective.

Northern Arizona University is home to a renowned BSN program. The school offers a traditional program on a four-year timeline, as well as an RN-to-BSN option and an accelerated option for those who already have an undergraduate degree in another field. Demand is high, with as many as 600 applicants for 150 spaces every year.

Best Nursing Schools In Phoenix In 2020

Looking for great nursing schools in Arizona? Youre in luck. There are exciting opportunities likely awaiting qualified nurses that graduate from the best nursing schools in Phoenix. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the 2018 through 2028 anticipated job growth outlook for Registered Nurses , Licensed Practical Nurses , and Nurse Practitioners as much faster than average, compared to the job outlook for other occupations.

Whether you are considering completing your first nursing program, or if you want to further your nursing education to advance your career, these best nursing schools in Phoenix likely offer the ideal nursing program for you.

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Reasons To Obtain A Degree From One Of The Nursing Schools In Phoenix

The dire nursing shortage in Arizona means that there is a critical need for nurses in the state, including in the Phoenix area. These schools offer either traditional classroom settings, completely online programs, or in some cases, students have the opportunity to choose their preferred learning format.

Wallet Hub lists Arizona as the seventh state on its list of the overall Best Places to Work as a Nurse. Attending one of these nursing education programs provides you with the education required of a qualified nurse. Each of the best nursing schools listed here are accredited schools and programs. Whether youre looking for a BSN nursing program in Arizona or another type of nursing program, youll be sure to find an option here.

Best Ranked Nursing Schools In Arizona

To help nursing students in their search for a top RN program, the education experts at RNCareers.org publish their annual findings of the best nursing schools for both Arizona and the country. Schools ranked on our list have proven their ability to educate highly competent nurses.

To create our rankings, we evaluated 17 ADN degree programs and 5 BSN degree programs in Arizona. We obtained each institutions first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students taking the test, the program nursing accreditation and more. We then compared the results against other nursing programs in Arizona to provide our state rankings. View our methodology.

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How Do Online Nursing Degree Programs Work

Most nursing students possess no previous nursing experience. Since every nursing license requires a combination of education and experience, nurses with insufficient experience must earn it through in-person clinical hours. Most online nursing programs in Arizona are hybrid programs, combining in-person and online education. Students complete courses online and clinical experience in person.

Some degrees in Arizona allow for entirely online learning. For example, an RN with sufficient experience may enroll in an entirely online RN-to-BSN program. Other nursing types, such as NPs, require significant in-person experience.

Although most online nursing programs in Arizona require some in-person study, students choose online programs because of their flexibility. Nursing students with busy personal lives or those who must work while earning their degree take advantage of flexible online programs. Keep in mind that accredited online programs follow the same admission requirements as on-campus programs.

How Much Does It Cost To Study Nursing In Arizona

The cost of acquiring a Nursing degree in Arizona varies from each school. While making your admission decision to any Nursing school of your choice, you will have to consider tuition fees. This is will give you the insight to determine the school you can afford its cost.

You can expect to pay tuition fees ranging from $40,000 to $200,00 to acquire a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in Arizona. Additionally, your in-state or out-of-state status will greatly influence the cost of acquiring a Nursing education in Arizona.

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Tuition And Costs Of Msn Programs In Arizona

Tuition for MSN students is definitely higher than for the AAS and BSN credentials but job mobility and advancement are attainable. For the online MSN programs at the University of Arizona, tuition is about $680 per credit hour . Applicants are encouraged to contact the school’s Bursar to discuss payment options, and whether financial aid may be available. Students are strongly advised against working while school is in session due to the rigors of the course material.

For NP programs visit:

• Arizona Post-Graduate Certificate Nursing Programs

Arizona Nurse Salaries And Employment Trends

Arizona pays all four nursing types a higher mean wage than the national average. Arizona’s mean wages also compete with other states in the region, though nurses can find higher mean wages elsewhere.

Projections show significant growth for every nursing type in Arizona. According to Projections Central, projections for each type are the highest in the nation and outpace other states in the region with high projected growth. One factor influencing the potential growth of nursing jobs in Arizona is the national nursing shortage. National projections show a significant shortage of RNs in Arizona. Wages for all nursing types could increase significantly during this time to attract qualified nurses.

Note that projections do not necessarily reflect real growth and no amount of education guarantees a specific salary or a position as a nurse in Arizona.

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How Is The Job Market For Nursing In Arizona

One vital consideration a person has to make when becoming a nurse is determining if he or she will be able to find a job out of school quickly. Additionally, a person wants to make sure he or she can find another job if anything should happen at his or her current job. Fortunately, nurses are needed in demand everywhere, including Arizona travel nursing jobs and even if a person looks for Arizona nursing jobs sign on bonus. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the jobs for RNs are expected to grow by 12 percent, which is faster than average. The BLS states that there were 54,690 for nurse in AZ in 2018. The quotient for this particular area is average in terms of how many Arizona nursing jobs there are.

A registered nurse in Arizona can find Arizona travel nursing jobs and may even find Arizona nursing jobs sign on bonus in this area of nursing. A registered nurse in Arizona may find jobs in hospitals. Additionally, jobs for nursing in Arizona are also found in nursing homes, outpatient care centers, and psychiatric care facilities. Jobs for nursing in Arizona may also include working for a nursing hotline or in a physicians office.