Top Nursing Schools in Massachusetts for 2023

Nursing Degrees & Schools / Best Schools Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a great place to live no matter what your field of study, but if you’re studying for a nursing career, you can’t do much better than the Bay State. In addition to the fact that Massachusetts has top-notch K-12 schools, a bustling economy, and that it was ranked one of the best states in which to work in 2022, the state was ranked #2 in the country for healthcare by U.S. News and World Report and #9 overall.

Massachusetts boasts some of the country’s best hospitals, and for nursing students attending school in the state, that means remarkable internship and clinical practice opportunities.

And as if the learning opportunities were not enough, Massachusetts nurses earn salaries that are 16% higher than the national average.

Massachusetts’s top programs:

1. University of Massachusetts – Amherst
2. Simmons University
3. University of Massachusetts – Boston
4. MGH Institute of Health Professions
5. Northeastern University
6. University of Massachusetts – Lowell
7. Boston College
8. University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth
9. Salem State University
10. Westfield State University 

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1.  University of Massachusetts – Amherst – Score 63

NCLEX Pass Rate – 90.00%

Annual In-State Tuition: $16,952

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $38,172

The Elaine Marieb College of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst offers nursing education for those who are just beginning their career, for those who wish to move into a nursing career, and those who want to move ahead in their nursing career. Offering BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs, the school recently received a $21.5 million cash gift that they will use to improve upon the already-excellent education that they provide.

In addition to the traditional four-year BSN program, which has achieved a 78% graduation rate, the school offers an accelerated 17-month BSN for individuals with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and an online RN-to-BSN degree that can be completed in under one year. Graduate students can pursue an MSN Clinical Nurse Leader concentration or a Nursing Education concentration, and UMass-Amherst also offers an online DNP as well as a PhD program to prepare students for careers in research.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• Accelerated BSN
• RN-to-BSN (Online)
• MSN
• DNP (Online)
• PhD

2.  Simmons University – Score 62

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 93.00%

Annual Tuition: $47,028

Ranked the 99^th Best Nursing School in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Simmons University is also one of the country’s first university-based nursing programs. First established in 1902, in the ensuing years Simmons has established a stellar reputation and a collection of innovative programs.

The on-ground, in-person programs that Simmons University offers include a traditional four-year BSN and a five-year BSN-MSN program categorized as a 4+1 accelerated bachelor’s and Master of Science in Nursing program that prepares students to be advanced practice nurses. The nursing school also offers a two-year MSN program that allows BSN-degreed Registered Nurses to earn their MSN either in person or online, and a direct entry MSN program that allows non-nursing bachelor’s degree holders to earn their MSN in three years.

Simmons University also offers the opportunity for nurses to advance their knowledge and career via online degrees, including an RN-to-BSN program, an online MSN-FNP program, an online MSN-PMHP program, and an online DNP.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• BSN/MSN (4+1)
• BSN-to-MSN
• RN-BSN (Online)
• MSN Direct Entry
• MSN-FNP or MSN-PMHNP (Online)
• DNP (Online)

3.  University of Massachusetts – Boston – Score 61

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 90.00%

Annual In-State Tuition: $14,187   

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $34,649

The University of Massachusetts at Boston is the 9^th largest nursing school in the country and was tied for #58^th best MSN program in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking. The school has affiliations with more than 200 healthcare organizations that provide students with internships and clinical experience, and its administration works to ensure that students are aware of scholarship and financial aid opportunities and to provide career guidance.

The programs offered by the Department of Nursing include a traditional four-year BSN program, an accelerated BSN degree for those who have already earned their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field of study, and an online RN-BSN program for registered nurses who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in as little as one year. Graduate programs include MSN degrees leading to FNP or AGNP specializations, a DNP degree, and a PhD program.

CCNE-accredited program offered:

• BSN
• RN-BSN (Online)
• Accelerated BSN
• MSN
• DNP
• PhD

4.  MGH Institute of Health Professions – Score 56

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 87.00%

Annual Tuition: $50,200

MGH Institute of Health Professions’ nursing program has distinguished itself in multiple ways. Not only was it named one of America’s Best Master’s programs and Best DNP programs by U.S. News & World Report, but it is also unusual in that the only BSN degree that it offers is an accelerated program for those who already hold bachelor’s degrees in non-nursing fields: it does not offer a traditional four-year BSN program at all.

In addition to the intensive accelerated BSN program, which can be completed in a 16-month full time path or a part-time path that takes two years, MGH also offers a three-year direct-entry MSN program for BSN-degreed individuals who are not registered nurses and post-professional degree programs including a post-BSN MSN degree to become a nurse practitioner, two Master of Science degrees in Leadership, and two online DNP tracks.

The school’s graduation rate is a remarkable 97%.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• Accelerated BSN
• Direct-entry MSN
• BSN-to-MSN
• MSN
• DNP (Online)

5.  Northeastern University – Score 56

 

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 85.00%

Annual Tuition: $56,500

Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degrees at campuses in both Massachusetts and in North Carolina. The school’s MSN program was ranked #86 in the country by U.S. News & World Report and its DNP program was ranked #106 in the country.

The school’s undergraduate nursing degree program has accomplished an 88% graduation rate and offers a traditional four-year BSN undergraduate program that introduces nursing courses during the student’s sophomore year. Non-nurses with bachelor’s degrees are able to enter the Direct Entry Nursing program that allows bachelor’s degree holders to become master’s-prepared nurses by taking 16 months of nursing-specific classes to prepare for the NCLEX exam and become a registered nurse, then continue within the master’s program. There is also an accelerated BSN program.

The MSN and doctoral nursing programs offer multiple nurse practitioner paths while the DNP program offers a leadership path and a nurse anesthesia path. There is also a PhD program.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• Accelerated BSN
• Direct Entry MSN
• MSN
• DNP
• PhD

6.  University of Massachusetts – Lowell – Score 54

 

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 91.00%

Annual In-State Tuition: $16,082

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $34,450

The University of Massachusetts at Lowell was ranked #78^th best MSN program in the country by U.S. News & World Report, but the school has more to boast about than that. Not only do students benefit from UMass Lowell’s partnership with the Boston VA Healthcare system for clinical hours, but the school attracts the attention of top employers in the area, and as a result 100% are employed within six months after graduation from all of its programs.

Bachelor’s degree programs include a traditional four-year BSN and an RN-to-BSN degree completion option, and its master’s degree programs include a fast-track BS-to-MS program for enrolled BS nursing students, a fast-track MS-to-DNP program for enrolled MS nursing students, and two advanced practical nurse tracks. The school also offers both a PhD in nursing program and a DNP degree program.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• RN-to-BSN
• BSN-to-MSN
• MSN-to-DNP
• MSN
• DNP
• PhD

7.  Boston College – Score 52

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 92.00%

Annual Tuition: $62,950

Ranked the 27^th Best Master’s in Nursing program in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Boston College’s Connell School of Nursing has created multiple paths to a nursing career, maximizing opportunity and impact. The bachelor’s program has a 91% graduation rate and provides its nursing students with an opportunity to study abroad that one third take advantage of.

MSN candidates will find three different pathways to the degree, from the traditional path taken by BSN-degreed nurses to programs designed for non-nursing bachelor’s degree holders and associate degree-holding nurses. DNP candidates with BSN degrees and one year of critical care experience can opt for a 36-month specialty nurse anesthesia program. The school also offers four routes to a DNP based on educational level, including a pathway for BSN-degreed applicants, non-nursing bachelor’s degree holders, MSN-degreed candidates, and even a program for Associates degree holders.

100% of Boston College’s graduate nursing students passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt in 2020, and 100% of full-time PHD students receive full tuition remission.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• MSN
• DNP
• DNP-Anesthesia
• PhD

8.  University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth – Score 50

 

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 83.00%

Annual In-State Tuition: $14,408

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $30,153

The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth offers the only advanced degree nursing programs in Southeastern Massachusetts. The DNP program, which offers two online BSN-DNP nurse practitioner tracks in Adult Gerontology Primary Care and in Psychiatric Mental Health and a post-Master’s DNP, has been recognized by U.S New & World Report as one of the best in the nation.

In addition, the school offers online Accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, and MSN programs, a PhD program, and a traditional four-year BSN program that has a 53% graduation rate and which introduces students to the first nursing course during freshman year. Each incoming nursing student is assigned a faculty advisor who is dedicated to their success, and during the student’s senior year they will be partnered with a registered nurse who will be available as a mentor, offering encouragement and advice.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• Accelerated BSN (Online)
• RN-to-BSN (Online)
• MSN (Online)
• DNP
• PhD

9.  Salem State University – Score 50

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 78.00%

Annual In-State Tuition: $11,675

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $18,480

Salem State University is tied for #43 in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Top Public Universities and #123 in its list of Regional Schools in the Northeast. The university’s Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services offers a robust nursing program with plenty of options for earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as for those who wish to move into an Advanced Practice Nurse role.

The undergraduate program offers a traditional four-year BSN degree program, as well as an accelerated BSN for students who have earned their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field and an LPN-to-BSN program that will prepare graduates to pass the NCLEX-RN and become registered nurses.

The school also offers two paths to a Master’s of Science in Nursing that are open to registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees in nursing, students with a bachelor’s degree in another field, and to those holding an associate degree in nursing or a diploma in nursing. Students can choose from an MSN with no concentration or an MSN with a concentration in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. Classes are offered in the evening and online to provide flexibility to working nurses.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• LPN-BSN
• BSN
• Accelerated BSN
• MSN (Hybrid)

10.    Westfield State University – Score 46

 

NCLEX Pass Rate – 77.00%

Annual In-State Tuition: $960

Annual Out-of-State Tuition: $7,050

According to U.S. News & World Report, the nursing program at Westfield State University is one of the most popular degrees the school offers. Offering both a hybrid RN-to-BSN program and a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, the school matches each incoming nursing freshman with an upperclassman nursing student who helps them get acclimated, introduces them to other nursing students, and familiarizes them with campus resources and activities.

The school has a 66% graduation rate and was also recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best College for Veterans, a Best Value School, and a Top Regional University in the Northeast.

CCNE-accredited programs offered:

• BSN
• RN-to-BSN (Hybrid)

How to choose the right nursing program

With internship opportunities at some of the country’s best hospitals and nursing programs that offer innovation, support, and flexibility, Massachusetts is a wonderful place to attend nursing school. Choosing the right school from the many great options requires close examination of your own priorities, then finding the one that checks the most boxes. After identifying the schools that have the program you need, location, geography, cohort size and reputation are just some of the factors to be considered.

Location 

Massachusetts is a relatively small state – it’s just an hour-and-a-half drive from its northern border to its southern border and three hours from east to west. But there’s a world of difference between its cityscapes, its coastline, and its scenic rural areas. The feel of a college’s campus is very important if you’re going to be living there for four years, but less so if you’re going to take online classes or commute from work. 

Tuition 

There is a significant difference in the tuition rates charged by the nursing schools listed above, with the private schools commanding substantially higher fees than the state schools that charge Massachusetts residents reduced rates. Consider your budget, keeping in mind that students who attend accredited schools are eligible for FAFSA funding. You can also explore scholarships and grants that may be available to help cut your costs.

NCLEX pass rate 

Though providing NCLEX preparation courses is not a requirement for nursing schools to be accredited, the best schools provide an education that fully prepares you to pass the exam. Check to see whether the program you’re considering publicizes its pass rate and compare the percentage of students who pass on the first time taking the test to the national average. It’s a good gauge of a school’s quality. 

Programs offered 

Though all of the top nursing schools in Massachusetts offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, the availability of other programs varies. Your educational goal reflects your personal passion, so make sure that the school you choose can help you achieve your dream.

Graduation rate  

Graduation rate is a statistic that many people use as a measure of how much support a particular college gives to its students. The graduation rate reflects how many students who enroll as freshman graduate from a program within six years. Though it may be a helpful metric for an undergraduate program, it only measures retention of students seeking the traditional four-year degree, and not the number of students in other programs or of those who transfer into a four-year program and then graduate. 

Next steps

Once you’ve selected the Massachusetts nursing school that matches your needs and goals, it’s time to submit your application. The process can be complicated depending upon the school’s requirements, so take the time to understand what you need to do and get to work. You may need to request transcripts and letters of recommendation, write a personal statement, and submit fees by specific deadlines. The more organized you are, the easier it will be.

Graduates of Massachusetts’ top nursing schools are in high demand, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the state’s licensing requirements well ahead of when you need them. If you have any questions, whether about getting a job or what continuing education requirements you’ll need to keep up with, the community of nurses at Incredible Health is always ready to answer questions and offer advice.

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Methodology

In order to determine the best nursing schools in a state, Incredible Health compared the top schools among five categories: graduation rate, tuition, NCLEX pass rate, accreditation, and the number of nursing programs offered.

Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale with 100 representing the highest total for that category. Then we compiled the individual scores to get an overall score.

We used data from: 

• University of Massachusetts – Amherst
• Simmons University
• University of Massachusetts – Boston
• MGH Institute of Health Professions
• Northeastern University
• University of Massachusetts – Lowell
• Boston College
• University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth
• Salem State University
• Westfield State University
• Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
• Federal Student Aid
• U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings