Best Nursing Schools in Cincinnati, OH in 2024 (On-Campus & Online)

If you’re looking for a nursing school program in Ohio, you’re in luck. Being located in one of the main urban hubs of Ohio, the nursing schools in Cincinnati area can provide everything from basic training certificates to doctorates in the field for advanced training and education. Cincinnati has long been recognized for its nursing schools and higher education opportunities, becoming a magnet for those folks looking to expand their career horizons as well as gain a competent career track in the health field.

Whether you’re looking for a BSN nursing program in Ohio or another type of nursing school, you’ll be sure to find an option here. Looking for the top accredited nursing schools in Cincinnati? Find them here.

The best nursing schools in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2024

1. Xavier University

One of the top offerings for nursing training in Cincinnati, Xavier University has a robust portfolio of degree programs addressing every university level. Overall, the school offers 10 different degree programs, including specialization paths for specific nursing types. As a not-for-profit private university under a Catholic Jesuit administration, Xavier has been accepting and training undergraduates and graduates for a significant number of years. This builds a solid depth of experience for its faculty staff that’s not found in weaker institutions that are newer or smaller in program size. Xavier’s acceptance rate is currently 74% of applications received, generally making for a good possibility that 3 out of 4 applicants are going to get in on their first try. Further, Xavier is physically located just a few miles from Cincinnati downtown, putting the school in close proximity to real-time healthcare facilities and hospitals.

• Cost per year – $37,230
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Accelerated BSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice MSN: Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN: Nursing Administration, MSN: Nursing Education, MSN: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Master of Science in Nursing, Post-Master’s Certificate: Clinical Nurse Leader, RN-to-MSN Degree Completion

2. The University of Cincinnati

With its main campus located in the city it’s named after, the University of Cincinnati offers one of the largest selections of programs with 20 different nursing degree paths. It is one of the few public universities in the region with such a sizable stable of training programs and nursing degrees. No surprise, the university has a solid population of over 1,100 students enrolled at any given time, including students in 28 certificate programs as well. Notably, the University of Cincinnati was the first nursing school in the country when it was first established. Located close to the downtown core, the university sits in very close proximity to major health institutions and businesses in the region. Even with all its offerings, the university has a high acceptance rate of 76% for new applications to the school.

• Cost per year – $11,000 in-state / $27,334 out-of-state
• Private or Public – Public
• Degree Types – Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Accelerated Second Degree BSN; DNP: Nurse Anesthesia, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing; MSN: Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Nursing Administration, Occupational Health Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner; Master of Science in Nursing; Post-Baccalaureate DNP; Post-Baccalaureate Ph.D.; Post-Master’s Certificate: Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner; RN-to-BSN Degree Completion

3. Mount Saint Joseph University

While the school has some sizable competition, Mount St. Joseph continues to operate and succeed with a private school approach, small student body and straightforward design to nursing school education delivery. With only 180 students in 2015, St. Joseph put out a robust class of nursing graduates earning over 100 masters degrees, 60 bachelors degrees and 13 Ph.D. candidate completions in one year. The small size works in the school’s favor, providing an ability to deliver direct attention to every student. The school’s acceptance rate is a liberal 73% of all applications received.

• Cost per year – $18,625
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Master of Science in Nursing, RN-to-BSN Degree Completion, RN-to-MSN Degree Completion

4. The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences

The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences, affiliated with The Christ Hospital Health Network for over a century, is a regionally accredited, private institution of higher learning. A clinical partnership with Cincinnati’s most preferred hospital provides students with hospital-based, career-focused nursing education, offering a traditional 4-year BSN program with a guaranteed clinical seat, Accelerated BSN for second-degree seekers, and an online RN to BSN completion program.

Ranked first in the region for post-graduate salaries by The Cincinnati Business Courier (2017) and first in the region/12th in the nation by Payscale (2018) for producing the highest-paid graduates entering the workforce, The Christ College was also listed by The Cincinnati Business Courier as graduating students best positioned to pay down debt based on salaries (Nov 2018). The college is dedicated to preparing individuals for the delivery of healthcare that promotes the well-being of a dynamic society and for life-long learning.

• Cost – $9,870 (entire RN-BSN program), $16,500 (BSN yearly tuition)
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – 4-year BSN program (with guaranteed clinical seat), Accelerated BSN, online RN to BSN completion program, an online Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration, and an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting program.

5. The Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science

Like a number of institutions located in the same town, Good Samaritan College provides a very small, close-knit setting for nursing education. The school generally produces almost 100 graduates annually, almost all earning associate degrees with less than a handful earning a bachelor’s. That said, Good Samaritan College also sticks to a higher standard of acceptance criteria, only allowing entry to 45% of applications received.

• Cost per year – $15,365
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – Associate’s Degree in Nursing, RN-to-BSN Degree Completion

6. Galen College of Nursing – Cincinnati

For the size of Galen College, this nursing school puts out a large number of graduates with over 160 degrees generated annually. The school only provides basic associate and bachelor’s nursing degree paths, but it remains popular as a training choice. Both degrees are part of one comprehensive nursing degree program. Galen is also very easy to get enrolled into and has a 100% acceptance rate.

• Cost per year – $26,666
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – Associates Degree in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

7. Fortis College – Cincinnati

In the micro-campus category, Fortis College makes a standout maintaining not one but two different nursing degree programs, which easily makes it one of the best nursing schools in Cincinnati, Ohio. The institution puts out a respectable number of graduates annually, with over 70 different students hitting the market with a degree or certificate in nursing. Because Fortis generally operates as a two-year program, the college is particularly attractive to those who want to get training fast and start working as soon as possible. Even despite its small size, the school has a 100 percent acceptance rate.

• Cost per year – $21,113
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – Certificate in Practical Nursing, Associates Degree in Nursing

8. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

As a local junior college, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is not going to be able to offer higher level graduate degrees, but it will give students a basic start in nursing with a recognized and approved associate degree and certificate program. Both allow students to begin working in the industry once licensing has been obtained by meeting education requirements. Notably, the junior college offers over 10 different nursing degree programs for differentiation. There is no issue of getting enrolled; the community college has a 100% acceptance rate.

• Cost per year – $3,825 in-state/$7,393 out-of-state
• Private or Public – Private
• Degree Types – Associates Degree in Nursing, Patient Care Assistant Certificate

9. Butler Technology and Career Development Schools

Operating as a public trade school for 2-year degrees, Butler Tech includes a basic nursing certificate program among the number of skill training programs the institution offers students. The school is small in size with only 210 students total at any given time. This provides a close faculty-to-student ratio and heavy attention to training. Interestingly, the school has a 92% graduation rate, successfully matriculating and placing most of its nursing program students as well as the general student population.

• Cost per year – $0 in-state/$6,636 for out-of-state
• Private or Public – Public
• Degree Types – Certificate in Practical Nursing

10. Great Oaks Career Campuses

As a trade school, Great Oaks is primarily designed to be a fast-concentration training program for movement into a starting career path. In that regard, the school provides a single nursing degree certificate program for either practical nursing or a nursing assistant role. Generally, Great Oaks graduates close to 25 students annually in its nursing program, all certificate awardees. Great Oaks has a 100% acceptance rate of new applications.

• Cost per year – $19,086
• Private or Public – Public
• Degree Types – Certificate in Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistant Certificate

Methodology

The above nursing schools in Cincinnati have been ranked based on their degree path offerings, reputation, and cost. Some schools might cost more but they’re offerings are greater than those with a lower tuition but lesser educational choice involved. Overall, the size, strength, and depth of the school’s offerings push its rank higher, breaking into a strata of top-grade universities, private smaller campuses, junior colleges and then trade schools. Because they operate in a very different format and focus more on graduate studies, online nursing schools in Cincinnati Ohio are kept separate.

If you have questions or comments about the above information or want more in-depth details on these schools versus others in Ohio, please contact us. We would be glad to follow-up further.