Best Nursing Schools in Ohio in 2024 (Online & On-Campus)

Are you looking for an Ohio BSN program or another type of nursing program? You’re in luck. Ohio, also known as the “Buckeye State,” is a very diverse area. It’s home to cities like Cincinnati, where you can visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden or Contemporary Arts Center. On the other hand, you can enjoy a peaceful town like Perrysburg with all the appeal of a city area without all of the fuss. Because of all of the benefits of living in Ohio, it’s no wonder the cost of living is a bit higher. However, when you opt to be a nurse in Ohio, you can earn a competitive salary that’ll allow you to live the life you desire. In order to become a nurse, you’ll need to select from one of the nursing schools in Ohio to provide you with the education you need for success.

About Becoming a Nurse in Ohio

Typically, in the United States, the average registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) earns about $70,000 per year, which is the same as $33.65 per hour. In Ohio, nurses make a similar average wage to the mean salary in the United States. It has three campuses with the main one having over 30,000 students and a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Fortunately for pupils at this school, the graduation rate is 86-percent for people earning a bachelor’s degree full time.

Fast Stats: HLE

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 89 percent
• Program length or credit hours – Four years
• Admission requirements – Must earn nursing diploma or associate degree in nursing and possess your RN licensure
• Tuition – Between $11,000 and $50,000 per year
• Accreditation – HLE since 1913 and CCNE since 2001

Fortunately, the employment rate for nurses is high with the United States having nearly 3,000,000 jobs for nurses as of 2016. Moreover, the field is expected to grow 15 percent faster than the average career until 2026. This means there’s a good chance you won’t have any difficulty landing a nursing job once you graduate. If you’re closer to Columbus, visit our best nursing programs in Columbus, OH rankings.

List of the top nursing schools in Ohio

1. Mount Carmel College of Nursing

Mount Carmel College of Nursing has two campuses. The main one is located in Columbus, and the other is in Lancaster. The Columbus campus only has 880 undergraduates and a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to one. You may choose to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in one of four ways through this school: traditional four-year program, advanced placement program, second degree accelerated program, or online RN to BSN.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 88 percent rate
• Program length or credit hours – 13 months to two years
• Admission requirements – Complete a diploma or associate’s degree program in nursing and have recently completed science coursework
• Tuition – Between $13,000 – $25,000 per year
• Accreditation – Received CCNE accreditation in 1995

2. Ohio University

Ohio University is a public research college with its main campus in Athens, Ohio. According to their website, the school has a 93-percent employment rate after one year of graduation. The main campus has a high student population with more than 23,000 undergraduates alone but still manages to maintain a 17-to-one student-to-faculty ratio, allowing you to have support when you need it. That’s why 74 percent of individuals who applied to the nursing program were accepted. Of all the people who enrolled, 64 percent graduated.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 91 percent
• Program length or credit hours – two years
• Admission requirements – will need to earn a “C” or higher in designated courses
• Tuition – $21,000 to $24,000 per year
• Accreditation – Commission of Higher Learning since 1913

3. University of Akron

Founded in 1870, the University of Akron is situated on a 223-acre campus. They have a second campus in Orrville, OH, which is their Wayne campus. The school offers four different options for earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing. You can earn a standard Bachelor of Science in Nursing or opt to earn your RN to BSN either online or in the school. At the University of Akron, you have the option of earning a second-degree BSN, which is an accelerated program. LPNs may earn a BSN as well.  The student-to-professor ratio is 18:1, but it doesn’t seem to affect the quality of education because 77 percent of individuals graduate.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 100 percent
• Program length or credit hours – 60+ hours, two years, may earn online
• Admission requirements – 3.0 GPA or higher and active nursing license
• Tuition – $10,000 to $36,000 per year
• Accreditation – Commission for Education in Nursing since 2006, HLC since 1916

4. Kent State University

Kent State, located in Kent, Ohio is a university with eight campuses in Ohio alone. Other campuses are located in New York City and Florence, Italy. The educational institution has more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. It opened its doors in 1910 as a teaching-training school, but as of today, it has more than 300 majors available, ranging from topics like engineering to liberal arts to nursing. The campus in Kent is a large suburban one with more than 23,000 undergraduates. The student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1, which is higher than the other facilities that made the list; however, it doesn’t seem to affect the popularity of the school or how well people fare throughout their degree program since 80 percent earn their degree.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 100 percent
• Program length or credit hours – 60 credits, two years if not in the accelerated program, may complete online
• Admission requirements – Must pass all prerequisite classes with a C or better
• Tuition – $10,000 to $35,000 per year
• Accreditation – Accredited by CCNE since 2012, HLE since 1915

5. Ohio Northern University

Not to be confused with Ohio University, Ohio Northern University is a private college associated with the United Methodist Church. It’s located in Ada, Ohio and received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. The school is a small campus consisting of only 3,088 students. Because of the small school size, you receive plenty of individualized support because they have an 11:1 student-to-staff ratio. This staff helps you excel in every way you can, considering 82 percent of full-time students graduate.

• NCLEX-RN Passage Rates – 96.3% of ONU graduates for the past five years on the national licensing exam for registered nurses
• Program length or credit hours – 120 credit hours to receive a BS in nursing
• Admission requirements – Pre-licensure BSN Nursing Program
• Tuition – $33,470 (2020-2021)
• Accreditation  – HLE accredited since 1958, CCNE accredited since 2008

6. Cedarville University

Cedarville University is a private university that was originally associated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America but is now affiliated with the Baptist religion. The majority of the students are undergraduates. Cedarville has an 84 percent graduation rate and a 14:1 student-to-staff ratio. Fortunately, the acceptance rate is even higher at 74 percent. Not to mention the fact that 100 percent of graduates either find a job or enter into a graduate degree program.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 92.31 percent, offer a class to help you pass
• Program length or credit hours – Three years
• Admission requirements – Proof of relationship with God and either a diploma or associate’s degree in nursing
• Tuition – $21,000
• Accreditation – Accredited HLE since 1975 and CCNE since 2002

7. Hondros College of Nursing

Hondros College of Nursing’s main campus is in Maumee, Ohio, but the school has four other locations in Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. Unlike the other programs listed in this article, you may earn your associate degree in nursing or practical nursing diploma there. In the Columbus location, there are about 2,093 students, but despite the low number of students, the student-to-faculty comparison is 16:1. That won’t stop you from excelling in this school if you work hard, though. Of all the individuals who applied, 72 percent were accepted, so chances are good that if you qualify, you’ll earn a spot.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 60.29 percent
• Program length or credit hours – two years
• Admission requirements – Possess current RN license
• Tuition – $18,000
• Accreditation – CCNE accredited since 2012 and Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools since 1990

8. Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University is a public research college located in the downtown portion of Cleveland, Ohio. It first opened in 1964. Today, it offers more than 200 degree programs. The total number of undergraduates in this school exceeds 12,000. The student-to-professor ratio is 17:1, but students still receive a quality education. In fact, 70 percent of them who attend their first year return the following year.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 90 percent
• Program length or credit hours – 30 credit hours
• Admission requirements – Must have current RN licensure, must pass all prerequisite courses with a “B” or higher
• Tuition – $9,000 to $30,000 per year
• Accreditation – HLE since 1940 and CCNE since 2002

9. Mount St. Joseph University

Mount St. Joseph University began when the religious organization Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati established it back in 1829. The school is a small university that offers students plenty of specialized attention because it offers a small student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1. Of all the students admitted into this school, 71 percent graduate from there.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 96.67 percent, which is higher than the state average
• Program length or credit hours – Two years
• Admission requirements – Must have current RN license, must earn a C or higher in prerequisite courses
• Tuition – $30,000 to $42,000 per year
• Accreditation – HLE since 1932 and CCNE since 2002

10. University of Toledo

Situated on a 450-acre campus, the University of Toledo has an average of more than 16,000 undergraduates in their school. The school may not offer a ton of one-on-one time with teachers and students due to its 21:1 student-to-professor ratio. However, you can still succeed if you dedicate yourself to studying and utilize your resources properly.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates – 95.6 percent
• Program length or credit hours – 32 semester hours you must earn online
• Admission requirements – Must earn your associate’s degree or diploma in nursing and possess your current RN license
• Tuition – $9,000 to $35,000 per year
• Accreditation – HLE since 1922 and CCNE since 2005

How We Rank Nursing Schools in Ohio

We take into consideration several factors when we rank our schools. We want prospective nursing students to have access to a reliable comparison and be able to use their own judgment to determine which school is ideal for them. One of the main factors we use when we rank our schools is the tuition because we know finances are a huge factor in selecting an educational institution for most people.

Another part of our algorithm is the acceptance and graduation rates. Additionally, we add in the number of nursing degrees a school offers. We also include other helpful information in our reviews such as the school’s National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and the total number of students.

These schools rank as our top nursing schools in Ohio. From schools with plenty of faculty members to meet the demands of students’ educational needs to those with decent prices that are affordable for most students, we recommend that those looking to attend nursing school should review the websites of these schools to determine if they could be a good fit.

We want schools to know if they find any inaccurate information on our list, please send us a message, so we can promptly adjust our content. Additionally, if you’re a school who wants us to consider you for our list of top nursing schools in Ohio, contact us to review your educational institution.

Visit rntobsnprogram.com to find more information about schools in the “Buckeye State.”