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

Looking for a nursing school in Virginia? The services of qualified nursing personnel are in high demand in the state of Virginia just as they are in every other state in the union. This is no less true of the state’s capital, Richmond. With a relatively high population of over 200,000, the city offers a number of quality educational opportunities for those who wish to study nursing programs, which is why we created this list of the top nursing schools in Richmond, VA area.

While these may be among the first set of options for aspiring nurses in the Richmond area, keep in mind that the State of Virginia is home to many schools with high-quality nursing programs that deserve your consideration. You can attend one of the certified nursing assistant schools in Richmond, VA or find another specialization. If you intend to pursue a nursing career and live in Richmond, consider the following six schools before expanding your search further. Please see our forthcoming rank list of the best and most affordable nursing schools in Richmond, VA as you expand your search and look for accredited nursing schools in Richmond, VA. We also have a ranking highlighting the best BSN programs in Virginia, so check that out.

The Best Nursing Schools in Richmond, VA

1. ECPI University – Richmond Campus

ECPI University (EU) makes the top of our list as it has a Richmond campus and it has the widest selection of fully online courses of any Richmond school that offers nursing coursework. Arguably, the average nursing student is far more likely to be a non-traditional student. That means online courses are going to be a great deal more accessible. It’s worth noting that employers who hire tradesmen (nurses included) increasingly respect the determination and the workloads that non-traditional students take on. This means EU college is a great place to get a great nursing education and to enjoy high employability. EU college has gone to great lengths to earn and maintain a high degree of prestige while providing students with everything they need to succeed, with an acute focus on making financial assistance available to students who need it.

• Available Nursing Courses: LPN, & ADN
• NCLEX Pass Rates: PN – Not listed; RN – 77.5%
• Tuition & Administration Fees: Not listed

2. Centura College – Richmond Main

Not to be confused with Centura College – Richmond Westland, which was permanently closed in 2013, Centura College – Richmond Main (CCRM) is open and thriving. As one of 16 for-profit colleges in the state of Virginia, this school is among the most prestigious institutions a nursing student can attend, and easily the most prestigious one can attend while remaining within the city limits of Richmond. The 2017 NCES report indicates that it serves just 98 students each academic year, on average and 93% of students complete their degrees in 150% of the standard time. CCRM boasts an exceedingly good student to teacher ratio at just 7 to 1 respectively. The combination of open admission and prestige means just about any determined nursing student can attend as long as they get in before classes fill up. Of course, there is always the option to crash classes.

• Available Nursing Courses: LPN
• NCLEX Pass Rates: PN – Not listed; RN – Not listed
• Tuition & Administration Fees: $16,200 / $137

3. Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

In a state that is rich in private, nonprofit 4-year schools for nursing students, Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing (BSMC) is easily one of the best options for those nursing students who wish to stay close to the Richmond area. Located in a thriving Richmond suburb, BSMC serves the community that needs it most, ambitious, and hard-working students who wish to take up the noble and highly necessary profession of nursing. The NCES report from 2017 indicates that BSCM serves an average of just 477 students each academic year. It has a perfect success rate with 100% of graduating students finishing their course work in less than 150% of the standard completion time. BSMC has a very low student to teacher ratio 11 to 1 which is very hard to achieve in the public nursing education arena.

• Available Nursing Courses: Diploma, BSN, RN to BSN
• NCLEX Pass Rates: PN – Not listed; RN – 96.6%
• Tuition & Administration Fees: Not listed

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Founded nearly two centuries ago in 1838, the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a publicly funded institution with both undergraduate and graduate courses available. When it was originally established, it was part of Hampton-Sydney College’s medical department. Since then, it has grown into a medical school in its own right and in 1968 merged with the college whose name it now bears. The campus is located in Monroe Park on a 90+ acre plot of land, making it one of the more attractive campuses of its kind. With its long history of dedication to medicine and its sprawling and attractive campus, VCU is a strong contender for the upper end of our list of nursing schools in Richmond, VA. The 2017 NCES report indicates that VCU serves an average of just under 31,000 students each academic year. It has a relatively high student to teacher ratio at 18 to 1. For a medically oriented school with closed admissions, it has an exceedingly high retention rate of 83%. Among the local medical schools, it offers both high prestige and a high student success rate- making it extremely attractive to students who may qualify.

• Available Nursing Courses: BSN, Accelerated BSN, Accelerated MSN, RN to BSN, MSN, RN to MSN, DNP, Ph.D., BSN to Ph.D., & Family Nurse Practitioner
• NCLEX Pass Rates: PN – Not listed; RN – 47.5%
• Tuition & Administration Fees: Not listed

5. Fortis College-Richmond

Fortis College-Richmond (FCR) is one of just 16 for-profit 2-year colleges in the state of Virginia and is further distinguished by making its home in the state capital. Like JSRCC, it is located in a suburb, where it makes itself readily available to the working community where many aspiring nurses come from. The NCES report from 2017 indicates that FCR serves an average of just 404 students each academic year, 47% of these graduating within 150% of the standard time of completion. As is expected, FCR is considered to be slightly more prestigious than JSRCC owing to the fact that it is not a public institution although its NCLEX pass rates are roughly the same. FCR features a slightly better student to teacher ratio at 15 students to every instructor. Employers who appreciate prestige will favor FCR graduates to JSRCC graduates. However, the difference in this account is small enough that the student’s performance in their coursework is easily the more important determining factor of future opportunity. This school has a 50% retention rate, reflecting the measurably more challenging curriculum.

• Available Nursing Courses: LPN, ADN, & LPN to ADN
• NCLEX Pass Rates: PN – 91.7%; RN – 92.5%
• Tuition & Administration Fees: $13,731 / $628

6. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College

The state of Virginia has more than twenty publicly-funded 2-year colleges and the J Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC) is the only one to have made Richmond its home. Located in a thriving Richmond suburb, JSRCC serves a community of working families that are vital to the local economy and the local workforce. A 2017 NCES report notes that JSRCC serves an average of just over 9,300 students each academic year and that 18% of the graduating class finished their nursing courses within 150% of the standard time of completion. This suggests statistically, that JSRCC serves a high volume of working students. This school has a higher than average student to teacher ratio of 18 students to every one instructor. JSRCC is a popular school for students who either need to bring their GPAs to a higher level before qualifying for other schools or who intend to work while they pursue a degree. JSRCC graduates are sought after by employers who appreciate the long hours and determination required of non-traditional students. This school has a student retention rate of 63%.

• Available Nursing Courses: LPN, ADN, & LPN to ADN
• NCLEX Pass Rates: PN – 93.1%; RN – 91.4%
• Tuition & Administration Fees: $9,674 / $510

Methodology

These nursing schools in Richmond, VA have been ranked according to the quality of the nursing programs they offer, as well as for their connectivity with the larger medical community in Richmond. As usual, we use the NCES standard of 150% of the standardized course completion time to be a median measure of the time it takes students to reasonably finish their courses. As life inevitably gets in the way of scholastics, especially with hard-working nursing students, this is considered to be an adequate measure. Other considerations include the cost of tuition and class size. Because so many nursing students also work full or part-time as they pursue their degrees, we also prioritize schools that respect the needs of working students.

Choosing the school is always a highly personal choice. You should first consider those whose graduates are in the highest demand, and those with tuition costs you can most easily afford. To learn more, and get help finding the best nursing school for you, get in touch today. Out academic counselors are eager to answer your questions. We look forward to hearing from you.