US News & World Report Ranks UR Nursing Undergraduate Programs # 23 in the Nation

The University of Rochester School of Nursing’s bachelor’s-level programs are number 23 in the nation according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. This is the third year the national magazine has ranked undergraduate nursing programs.

“I am thrilled to share the remarkable news that our undergraduate nursing programs have been ranked No. 23 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. This ranking underscores our commitment to equip nurses with the knowledge, skills, and compassion needed to truly excel in their practice,” said UR Nursing Dean Lisa Kitko, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN.

“It is also a testament to the hard work of our faculty. Their tireless efforts to nurture and mold exceptional nurses has transformed our nursing programs into a powerhouse of education and preparation. With our incredible University environment, expert faculty, and access to a world-class medical system, our students are prepared to shape the future of health care as leaders in the nursing profession, bold advocates, and knowledge-driven researchers and practitioners.”

The UR School of Nursing offers several programs that award a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, including the Dual Degree in Nursing program, RN to BS Completion program, and the Accelerated Bachelor’s Program for Non-Nurses.

This past January, the UR School of Nursing also announced a new opportunity for college graduates with a bachelor’s degree to pursue a second career in nursing with 100 percent tuition coverage. The UR Nursing Scholars program offers a tuition-free nursing education in exchange for a three-year work commitment at Strong or Highland hospitals upon graduation.

The recent rankings are based solely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty members of nursing schools and departments at institutions around the country. To have received the survey and be ranked, an institution’s nursing school or department that offers the BSN degree must have met both of these criteria:

• Be accredited at the bachelor’s level by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
• Be a regionally accredited institution that awarded at least 40 BSN degrees, according to 2020-2021 data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Data Center.

In the spring and summer of 2023, U.S. News surveyed deans and senior faculty members at each of the 657 undergraduate BSN degree-granting nursing programs that met the above criteria. All 694 were ranked.

These deans and faculty members were asked to rate the academic quality of peer institutions’ BSN programs on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2) or marginal (1). Individuals who were unfamiliar with a particular school's programs were asked to select "don't know."

See the full rankings at USNews.com/best-colleges/rankings/nursing-overall.