Compare NCLEX pass rates, tuition, clinical sites, and admission requirements for every Orlando-area BSN program.
Orlando's healthcare sector added more than 30,000 jobs over the past five years, driven by major systems like AdventHealth and Orlando Health. That expansion has turned the metro into a magnet for nursing students, but it also raises the stakes for picking a program that aligns with employer expectations, clinical access, and licensure outcomes.
Ranked schools, NCLEX performance data, and net-price comparisons reveal wide gaps among Orlando-area BSN programs. Lake Mary, in particular, has grown into a satellite campus hub for schools like Grand Canyon University, offering accelerated and evening tracks that cater to working adults and career changers.
Florida's BSN demand continues to outpace ADN hiring in acute-care settings, making program choice a direct factor in early-career mobility.
The Orlando and Lake Mary area offers a range of nursing programs, but only a few are directly embedded in the local healthcare community. Our ranking prioritizes schools with strong NCLEX performance, regional clinical partnerships, and proven graduate outcomes. For a statewide view of nursing education, explore Florida nursing schools on topnursing.org.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | $10,000/yr | Orlando-area aspiring nurses | |
University of Central Florida is the primary public university serving the Orlando metro, with its College of Nursing located on the Academic Health Sciences Campus in Lake Nona. The traditional BSN is a limited-access, upper-division program spanning five semesters and boasts NCLEX-RN pass rates above state and national averages. Students benefit from clinical rotations at major Orlando-area hospitals, including AdventHealth and Orlando Health, and a growing health sciences corridor. UCF also offers an accelerated second-degree BSN for career changers.
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| #2 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | ~$7,000/yr (est.) | High-achieving in-state students | |
The University of Florida in Gainesville offers a top-ranked BSN program recognized nationally and as the best in Florida. Its comprehensive curriculum blends rigorous academics with clinical practice, and students can choose from traditional, accelerated, and RN-to-BSN tracks. UF boasts high NCLEX pass rates, cutting-edge simulation labs, and access to UF Health facilities, though clinical placements are centered in Gainesville and Jacksonville rather than Orlando.
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| #3 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | $11,000/yr | Students wanting a fast-track BSN | |
Florida State University's BSN program in Tallahassee is a nationally accredited, four-semester prelicensure pathway that emphasizes holistic admissions. Students complete 15-16 months of full-time study with hands-on clinicals in community, hospital, and home settings. Admission requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and prerequisite courses; the program considers community engagement and work experience alongside academics.
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| #4 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | ~$9,000/yr (est.) | ||
Florida International University in Miami provides multiple nursing pathways, including a traditional BSN, an accelerated BSN for degree holders, and a Direct Entry MSN for foreign-educated physicians. The programs utilize the S.T.A.R. Center for simulation education and offer clinical experiences across South Florida. All tracks prepare graduates for NCLEX-RN and advanced practice roles, but none have Orlando-area instructional or clinical sites.
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| #5 | University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | $10,000/yr | ||
University of South Florida in Tampa offers BSN pathways through its Upper Division, Accelerated Second Degree, and Veteran to BSN (V-CARE) tracks. The Upper Division pathway is a traditional five-semester program for students without a prior degree, while the accelerated option is 16 months for career changers. Clinical placements are concentrated in the Tampa Bay region, though some Orlando-area students may commute.
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| #6 | University of North Florida | Jacksonville, FL | $10,000 – $15,000/yr | ||
University of North Florida in Jacksonville provides a Prelicensure BSN and a Freshman Admit Nursing (FAN) track. The Prelicensure BSN is for students with 60 semester hours and emphasizes community-based clinicals, while the FAN program admits freshmen directly into a four-year BSN. Both prepare graduates for the NCLEX-RN, but clinical sites are Jacksonville-focused, not Orlando.
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| #7 | University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | $37,000/yr (net price) | ||
University of Miami in Coral Gables, a private institution, offers a traditional four-year BSN, a 12-month accelerated BSN for career changers, and a hybrid RN-to-BSN for working nurses. The curriculum emphasizes interprofessional collaboration and clinical practice through the University of Miami Health System. Despite strong outcomes, the programs are based in South Florida with no Orlando-specific access.
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| #8 | Southeastern College-West Palm Beach | West Palm Beach, FL | ~$29,000/yr (est.) | ||
Southeastern College in West Palm Beach offers an Associate in Applied Science in Nursing, a 25-month program blending classroom and clinical instruction. It prepares students for the NCLEX-RN and entry-level nursing roles. While affordable and with high completion rates, the nursing AAS is not a BSN and is located outside the Orlando area.
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| #9 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL | $5,000 – $17,000/yr | ||
Florida Atlantic University's BSN program in Boca Raton uses a hybrid learning model with 840 clinical hours across diverse settings. CCNE-accredited, it reports high NCLEX-RN pass rates and emphasizes a caring science approach. Graduates are also eligible for AHNCC certification, but the program lacks an Orlando footprint.
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| #10 | Antigua College International | Miami Lakes, FL | $29,000/yr | ||
Antigua College International in Miami Lakes offers a hybrid BSN spanning 42 months, integrating lectures, labs, and 450 clinical hours. The curriculum emphasizes clinical judgment, ethics, and leadership. Financial aid is available, but program-level earnings and graduate debt data are not reported.
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Finding the right nursing program in Orlando isn't just about which school carries the most prestige, it's about separating solid clinical training from an overwhelming debt load. Our rankings evaluate Orlando and Lake Mary schools using four measurable pillars: NCLEX first-time pass rates, median earnings of graduates, institution-wide completion rates, and net price after financial aid.
Graduation rate figures are institution-wide, not BSN-specific. We include this data because it indicates how effectively a school supports students through to a credential, but it is not a nursing program retention statistic. This transparency lets you weigh institutional track record against program-level strengths.
Outcomes and affordability carry more weight than brand recognition. Schools with high NCLEX scores, strong earnings, and reasonable net price rank higher, whether public or private. Because private colleges often list higher sticker prices, we compare net price after aid, sector-adjusted to reflect typical aid packages.
How do BSN programs in the Orlando and Lake Mary area perform on the NCLEX-RN? NCLEX pass rates are one of the most telling indicators of a program's effectiveness in preparing students for licensure. While individual school data varies, Florida's Board of Nursing publishes annual reports that let you compare first-time pass rates across programs.
The Florida Board of Nursing releases an annual NCLEX report with first-time pass rates for every approved nursing program in the state. You can download these reports directly from the Florida Board of Nursing website. For the most precise picture, check the report for the testing year closest to your intended enrollment and look for the school names you are considering, such as the University of Central Florida, AdventHealth University, or Seminole State College. Some schools also post their recent NCLEX performance on their own nursing program pages, so visiting those sites is a useful double-check.
To interpret a program's numbers, you need context. In 2023, the first-time NCLEX pass rate for all RN candidates nationwide was 88.56%. Florida's statewide average for all RN programs that year was 76.75%1, reflecting regional variation. A BSN program in the Orlando metro that consistently meets or beats the national figure is performing well, while a rate near or above the state average may still indicate solid preparation, especially if the program serves a diverse or nontraditional student body.
Pass rates matter, but they aren't the whole story. Consider them alongside other factors: clinical placement quality, faculty support, and graduate employment outcomes. The NCLEX is a gatekeeping exam, so a program that invests in NCLEX prep resources and has a supportive curriculum can boost your odds. For a broader sense of nursing demand in the region, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Florida workforce data. These sources show job growth projections and highlight where new nurses are needed most.
Net price after financial aid varies widely among Orlando-area nursing programs. Public institutions like Indian River State College offer the lowest net cost, while the University of Florida delivers the highest long-term earnings potential. The best value blend comes from schools such as Indian River State College and Gulf Coast State College, which pair low net cost with above-average median earnings.
The nursing programs you can pursue in the Orlando area fall into three main tracks: a traditional four-year BSN, an accelerated BSN for career changers who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, and an RN-to-BSN completion program for current registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma. Each path has a different structure, timeline, and entry point.
A traditional BSN is the standard route for students starting college or transferring credits. It usually spans four years of full-time study and includes both general education and nursing prerequisites. In Orlando, the University of Central Florida (UCF) offers its traditional BSN at the main campus, while AdventHealth University and Herzing University in Orlando also admit pre-licensure BSN cohorts. Rasmussen University’s campus in Orlando provides a traditional BSN as well. For the most current program length, credit hours, and start dates for 2025 to 2026, visit each school’s official nursing webpage and look for the “BSN” or “Pre-Licensure” program details. Because start dates and seat availability can shift, calling the admissions office directly is the best way to get live information.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree and want to move into nursing quickly, an accelerated BSN condenses the curriculum into 12 to 18 months of intensive study. AdventHealth University (formerly Adventist University of Health Sciences) offers an ABSN in Orlando, designed for second-degree students. Herzing University in Orlando also advertises an accelerated option. Grand Canyon University’s Lake Mary site may have ABSN cohorts, though availability varies, so contact the location for the latest schedule. When researching an ABSN, search for terms like “accelerated BSN Orlando” or “second-degree BSN Lake Mary,” but always verify details on the school’s own .edu domain to avoid outdated third-party information.
Registered nurses with an ADN can earn their BSN through an RN-to-BSN bridge, often completed online or in hybrid format in as few as 12 months, with some of the fastest RN-to-BSN programs available. UCF, AdventHealth University, GCU Lake Mary, Herzing, and Rasmussen all offer RN-to-BSN tracks. Credit requirements typically range from 30 to 40 credits, but this depends on your prior coursework. To confirm exactly how your credits transfer and which core nursing courses are needed, reach out to each program’s nursing department. The Florida Board of Nursing maintains a list of approved programs, which can help you verify that a school’s RN-to-BSN meets state requirements.
No ranking or table can substitute for a direct conversation with an admissions counselor. Consult government data sources for broad overviews of nursing education, but rely on each school’s website for program-specific data. Before applying, call or email to ask about 2025 to 2026 cohort start dates, clinical placement sites, and any recent curriculum changes. A quick Google search for the program name plus “cohort calendar” often surfaces the most up-to-date academic schedule. If you are weighing a traditional versus accelerated path, also consider your pace and finances; accelerated tracks are faster but may require a full-time commitment that limits outside work.
What does it actually take to get accepted into a BSN program in Orlando? The answer goes well beyond meeting posted minimums.
At the University of Central Florida, Orlando’s largest BSN producer, the baseline is a 3.0 cumulative GPA, but competitive applicants typically present higher. You’ll need a 78% or better on the ATI TEAS exam; UCF allows up to three attempts per calendar year, with 30 days between attempts. Prerequisites like anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry must be completed with at least a C, and all but one must be finished by the application deadline.
UCF’s overall undergraduate admission rate hovers around 40%, but its nursing program is “limited access,” meaning only a fraction of qualified applicants are accepted each cycle. Actual nursing admit rates are not published, but anecdotally, you’ll need to exceed the minimums to be competitive. The same pattern holds across other Orlando-area BSN programs.
Most Florida BSN programs admit for fall and spring start dates, with early deadlines. UCF’s concurrent ASN-BSN pathway reviews applications three times a year (deadlines in March, July, and November), while the second-degree BSN has a single summer admission cycle with a January nursing application window. Align your prerequisite timeline accordingly.
Nursing salaries in the Orlando area land above Florida’s state average1, though they sit just below the national median, a gap the region’s moderate cost of living helps close. If you’re about to invest in a BSN program, real-world wage data paints a clear picture of the return you can expect.
Program-level early-career earnings aren’t yet available for the schools on this list. Still, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metropolitan area offers a reliable benchmark. The mean annual wage for registered nurses here is $87,230, per O*NET data.2 Most new graduates start between the 25th percentile ($72,400) and 75th percentile ($105,500)2, with mid-career nurses often reaching the upper end of that range as they gain experience and certifications.
Orlando’s cost of living runs slightly below the national average, and Florida’s lack of a state income tax lets you keep more of your paycheck. That means an RN salary stretches further here than in many higher-cost metros. While the local mean trails the national RN median of $93,6001, housing, utilities, and everyday expenses weigh less on your budget, making the take-home pay competitive for the area.
Prospective nursing students often have similar questions about BSN programs in the Orlando area. Here are straightforward answers to help you get started.
Florida’s BSN programs post a first-time NCLEX pass rate near 91%, and several Orlando-area schools meet or exceed that benchmark. The region gives you a range of choices: traditional BSNs at large publics like UCF, accelerated tracks for career changers, and affordable RN-to-BSN completions. Net price varies sharply; public institutions often deliver strong value, so comparing actual cost alongside pass rates is essential. For a broader search, the statewide Florida nursing school rankings include options well beyond the metro area.
