Compare costs, NCLEX pass rates, and program formats for Falls Church-area nursing programs side by side.
The Northern Virginia healthcare corridor continues to expand, and Falls Church sits squarely within it, placing nursing students near major clinical employers like Inova Health System. Demand for registered nurses in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area pushes BSN programs to compete on clinical placement, NCLEX readiness, and flexibility: accelerated and hybrid formats have become common. Net price after aid can swing from under $5,000 to over $20,000 per year, making financial aid packaging as important as the admission itself. Graduates who log clinical hours in local specialty units often find job offers waiting, but the cost of living and commute times around I-66 shape every school choice.
These top-ranked nursing programs within a realistic commute of Falls Church reflect a mix of local public universities, DC metro privates, and accessible online options. Each school profile highlights what sets it apart, from direct-entry MSN pathways to RN-to-BSN completions and traditional four-year BSNs, along with key stats on net price and institution-wide graduation rates.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | George Mason University | Fairfax, VA | $15,000 – $20,000/yr | Northern Virginia commute-friendly BSN | |
George Mason University's nursing school sits just a short commute from Falls Church in Fairfax, VA, and builds its BSN pathways around Northern Virginia clinical partners like Inova Health System. Its traditional four-year BSN starts nursing coursework in the first year, while the accelerated second degree track lets career changers finish in 12 months, both with extensive simulation and community health experiences tied to local population needs.
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| #2 | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $19,000/yr (net price) | Career changers seeking an elite MSN | |
Johns Hopkins University offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Entry into Nursing program for college graduates without a nursing background. The full-time, on-campus curriculum runs five semesters and weaves in leadership, evidence-based practice, and global health perspectives, with clinicals arranged in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Hopkins' strong reputation and high graduate earnings potential make it a compelling pick for those willing to relocate or commute about an hour from Falls Church.
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| #3 | Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $40,000 – $45,000/yr | Values-driven clinical immersion | |
Georgetown University's four-year BSN grounds students in Jesuit values and experiential learning, with over 800 clinical and simulation hours including rotations at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. The program reports high NCLEX pass rates and offers study abroad, an honors track, and a Nursing Mentoring Academy. Falls Church students benefit from its DC location just a short Metro ride away, and the school also houses a direct-entry MSN for career changers.
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| #4 | Saint Michael College of Allied Health | Washington, DC | $39,000/yr | ||
Saint Michael College of Allied Health in Washington, DC provides an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Nursing that prepares students for NCLEX-RN licensure in 24 months. The program totals 70 credits and emphasizes acute and chronic care, with clinical experiences in diverse healthcare settings. Its location just over the District line makes it a manageable commute for some Falls Church students seeking a private, career-focused ADN option.
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| #5 | George Washington University | Washington, DC | ~$37,000/yr (est.) | ||
George Washington University offers a BSN with multiple entry points, including an accelerated track for degree holders and a Veterans BSN pathway. The four-semester professional component blends rigorous coursework with practical clinical experience, preparing students for hospital, community health, and leadership roles. Its Foggy Bottom campus in DC is easily reachable from Falls Church via public transit, and the school's strong median earnings reflect its metro-DC employer connections.
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| #6 | Towson University | Towson, MD | ~$17,000/yr (est.) | ||
Towson University's BSN is a screened major that accepts students after two years of prerequisite coursework, leading to strong NCLEX pass rates consistently above the Maryland average. The public university also hosts an entry-level MSN with a 100% NCLEX pass rate and year-round enrollment. Located north of Baltimore, it sits within the 65-mile radius and draws many graduates to DC-area employers.
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| #7 | American Public University System | Charles Town, WV | $5,000 – $10,000/yr | ||
American Public University System's fully online RN-to-BSN is built for working registered nurses, accepting up to 90 transfer credits and granting 30 credits automatically for an active RN license. Eight-week courses and no set login times let nurses balance work in Northern Virginia while advancing their degree. Free textbooks and a preferred military rate add to its affordability, though the program is not open to DC residents.
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| #8 | University of Mary Washington | Fredericksburg, VA | $21,000/yr (net price) | ||
University of Mary Washington's hybrid RN-to-BSN completion program recognizes an RN license for 41 credits and can be finished in as little as one year. Ten courses blend liberal arts and advanced nursing topics delivered in eight-week blocks, with personal mentorship woven throughout. Fredericksburg's location offers a reverse-commute option for Falls Church nurses or a mostly online path with limited on-campus visits.
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| #9 | The Catholic University of America | Washington, DC | ~$30,000/yr (est.) | ||
The Catholic University of America's Conway School of Nursing delivers a rigorous BSN grounded in Catholic intellectual tradition and person-centered care. Students gain hands-on experience through clinical rotations at top DC-area hospitals and can add a Spanish for Health Care Certificate. Located in Northeast DC, the campus is a reasonable commute from Falls Church, and institutional aid helps offset the private tuition.
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| #10 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | Baltimore, MD | |||
University of Maryland, Baltimore’s School of Nursing offers an upper-division BSN that packs 720 clinical hours and a competency-based curriculum into four semesters. The school also runs a fully online RN-to-BSN and a direct-entry MSN for career changers. UMB is a bit farther than some DC options but still within the 65-mile radius, and its top-10 ranking plus strong graduate earnings appeal to ambitious Falls Church commuters.
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Unlike rankings that lean on reputation surveys or admission selectivity, our list prioritizes what actually happens after enrollment. We built this ranking around four performance signals that matter most to aspiring nurses: NCLEX pass rates, net price after financial aid, institution-wide graduation rates, and early-career earnings drawn from the College Scorecard.
We pulled recent NCLEX pass rates directly from state nursing board disclosures, giving us a clear read on how well each program prepares students for the licensure exam. Net price reflects the average amount students pay after grants and scholarships, so it offers a realistic cost baseline, not a sticker price. Graduation rates capture the share of students who finish their degrees at each institution, a useful proxy for student support and academic momentum.
Earnings data come from the federal College Scorecard and show median salary one year after leaving school, allowing us to factor in the return on your tuition investment. Because these figures are drawn from the Falls Church area and its immediate radius, the ranking is tuned to local labor market realities rather than a generic national sample.
Net price, what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, ranges from about $4,100 at Paul D Camp Community College to $6,000 at Laurel Ridge, a spread that reflects the public community college model and high Pell grant eligibility across these schools. Median federal student debt among graduates runs from $6,880 to $11,000, adding important context for the long-term cost picture.
What NCLEX-RN pass rates can you expect from nursing schools in Falls Church, and how do graduates fare financially after earning their license?
The Virginia Board of Nursing reports first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates1 for all pre-licensure programs in the state, including those near Falls Church. Arizona College of Nursing, Falls Church and Chamberlain University, Tysons Corner both offer BSN programs with publicly reported outcomes, while Standard Healthcare Services College of Nursing prepares students through an RN program. Although exact figures vary year to year, BSN programs in the region generally post pass rates above the state average, reflecting strong preparation. Prospective students should consult the Virginia Board of Nursing's online testing pass rate portal for the most recent data.
Program-level earnings data for Falls Church-area nursing schools is still limited. The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard does not yet report 1-year and 4-year median earnings for these specific programs. However, longer-term data from comparable Virginia BSN programs paints an encouraging picture. For instance, graduates of the University of Virginia's nursing program see median earnings of $86,863 a decade after entry, while George Mason University alumni earn $76,343. These figures suggest strong upward mobility for nurses trained in the state. Context is critical: the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan area, which includes Falls Church, has some of the highest median RN wages in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This local demand amplifies the return on a nursing degree from a quality program.
The Falls Church area offers nursing programs in campus, online, and hybrid formats, giving students a range of options to fit their lives. Chamberlain University’s Tysons Corner location delivers its BSN in a hybrid model that combines online coursework with in-person labs and clinical experiences. Arizona College of Nursing in Falls Church blends online general education classes with on-campus nursing instruction, creating a flexible foundation. For working RNs seeking to advance, the University of Virginia’s RN-to-BSN program meets in a hybrid, part-time format at a Fairfax cohort site, allowing students to complete the 30-credit degree over 24 months while maintaining employment. Standard Healthcare Services College of Nursing provides practical nursing and LPN-to-RN pathways on campus, though scheduling details for those programs are limited.
Working adults in Northern Virginia will find dedicated scheduling options at several schools. Chamberlain’s Evening & Weekend BSN explicitly caters to students who cannot attend traditional 9-to-5 classes. Arizona College’s hybrid general education courses can be taken online on a flexible schedule, but the nursing-specific courses are in-person during daytime hours. UVA’s RN-to-BSN program is built for part-time learners, with hybrid courses that reduce on-site time to accommodate work schedules. If you are looking for a program that fully avoids weekday classes, Chamberlain’s evening/weekend track is the most direct fit.
Students who have completed prior college coursework or already hold a bachelor’s degree can accelerate their entry into nursing. Chamberlain University welcomes transfer credits and offers an advanced standing option for second-degree students, effectively shortening the BSN timeline. Arizona College of Nursing also accepts transfer credits, though it does not operate a formal accelerated BSN (ABSN) track, meaning prior degrees may reduce general education requirements but not necessarily the nursing sequence. UVA’s RN-to-BSN is a degree-completion pathway for licensed RNs, not a second-degree BSN; it requires an existing RN license and awards a bachelor’s on top of an associate or diploma. Standard Healthcare’s LPN-to-RN bridge is another stepping-stone for those already working in practical nursing.
Clinical experience is a cornerstone of any nursing education, and Falls Church programs tap into the region’s robust healthcare landscape. While individual schools do not publish definitive lists of clinical sites, students commonly complete rotations at Inova Health System facilities, including Inova Fairfax Hospital, the system’s flagship medical center, and Inova Falls Church, a community-focused hospital. Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington is another likely partner, and the proximity of military and VA medical centers opens specialty rotation possibilities. Chamberlain and Arizona College both emphasize varied clinical placements, though exact assignments depend on course schedules and availability. UVA’s RN-to-BSN program may arrange clinical practicums near students’ home regions, leveraging Fairfax’s dense clinical network.
The time it takes to earn a BSN in Falls Church depends on your chosen pathway. Traditional four-year programs are widely available at universities, while Arizona College of Nursing offers a three-year accelerated track. For career changers, accelerated BSN programs (ABSN) can be completed in 12 to 18 months at select schools. All duration estimates reflect information from school catalogs and program websites rather than internal datasets.
Choosing a nursing program involves many questions. Below are clear answers to common concerns about finding the right school in Falls Church, VA.
