Compare tuition, NCLEX pass rates, and outcomes for BSN programs serving Clearwater-area students.
Clearwater sits within the Tampa Bay healthcare corridor, where the median annual wage for registered nurses is $90,120 and hospital expansions continue to drive demand for BSN-prepared nurses. That salary reflects just how central nursing is to the region’s economy.
The city itself has few university nursing campuses, but strong BSN programs are clustered within a 30- to 75-mile radius. Students routinely commute to Tampa, St. Petersburg, and beyond for affordable public programs or rigorous private options, leveraging clinical placements in Clearwater’s own health facilities.
With new-graduate hiring increasingly competitive, program reputation and NCLEX performance can matter more than geography alone. A BSN that offers a balance of low net cost and high first-time pass rates often gives graduates an immediate edge in this tight labor market.
The following schools offer high-quality BSN programs within commuting distance of Clearwater. Each entry was evaluated on a combination of affordability, student outcomes, and program strength. Use the filters below to find the right fit for your schedule and career goals.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | $10,000/yr | Tampa Bay commuters pursuing a large public BSN | |
The University of South Florida, located in Tampa, is the largest public university in the region and a top choice for Clearwater students seeking a traditional BSN. Its College of Nursing offers multiple pathways including an upper-division track and an accelerated second-degree option, all supported by strong clinical partnerships across Tampa Bay. With a graduation rate near 77% and a net effective price around $9,812, USF balances affordability with a rigorous, hands-on curriculum.
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| #2 | Florida College | Temple Terrace, FL | $24,000/yr | Faith-oriented learners wanting a Christian BSN | |
Florida College in Temple Terrace offers a faith-based BSN grounded in Christian principles and a liberal arts foundation. The program emphasizes holistic, patient-centered care through small cohorts and dedicated faculty. With a net effective price around $23,931 and CCNE accreditation, it provides a supportive environment for students seeking a values-driven nursing education.
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| #3 | The University of Tampa | Tampa, FL | $36,000/yr | Students seeking global clinical experiences | |
The University of Tampa's four-year BSN is known for its global health emphasis, including annual travel courses to destinations like Ghana and Costa Rica. With a reported 95% NCLEX pass rate, it consistently exceeds state and national averages. The private university's net price after aid is approximately $36,211, reflecting its investment in experiential learning and international opportunities.
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| #4 | Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay | Saint Petersburg, FL | $28,000/yr | ||
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay, situated in Saint Petersburg, focuses on accelerated pathways with its 3-year BSN for students new to nursing. The school emphasizes flexibility with four start dates per year and support services like personalized advising and on-demand tutoring. Its net effective price is around $28,197, and it provides modern clinical learning labs for hands-on practice.
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| #5 | Pasco-Hernando State College | New Port Richey, FL | $5,000 – $10,000/yr | ||
Pasco-Hernando State College in New Port Richey serves both pre-licensure and working RNs with its ASN and online RN-to-BSN completion. The public college has a very low net price of about $5,203, making it one of the most affordable options in the region. The BSN is designed for ADN- or diploma-prepared nurses seeking leadership and community health training through a fully online format.
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| #6 | Hillsborough Community College | Tampa, FL | $4,000/yr (net price) | ||
Hillsborough Community College in Tampa offers an ACEN-accredited ASN degree that provides a strong foundation for entry-level registered nursing. As a public two-year institution, it has a low net price of around $3,861, making it an economical pathway into the profession. The program is available on multiple campuses with flexible cohort scheduling.
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| #7 | St Petersburg College | St. Petersburg, FL | $1,000/yr | ||
St. Petersburg College, located just minutes from Clearwater, offers both an ACEN-accredited ASN and a fully online RN-to-BSN completion track. The ASN features a blended format with evening/weekend options and multiple start dates, while the BSN is designed for working nurses with CCNE accreditation. Its net price is exceptionally low at $1,471 for in-district students.
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| #8 | State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota | Bradenton, FL | ~$22,000/yr (est.) | ||
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota, based in Bradenton, delivers an entirely online RN-to-BSN program. It is geared toward working nurses, with affordable tuition (net price around $22,356) and flexible 5-week course sessions. SCF's open enrollment policy and focus on leadership and informatics make it a practical choice for career advancement.
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| #9 | Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa | Tampa, FL | $35,000 – $40,000/yr | ||
Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa offers a 3-year CCNE-accredited BSN designed for students starting their nursing education from scratch. The program combines general education, nursing theory, and clinical rotations, with state-of-the-art simulation labs. Its net price after aid is approximately $36,680, and it enrolls new students every eight weeks.
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| #10 | Ultimate Medical Academy | Clearwater, FL | $20,000 – $25,000/yr | ||
Ultimate Medical Academy, based in Clearwater itself, offers an Associate of Science in Nursing degree with a hybrid format. The program includes 615 clinical hours and a dedicated NCLEX-RN review. Its net effective price is around $20,457, and it provides career services to support job placement after graduation.
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Choosing a nursing program isn't just about reputation. It's about whether graduates pass the NCLEX, finish on time, and land jobs that justify the cost. We rank schools by combining the outcomes that matter most to future nurses.
Our composite ranking weighs four pieces of public data in a single picture. NCLEX first-time pass rates capture how well a program prepares you for licensure, the hurdle every new nurse must clear. Institution-wide graduation rate reflects the likelihood you'll finish your bachelor's degree once enrolled (not a nursing-specific figure, but a strong signal of student support). Net price after aid is the average amount students actually pay, not the sticker price, and helps you gauge affordability without guesswork. Finally, we factor median earnings after attendance from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard to estimate whether graduates see a salary that repays the investment.
All schools sit within a 75-mile radius of Clearwater, which conveniently captures the full Tampa Bay metro area: St. Petersburg, Tampa, and the surrounding communities. If the net price shown is a rough estimate, it's because federal averages can vary by income level; we present the typical figure so you can compare programs on even ground. Graduation rates are institution-wide, meaning they include all majors, not just nursing, but remain a useful benchmark for student success.
Many directories simply list nearby schools without explaining why those schools appear. By showing exactly which metrics matter and where the numbers come from, you can trust the ranking to reflect real student outcomes, not marketing claims or superficial prestige.
The sticker price can be misleading. The figures below reflect the average net price after grants and scholarships, giving a clearer picture of what students actually pay. Public colleges in the region show a tight range, with Indian River State College the most affordable and the University of Florida at the higher end.
Size doesn't guarantee success: smaller cohorts often match or surpass the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates of large public universities. In the Tampa Bay area, all BSN programs near Clearwater exceed the statewide average for nursing schools in Florida, but their pass rates still vary enough to affect your decision.
Florida’s statewide first-time NCLEX-RN average for BSN graduates is 84.9% (2024)2, while the national average sits at 91.16%2. Every program listed above clears the state benchmark, and most beat the national figure. The combined pass rate for Tampa Bay BSN programs is 95.9%1, signaling that the region’s nursing schools consistently prepare students well above both state and national norms.
BSN programs near Clearwater fall into three distinct categories depending on your educational background and career stage. Traditional tracks are for students starting from scratch, accelerated options serve those with a prior bachelor's degree, and RN-to-BSN programs help current registered nurses advance their credentials.
These programs admit students without prior nursing experience and combine general education, nursing theory, and clinical rotations. In the Clearwater area, campus-based pre-licensure BSN options include Galen College of Nursing's 3-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing in Tampa Bay, Arizona College of Nursing's 3-year BSN in Tampa, South University's Tampa campus BSN, and Rasmussen University's hybrid BSN near Tampa/Brandon. Most traditional BSNs take about three to four years to complete.
Accelerated or second-degree BSNs are designed for individuals who already hold a bachelor's in another field and want to transition into nursing quickly. Near Clearwater, Galen College of Nursing and Rasmussen University both offer accelerated tracks. These intensive programs typically run 12 to 18 months, building on previous college credits to focus solely on nursing coursework and clinicals.
For registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma, RN-to-BSN programs provide the most flexible path to a bachelor's. Many Florida schools deliver these programs fully online, making them ideal for working RNs in Clearwater. St. Petersburg College offers a fully online RN-to-BSN, and Galen, Rasmussen, and Keiser University also have RN-to-BSN options, often with part-time or self-paced schedules. Completion time is usually one to two years.
What salary can new BSN graduates expect for their nursing careers in Clearwater? The latest data for registered nurses in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area put the median annual wage at $90,120 (about $43.33 per hour)1. That is slightly below the national RN median of $93,600 per year but outpaces Florida’s overall average of $80,9602. While starting pay for BSN holders typically lands below these medians, the figures signal a strong earning trajectory for graduates who remain in the region.
Graduates from nursing programs near Clearwater benefit from a dense network of healthcare facilities. Leading employers include: - BayCare Health System, anchored by Morton Plant Hospital in downtown Clearwater. - AdventHealth, with multiple campuses across the Tampa Bay area. - HCA Florida, which operates several acute-care hospitals in the region. These systems routinely hire new BSN-prepared nurses, and many offer tuition reimbursement or residency programs to support continued education2.
Florida’s demand for registered nurses is projected to grow faster than the national average over the next decade, driven by an aging population and expanding medical services. Specific program-level earnings for recent BSN alumni in the local rankings are not yet available, but the regional salary data and hiring trends point to a favorable job market for Clearwater-area nursing graduates.
Choosing the right BSN program involves careful comparison of accreditations, costs, and outcomes. Below we tackle five frequently asked questions from aspiring nurses in Clearwater, drawing on data covering schools within a 75-mile radius. Our goal is to help you filter options and understand what to look for in a nursing program near Clearwater.
Which BSN program near Clearwater fits your career timeline and budget? The Tampa Bay metro offers several accredited tracks, from traditional four-year degrees to accelerated and RN-to-BSN options. While all programs exceed Florida's average NCLEX-RN pass rate, first-time results still differ enough to warrant a close look. Net price after aid, often lower than advertised, adds another layer of comparison, with public colleges like Indian River State College keeping costs competitive.
Request program brochures, explore school websites, or scroll up to the directory to compare the full list of schools within reach.
