Compare NCLEX pass rates, costs, and outcomes at ranked BSN programs across New York State.
With one of the highest employment levels for registered nurses in the country, New York’s healthcare system is anchored by major academic medical centers and a dense network of hospitals. The 2026 ranking includes 29 BSN programs, spanning public SUNY and CUNY colleges, private research universities, and a hospital-based associate pathway. Net prices range from under $3,000 at CUNY Lehman and Hunter to over $47,000 at some private institutions, with most programs campus-based.
Because graduates from public and private schools in the state report comparable earnings by year four, the upfront cost difference often defines the return on investment for nursing students.
New York's top nursing programs span the state's public SUNY and CUNY systems alongside selective private universities. This year's ranking includes a hospital-based associate program, several research-intensive BSN pathways, and accelerated options for career changers. Each school was chosen based on a mix of institutional data, affordability, and graduate outcomes.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Belanger School of Nursing | Schenectady, NY | $13,000/yr | Hospital-based RN with seamless BSN transfer | |
A hospital-based program operated by Ellis Medicine, the Belanger School of Nursing offers an Associate in Science degree that combines science courses at SUNY Schenectady with nursing training in a clinical setting. Graduates are eligible for New York RN licensure and can transfer seamlessly into multiple BSN-completion programs through formal articulation agreements. An evening/weekend option extends the timeline for working adults.
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| #2 | Binghamton University | Vestal, NY | $20,000 – $25,000/yr | Flexible BSN paths for career changers | |
Binghamton University's Decker School of Nursing provides multiple BSN pathways: a traditional four-year program, a 12-month accelerated track for second-degree students, and a fully online RN-to-BS completion option. The curriculum integrates liberal arts with intensive clinical experiences, and graduates consistently perform well on the NCLEX-RN. The school's strong ties to regional healthcare systems support diverse clinical placements.
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| #3 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | $19,000/yr | Research-intensive RN prep at SUNY flagship | |
Stony Brook University's School of Nursing offers a research-driven approach to pre-licensure education through a two-year basic baccalaureate program and a 12-month accelerated option. Both tracks emphasize clinical competence, evidence-based practice, and professional values, with hands-on experiences starting early in the curriculum. The school's location on Long Island provides access to a wide range of clinical sites.
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| #4 | New York University | New York, NY | $37,000/yr | ||
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing provides a traditional four-year BSN and an accelerated 15-month track in the heart of New York City. The curriculum emphasizes health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacotherapy alongside extensive clinical placements at NYU Langone and other leading hospitals. Both programs prepare students for NCLEX-RN licensure and offer study abroad opportunities during the sophomore year.
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| #5 | CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY | $3,000/yr | ||
CUNY Hunter College's BS in Nursing combines a liberal arts education with rigorous nursing training on its Manhattan campus. The competitive program requires a minimum 3.2 GPA for admission and leads to NCLEX-RN eligibility. As a public CUNY institution, it offers very low net price and serves a diverse student body, with clinical placements concentrated in New York City hospitals and clinics.
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| #6 | University at Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | $20,000 – $25,000/yr | ||
University at Buffalo's Traditional Baccalaureate in Nursing Program combines biomedical and social sciences with clinical practice. The 120-credit curriculum includes over 600 hours of clinical experience, with innovative Dedicated Education Units for hands-on learning. As a SUNY flagship in upstate New York, it provides affordable in-state tuition and strong connections to Western New York healthcare employers.
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| #7 | University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | $29,000/yr | ||
University of Rochester's School of Nursing offers accelerated pathways for degree holders: a full-time 12-month ABSN, a part-time 24-month hybrid ABSN, and a 16-month Direct Entry MSN. All programs leverage the university's academic medical center, with clinical rotations at Strong Memorial Hospital. Generous scholarships, including full-tuition awards for select cohorts, make these intensive programs more accessible.
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| #8 | Touro University | New York, NY | $30,000/yr (net price) | ||
Touro University offers a campus-based BSN in Brooklyn and an AAS in Nursing in Manhattan, both focused on preparing students for New York RN licensure. The BSN requires 125 credits and a third-party entrance exam, while the AAS provides a direct route into nursing with full-time tuition of $8,400 per semester. Both programs emphasize hands-on patient care and are designed for students seeking employment in NYC-area healthcare settings.
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| #9 | CUNY Lehman College | Bronx, NY | $3,000/yr (net price) | ||
CUNY Lehman College, located in the Bronx, offers an affordable, CCNE-accredited BS in Nursing and a fully online RN-to-BS program. The campus-based BSN provides rigorous clinical training, while the online completion option allows working RNs to earn a BSN in 12-18 months at an in-state tuition of about $305 per credit. Both programs serve the diverse communities of New York City and prepare students for nursing leadership.
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| #10 | Helene Fuld College of Nursing | New York, NY | $47,000/yr (net price) | ||
Helene Fuld College of Nursing is a stand-alone nursing college in Manhattan offering a 28-month Generic BSN for students without prior nursing education. The 121-credit program integrates nursing, sciences, and liberal arts with clinical sessions in NYC healthcare facilities. Graduates benefit from the school's high median earnings of $111,027 and strong return on investment, with a focus on environmental and community health impacts.
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A ranking can’t capture everything about a nursing program, but it can surface the tradeoffs that matter most when tuition, job prospects, and long-term earnings are on the line. Our approach focuses on publicly available data points that reflect real student outcomes, not prestige or subjective opinion.
We draw on the College Scorecard and similar federal sources to evaluate each school across a handful of concrete measures:
Many nursing school rankings don’t explain how they arrive at their results. That lack of disclosure makes it impossible to know whether a list is driven by reputation surveys, advertising relationships, or cherry-picked data. By sharing our methodology openly, we aim to build the kind of trust that aligns with the E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) that Google values. You deserve to know what’s being measured and what isn’t.
Equally important is what we leave out. These rankings intentionally do not include:
Because these factors heavily influence your training experience, you’ll want to weigh them alongside our ranking. We provide state-specific NCLEX pass rate data elsewhere to help you cross-reference.
Think of our list as a starting point, not a final verdict. A school that ranks lower on cost might be a perfect fit if it offers a specialty track you’re passionate about. A program with lower early earnings might serve a region where nurses are in desperate need. Combine our data with campus visits, conversations with current students, and your own priorities to make the most informed choice.
Net price for New York BSN programs spans from under $3,000 at public CUNY colleges to over $47,000 at private institutions, with SUNY and CUNY schools reliably clustering at the lowest end. These figures are institution-wide averages from the latest IPEDS data; individual financial aid packages vary. Monthly loan payment estimates are not reported for most programs, so the table focuses on net price and median debt at completion.
| Institution | Sector | Net Price | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Hunter College | Public | $2,984 | $11,000 |
| CUNY Lehman College | Public | $3,148 | $10,950 |
| Farmingdale State College | Public | $10,867 | $14,718 |
| Belanger School of Nursing | Private | $13,185 | N/A |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute | Public | $14,164 | $17,250 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | Public | $15,016 | $13,750 |
| SUNY College at Plattsburgh | Public | $17,156 | $21,196 |
| Niagara University | Private | $17,248 | $25,475 |
| Daemen University | Private | $18,693 | $22,091 |
| Stony Brook University | Public | $18,784 | $18,228 |
| St. Joseph's University-New York | Private | $19,035 | $22,000 |
| D'Youville University | Private | $20,433 | $25,000 |
| University at Buffalo | Public | $20,995 | $19,000 |
| Binghamton University | Public | $21,620 | $18,500 |
| Le Moyne College | Private | $22,277 | $23,000 |
| New York Institute of Technology | Private | $22,443 | $23,334 |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | Private | $23,130 | $23,750 |
| Molloy University | Private | $24,347 | $27,000 |
| St. John Fisher University | Private | $28,945 | $23,250 |
| University of Rochester | Private | $29,278 | $21,000 |
| Nazareth University | Private | $29,357 | $26,038 |
| Touro University | Private | $29,627 | $15,547 |
| Adelphi University | Private | $30,783 | $25,000 |
| Siena College | Private | $33,733 | $26,561 |
| Hofstra University | Private | $34,176 | $23,621 |
| New York University | Private | $37,050 | $20,500 |
| Helene Fuld College of Nursing | Private | $47,181 | $15,250 |
What are the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for nursing schools in New York, and how do they compare to national benchmarks?
Passing the NCLEX-RN is the single non-negotiable step every nursing graduate must take before earning a license to practice. Because of that, a program’s first-time pass rate is one of the clearest signals of how well it prepares students for real-world nursing. A consistently high pass rate suggests strong curriculum, clinical placement, and faculty support; a low rate may point to gaps that could delay or derail your career.
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for graduates of New York prelicensure programs was 83.38%.1 Nationally, the 2025 first-time pass rate was 86.60%.1 That puts New York about three percentage points below the U.S. average, a gap that is meaningful but not enormous. Some states with similar nursing education footprints post rates above 90%, suggesting that New York’s collective results reflect the state’s wide diversity of program types, admission selectivity, and student demographics.
Statewide and national averages are useful benchmarks, but they hide the wide spread among individual programs. The most competitive BSN programs in New York routinely report first-time pass rates in the 90-95% range or higher, while some other schools sit in the 70s or low 80s. When you see a number like the state average of 83.38%, remember that it is pulled down by programs that graduate a smaller share of test-ready candidates.
A nursing school’s NCLEX performance is not the only measure of quality, but it is one of the most objective. First-time pass rates matter because they tell you whether students typically succeed on their first attempt, right after completing the program. Retaking the exam adds cost, delays employment, and can be stressful, so a program that consistently produces graduates who pass on the first try is doing something right.
A good rule of thumb: a first-time pass rate above 90% is generally considered strong, while rates below 80% warrant extra scrutiny. However, a single year’s dip might reflect temporary factors, so look at trends over two or three years when available. For context, the national average has hovered between 86% and 88% in recent years, so New York’s 83.38% sits on the lower side of that band, close enough that many individual programs in the state still outperform the national mark.
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions publishes annual NCLEX-RN pass rate data by school. This information is publicly available and can be a straightforward way to compare programs side by side. When you review the numbers, consider them alongside other factors: clinical hour requirements, faculty credentials, student support services, and alumni employment outcomes. Pass rates are essential, but they are most useful when viewed in the full context of the program’s overall strengths and your own learning needs.
While year-by-year program earnings are not yet available, the 10-year median earnings from the College Scorecard provide a long-term benchmark. These figures reflect the earnings of undergraduate completers from each institution, not just RN salaries.
Return on investment (ROI) for a nursing degree measures how quickly the money spent on tuition and living expenses is recouped through higher earnings. For New York BSN graduates, the calculation centers on two numbers: median federal student loan debt at program completion and median earnings approximately 10 years after entering the program. When earnings are high and debt is low, the ratio signals a degree that pays for itself rapidly.
ROI ratios vary widely among New York programs. The most striking performers combine modest borrowing with above-average pay. One Brooklyn-based accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program reports median debt of just $12,500 and median earnings of roughly $109,600, a ratio of nearly 9:1. A Manhattan college shows a similar profile: $15,250 in debt against $111,000 in earnings. Even an associate-degree program in the Capital Region, with no reported debt figure, sees graduates earning nearly $80,000 at the 10-year mark, hinting at extremely low student borrowing.
At the other end of the spectrum, some well-known universities yield solid earnings, often above $80,000, but carry median debt north of $18,000, compressing the ROI ratio to around 4:1. While those earnings are still substantial, the debt load means graduates may take longer to break even. Prospective students should weigh not just the raw salary potential but how much they’ll owe to get there.
A handful of schools stand out for delivering high pay with low debt. Among them:
These examples illustrate that the highest ROI doesn’t always come from the biggest names. Public universities and hospital-based programs can offer compelling financial outcomes, particularly when tuition is kept low.
While program-specific data track what a school’s own graduates earn, the broader BLS wage picture shows what all registered nurses in a region command. Nationally, RNs earned a median annual wage of $93,600 in 2024, with the bottom 10% at $66,030 and the top 10% at $135,320. In New York, earnings vary significantly by metro area.
The New York–Newark–Jersey City metropolitan area typically ranks among the highest-paying in the country, with median wages well above the national figure. Upstate markets like Buffalo-Cheektowaga, Rochester, and Albany-Schenectady-Troy tend to land closer to, or slightly below, the national median, yet they still offer pay that is strong when adjusted for the lower cost of living in those communities. This geographic spread means a BSN from a high-ROI school in, say, the Bronx can translate into a six-figure salary if the graduate works in the NYC metro, while the same degree might yield a more moderate income in Rochester but with lower expenses.
The earnings figures discussed here come from two distinct sources, and they measure different things. Program-level earnings are drawn from the College Scorecard, which tracks median pay 10 years after entry for students who received federal financial aid. These numbers reflect what the specific program’s completers actually earned, regardless of where they worked. By contrast, BLS occupational wages cover all registered nurses in a geographic area, including those with associate degrees, diplomas, or advanced practice roles, and across all experience levels. So a school’s reported median earnings may be higher or lower than the BLS metro-area figure, depending on where its alumni cluster and their career progression. When evaluating a program, look at both: the Scorecard data tell you what fellow graduates earn, and the BLS data show the wage landscape in your target city.
For some future nurses, the goal is to gain acceptance to a nationally ranked BSN program at a competitive university. For others, the priority is finding an affordable, accessible school that accommodates work and family obligations. In New York, both pathways can produce outstanding registered nurses. The key is matching the school to your needs. Here are five factors to evaluate as you compare BSN programs in New York.
Accreditation ensures your degree meets the standards for RN licensure and graduate school. The two main accrediting bodies are the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). In New York, virtually all BSN programs hold one or both, but confirm before you apply. CCNE accreditation is especially important if you plan to earn a master’s or doctoral degree later. Schools like NYU, Binghamton, and Hunter are CCNE-accredited, and the curriculum at these institutions is built around evidence-based practice and leadership.
Hands-on training is the heart of any nursing education. New York’s top programs leverage extensive hospital partnerships to provide diverse clinical rotations. Hofstra University collaborates with Northwell Health, the state’s largest healthcare provider, while CUNY Hunter’s Bellevue School of Nursing places students in the New York City Health + Hospitals system. University at Buffalo’s BSN includes over 600 clinical hours, and the University of Rochester’s accelerated track provides 650+ hours across multiple settings. When assessing programs, ask about the number of clinical hours, types of facilities (community clinics, trauma centers, specialty units), and whether you can complete preceptorships at sites that interest you. In RN programs in NYC, you may gain experience at hospitals like NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, or NewYork-Presbyterian, giving you a competitive edge after graduation.
Nursing schools in New York cater to a wide range of schedules. Traditional four-year BSNs are common, but if you already hold a bachelor’s degree, you can choose an accelerated BSN (ABSN). NYU’s 15-month ABSN is one example; Stony Brook and SUNY Downstate also offer accelerated tracks. Part-time options exist for students who need to work while in school, though they extend the timeline. Online or hybrid formats are rare for pre-licensure clinical coursework, but some schools may deliver theory classes online. Check format flexibility and whether evening/weekend classes are available if you have other commitments.
Admission rates vary widely. NYU’s nursing program accepted just 9% of applicants in 2023, while public universities like Binghamton (39%) and Stony Brook (49%) are moderately selective. If you’re searching for the easiest nursing schools to get into in New York, several schools admit more than 60% of applicants, and that doesn’t sacrifice quality. Farmingdale State College (63% acceptance rate) boasts a 98% NCLEX-RN pass rate. Le Moyne College (83%) and Molloy University (82%) also have high acceptance rates and strong student outcomes. For competitive programs, typical admitted GPAs range from 3.6 to 3.9,1 and many require a TEAS or HESI entrance exam (NYU does not).2 A 2.5, 3.0 minimum GPA is common, but meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission into selective tracks. When considering any BSN programs in New York, look beyond the admit rate, examine NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, and graduate earnings.
New York’s geography can make location a dealbreaker. If you live in New York City, RN programs in NYC like CUNY Hunter, NYU, and Helene Fuld offer city-based clinicals. Upstate, schools like Binghamton and University at Buffalo provide a campus-focused experience with a lower cost of living. Consider commute time to campus and clinical sites; some programs require travel to multiple hospitals across a region. Also weigh in-state tuition advantages at SUNY and CUNY schools to maximize your return on investment.
New York offers multiple routes into nursing, from direct-admit programs for high school graduates to accelerated options for career changers. The chart below maps each pathway with its typical duration.
New York nursing schools span a wide cost range, from affordable SUNY and CUNY programs to high-priced private colleges. But earnings data show that by year four after graduation, graduates from public and private schools report similar salaries. Cost-conscious students can expect comparable pay with far less debt from public programs, making them a strong ROI choice.
Choosing a nursing school in New York can feel overwhelming, from comparing NCLEX pass rates to understanding costs and admission requirements. These answers address the most common questions we hear from aspiring nurses to help you make an informed decision.
Beyond the top-ranked programs, New York is home to many other accredited nursing schools that may be a better fit for your budget, location, or career goals. The following schools offer BSN and associate pathways, with formats ranging from traditional campus to online RN-to-BSN options. Explore these additional programs to find the right match for your nursing education.
