2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington
Finding the Best Nursing School for You
Out of the majors we analyze each year, nursing was the most popular one in Washington. In total, 3,851 people earned a degree or certificate in the field from a school in Washington.
It's not easy to decide which healthcare program to enroll in when you have so many options available. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Healthcare Degree Search has created its Best Nursing Schools in Washington ranking. Our analysis looked at 40 schools in Washington to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for healthcare students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington
Check out the nursing programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Nursing Schools
Our analysis found Gonzaga University to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a degree in Washington. Gonzaga is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Gonzaga take out is $27,000.
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The excellent programs at University of Washington - Tacoma Campus helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Washington. Located in the city of Tacoma, UW Tacoma is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at UW Tacoma take out is $18,723. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $234.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Bothell Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington list. Located in the suburb of Bothell, UW Bothell is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Nursing majors at UW Bothell take out an average of $18,723 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $234.
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The excellent programs at Seattle University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Washington. Seattle U is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Seattle.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Seattle U accumulate an average of around $26,000 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $722, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington list. UW Seattle is a very large public school located in the large city of Seattle.
On average, nursing graduates from UW Seattle take out $18,723 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $234.
Full Nursing at University of Washington - Seattle Campus Report
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Washington State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Washington ranking. Located in the distant town of Pullman, Wazzu is a public college with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Wazzu carry an average student debtload of $23,500. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $202, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Seattle Pacific University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the city of Seattle, SPU is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at SPU accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $477.
Full Nursing at Seattle Pacific University Report
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Highline College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #8 on the list. Highline is a small public school located in the suburb of Des Moines.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Highline accumulate an average of around $15,000 in student debt.
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Pacific Lutheran University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Washington ranking. PLU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Tacoma.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from PLU carry an average student debtload of $27,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $413.
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Saint Martin’s University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Washington list. Saint Martin's is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lacey.
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Request InformationBest Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Oregon | 1,502 |
| California | 18,329 |
| Nevada | 2,015 |
| Hawaii | 535 |
| Alaska | 177 |
More Nursing Rankings in Washington
Nursing Related Rankings by Major
Nursing is one of 30 different types of healthcare programs to choose from.
Nursing Focus Areas
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 266,651 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,104 |
| Nursing Administration | 9,838 |
| Nursing Practice | 7,992 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,092 |
| Nursing Science | 4,600 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,287 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,021 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,936 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,883 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 773 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 563 |
| School Nursing | 553 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 509 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 444 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 419 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 331 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 181 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 57 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 53 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 14 |
| Forensic Nursing | 14 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
| Public Health | 40,596 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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