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Best Nursing Schools in Washington

2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington

40 Colleges
$75,342 Avg Salary
$20,069 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Nursing School for You

Nursing is one of the most popular subjects to study in Washington. With 3,851 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 3rd out of all the majors we track in the state.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

The Best Nursing Schools in Washington ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 40 schools in Washington to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for 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

#1

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA

Our analysis found Gonzaga University to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a degree in Washington. Gonzaga is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Spokane.

On average, nursing graduates from Gonzaga take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Tacoma Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington list. Located in the city of Tacoma, UW Tacoma is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

On average, nursing graduates from UW Tacoma take out $18,723 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student 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 large suburb of Bothell, UW Bothell is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at UW Bothell accumulate an average of around $18,723 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $234.

Full Nursing at University of Washington - Bothell Campus Report

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#4

Seattle University

Seattle, WA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Seattle University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Nursing Schools in Washington list. Seattle U is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Seattle U carry an average student debtload of $26,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $722.

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Out of the 40 schools in Washington that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the # 5 spot on the list. UW Seattle is a very large public school located in the large city of Seattle.

Nursing majors at UW Seattle take out an average of $18,723 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $234.

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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.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Wazzu take out is $23,500. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $202.

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Seattle Pacific University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the city of Seattle, SPU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from SPU carry an average student debtload of $27,000. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $477.

Full Nursing at Seattle Pacific University Report

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#8

Highline College

Des Moines, WA

Highline College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Highline is a small public school located in the large suburb of Des Moines.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Highline carry an average student debtload of $15,000.

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Pacific Lutheran University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Washington list. PLU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Tacoma.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at PLU take out is $27,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $413.

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Saint Martin’s University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Washington ranking. Saint Martin's is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Lacey.

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Best Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
California 18,329
Oregon 1,502
Nevada 2,015
Hawaii 535
Alaska 177

More Nursing Rankings in Washington

Nursing is one of 30 different types of programs to choose from.

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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