2023 Best Nursing Schools in Florida
Finding the Best Nursing School for You
Nursing is one of the most popular subjects to study in Florida. With 21,209 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, it ranked 2nd out of all the majors we track in the state.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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 help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Nursing Schools in Florida ranking. Our analysis looked at 83 schools in Florida to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Nursing Schools in Florida
The colleges and universities below are the best for nursing majors pursuing a .
Top 15% Best Nursing Schools
Our 2023 rankings named West Coast University-Miami the best school in Florida for nursing students. West Coast University-Miami is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Doral.
On average, nursing graduates from West Coast University-Miami take out $38,146 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $665.
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The excellent programs at Chamberlain University - Florida helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Florida. Chamberlain - Florida is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Jacksonville.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Chamberlain - Florida carry an average student debtload of $38,460. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $256.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Florida list. Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF is a public college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from UF carry an average student debtload of $19,458. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $146, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Out of the 83 schools in Florida that were part of this year’s ranking, Rasmussen University - Florida landed the # 4 spot on the list. Rasmussen University - Florida is a medium-sized private for-profit school located in the small city of Ocala.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from Rasmussen University - Florida carry an average student debtload of $35,539. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $161, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay is a great place for nursing students. Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Saint Petersburg.
On average, nursing graduates from Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay take out $41,365 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $117, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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AdventHealth University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Florida list. Located in the large city of Orlando, AHU is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at AHU accumulate an average of around $34,017 in student debt.
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University of Florida-Online did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #7 on the list. UF Online is a medium-sized public school located in the midsize city of Gainesville.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at UF Online accumulate an average of around $19,458 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $146, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #8, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the large city of Tampa, USF Tampa is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Nursing majors at USF Tampa take out an average of $24,636 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $181, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Herzing University - Winter Park ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in Florida list. Herzing University - Winter Park is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Winter Park.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Herzing University - Winter Park take out is $39,727. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $156.
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Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in Florida ranking. Located in the large suburb of West Palm Beach, ANHO is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from ANHO carry an average student debtload of $35,375.
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University of North Florida landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the large city of Jacksonville, UNF is a public school with a large student population.
Nursing majors at UNF take out an average of $18,750 in student loans while working on their egree.
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University of Miami did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #12 on the list. U Miami is a large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Coral Gables.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at U Miami accumulate an average of around $25,000 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $483, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Nursing Schools in Florida award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 14 | Polk State College | Winter Haven, FL |
| 15 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL |
| 16 | Florida International University | Miami, FL |
Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 7,112 |
| Virginia | 6,775 |
| North Carolina | 7,425 |
| Tennessee | 6,004 |
| Kentucky | 6,395 |
| South Carolina | 3,296 |
| Louisiana | 3,502 |
| Arkansas | 2,882 |
| Alabama | 7,364 |
| Mississippi | 2,838 |
| West Virginia | 1,771 |
More Nursing Rankings in Florida
Nursing Related Rankings by Major
Nursing is one of 30 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Related Majors
| 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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