Top Nursing Schools in Pennsylvania
This page lists 127 schools in Pennsylvania that reported awards in licensed nursing education to the U.S. Department of Education for 2023-24 — including 41 practical/vocational nursing (LPN/LVN), 25 associate degree (ADN), 64 bachelor's (BSN), 39 master's and 27 Doctor of Nursing Practice award levels. By ownership, 63 public, 54 private nonprofit and 10 private for-profit. 69 appear in the CCNE or ACEN accreditor directories for at least one nursing program level. The largest concentrations are in Pittsburgh (10), Philadelphia (9), Scranton (6) and Erie (4).
Data last reviewed: October 6, 2026
Sources: IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education) / CCNE directory / ACEN directory / official school websites
Listing does not certify educational quality or guarantee licensure eligibility. Verify details with the school before applying.
Listed alphabetically. Inclusion is editorial selection, not a ranking — see our methodology. How schools are selected
Schools (128)
| School | Location | Ownership | Nursing awards / programs | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Allentown | Allentown, PA | Private for-profit | LPN/LVN | ACEN |
| Luzerne County Community College | Nanticoke, PA | Public | ADN | ACEN |
| Marywood University | Scranton, PA | Private nonprofit | BSN | CCNE |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie, PA | Private nonprofit | LPN/LVN, ADN, BSN, MSN-Leadership | — |
| Messiah University | Mechanicsburg, PA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology | Lewistown, PA | Public | LPN/LVN | ACEN |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Millersville, PA | Public | RN Diploma, BSN, MSN-FNP, Post-Master's-FNP, DNP | — |
| Misericordia University | Dallas, PA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| Montgomery County Community College | Blue Bell, PA | Public | ADN | ACEN |
| Moravian University | Bethlehem, PA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, MSN-CNL, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership | CCNE |
| Mount Aloysius College | Cresson, PA | Private nonprofit | ADN, BSN | ACEN |
| Neumann University | Aston, PA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN | ACEN (candidate) |
| Northampton County Area Community College | Bethlehem, PA | Public | LPN/LVN, ADN | ACEN |
| Northern Tier Career Center | Towanda, PA | Public | LPN/LVN | ACEN |
| Penn Commercial Business/Technical School | Washington, PA | Private for-profit | LPN/LVN | — |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport, PA | Public | ADN, BSN | ACEN |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park, PA | Public | BSN, MSN, Grad Cert, PhD | CCNE |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | Abington, PA | Public | BSN | — |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | Altoona, PA | Public | BSN | — |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | Erie, PA | Public | BSN | — |
Before you apply in Pennsylvania
- Prelicensure nursing programs must be approved by the state's board of nursing. Check the board's current list for the campus you will attend.
- Program accreditation (CCNE, ACEN or CNEA) is separate from state approval and from the institution's own accreditation. Each school page shows which records we found and where.
- Online programs based in another state may not accept residents of Pennsylvania. See online coursework and clinical requirements.