Best ADN Programs in Washington for 2026

Clark College's Associate Degree Nursing program runs at the Clark College at Washington State University Vancouver campus and admits students three times a year, fall, winter, and spring, with application deadlines in April, July, and November respectively. All clinical rotations are hands-on and completed in local healthcare settings across the Vancouver, WA area. The program holds ACEN Continuing Accreditation, and graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN to earn a full registered nurse license identical to that of a BSN graduate.

In-state tuition runs $4,907 per year according to IPEDS, keeping total program cost well below a four-year university track. The program's 39% graduation rate reflects the competitive, high-attrition nature of nursing prerequisites and selection, not a deficiency in the program itself. Clark's Hakia Score of 78.8 ranks it first among Washington ADN programs in this analysis. The three-cohort calendar is the standout operational advantage: applicants who miss one deadline face a wait of weeks, not an entire academic year. The BLS national median for registered nurses is $97,550 regardless of whether the RN credential was earned via an ADN or BSN.

Wenatchee Valley College's ADN program operates across two campuses, Wenatchee and Omak, and is explicitly built to serve rural community healthcare needs. Enrollment is limited and admission requirements extend beyond general prerequisites, including a mandatory negative drug test before clinical entry. Clinical assignments can include day, evening, and weekend shifts and may require out-of-town travel; students cover their own travel costs. The program holds ACEN Continuing Accreditation. Starting with the spring 2027 cohort, lab science prerequisites must be completed in person, fully online lab credits will no longer be accepted.

At $4,080 per year in-state, WVC carries the lowest tuition of any program in this ranking, a significant advantage for students in a region with fewer four-year alternatives. The 43% graduation rate is the highest among the four programs ranked here, suggesting strong cohort retention once students clear selective admission. WVC's stated program goal targets a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at or above the national average for ADN programs; the school does not publish a specific percentage on the program page. Hakia Score of 78.8 ties WVC for first in Washington. Graduates enter a rural RN labor market where demand is structurally strong and BSN competition is lower than in metro areas.

RNs statewide and nationally earn a median wage of $97,550 per BLS data; that figure holds whether the RN license came from a community college ADN or a university BSN program.

Everett Community College's Nursing program awards the Associate in Nursing and puts students in modern simulation labs and local healthcare settings from the start of the program. Faculty bring a combined 100-plus years of clinical and teaching experience. Clinicals are in person throughout. For graduates who want to continue, EvCC has a formal partnership with the University of Washington Bothell that allows ADN completers to earn a BSN within one additional year, a direct, named bridge that removes the guesswork from the RN-to-BSN step.

In-state tuition is $4,725 per year per IPEDS. EvCC's own published outcomes show a 90.3% program completion rate and state that nearly 99% of graduates are licensed and employed within six months of finishing, both figures sourced directly from the program page. The 37% graduation rate in IPEDS reflects institution-wide completions across all majors and enrollment categories, not the nursing cohort specifically; the nursing-specific completion figure the program publishes is 90.3%. Hakia Score of 77.7 ranks EvCC third among Washington ADN programs here. The UW Bothell bridge pathway is the clearest built-in answer to the BSN preference many hospital systems now express.

The BLS national median for registered nurses is $97,550. An ADN from EvCC confers the same NCLEX-eligible RN license as a four-year degree, with the option to add the BSN credential through the UW Bothell partnership on a working nurse's timeline.

Bellevue College's Associate Degree in Nursing prepares graduates for entry-level registered nurse practice and eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-RN. The program runs as either a full-time six-quarter track or a part-time ten-quarter track, a flexibility that is explicitly designed for working adults. Clinical placements span med-surg, pediatrics, ambulatory clinics, and OB-GYN in local healthcare settings; all clinical work is in person. The program holds accreditation from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), with a continuing accreditation term running through October 31, 2034, a ten-year award granted in October 2024.

Bellevue College publishes an 89% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for its ADN graduates, above the national average. In-state tuition is $4,205 per year per IPEDS. The 36% institution-wide graduation rate reflects overall college completion patterns; the nursing program's NCLEX performance is the more relevant metric for prospective RN students. Hakia Score of 76.9 places BC fourth in this Washington ranking. The part-time path is a real differentiator: students who need to keep working while completing the ADN have a structured, accredited option that most community colleges do not publish as explicitly.

Graduates earn the same RN license as a BSN holder. The BLS median wage for registered nurses is $97,550 nationally; degree level does not change the license or the starting wage floor. Bellevue College notes that the curriculum meets Washington State Board of Nursing requirements and Oregon licensure requirements (with a CE addition), and that students needing licensure in other states should verify directly with those boards.

Walla Walla Community College's Associate in Nursing Education program runs two full years, with Year One dedicated to science prerequisites and Year Two to core nursing courses. The curriculum combines classroom theory with hands-on clinical rotations — rotations that are required, in-person, and mandatory for program completion. WWCC also offers an Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP track, a direct-transfer degree that positions graduates to complete a BSN in just one additional year at Washington public universities, though university admission is competitive and not guaranteed. Applicants must hold active Nursing Assistant Certification before the first day of nursing classes, and must complete the ATI TEAS test prior to applying. Admission is competitive, scored by points earned through completed prerequisite coursework and TEAS performance.

In-state tuition runs $5,279 per year, among the more affordable routes to an RN in eastern Washington. WWCC's 38% graduation rate reflects the selective, rigorous nature of the program rather than a lack of support — nursing programs nationally wash out students who cannot pass clinical benchmarks. The program does not publish a specific NCLEX pass rate on its public page. With a Hakia Score of 75.6, WWCC ranks fifth among Washington ADN programs in this dataset. Graduates who pass the NCLEX-RN hold the same fully licensed RN credential as any BSN graduate, and the DTA/MRP pathway makes the BSN upgrade concrete and time-bounded. BLS data puts the national median RN wage at $97,550 per year.

WWCC also maintains a Clarkston campus location with a dedicated nursing contact, making it accessible to students in the Tri-Cities and Snake River region. The Anatomage table — a 3-D virtual dissection platform that WWCC was the first Washington community college to deploy — gives students a simulation depth that smaller programs often lack.

Lake Washington Institute of Technology's Nursing AAS-T (Associate of Applied Science - Transfer) is a full-time, daytime program that admits students in Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters, giving applicants three chances per year to enter rather than the single annual cohort typical of most community college nursing programs. The program is selective: only the top 26 applicants per cohort are offered admission, scored on science GPA (40 points), non-science GPA (20 points), ATI TEAS score (20 points), and an on-site essay for the top 50 qualifiers (20 points). Clinical training takes place in diverse, in-person healthcare settings. LWTech now runs its own RN-to-BSN program, meaning graduates can ladder directly from the AAS-T to a BSN without leaving the institution. A separate articulation agreement with the University of Washington Bothell — the Nurse Scholars Program — provides a formal seamless pathway for those who want a UW credential.

In-state tuition is $3,291 per year, the lowest of any program in this ranking set. The 37% graduation rate reflects the program's competitive admissions and clinical standards. Science prerequisite courses must have been completed within 7 years of the application deadline, and all required coursework must be finished before applying — no in-progress classes are accepted. LWTech does not publish a specific NCLEX pass rate on its program information page. With a Hakia Score of 75.2, LWTech ranks sixth among Washington ADN programs here. Graduates earn the same NCLEX-RN-gated RN license as any BSN-trained nurse; BLS data pegs the national median RN salary at $97,550 per year.

LWTech fits applicants in the greater Eastside and north King County corridor who want the lowest possible tuition, three annual entry points, and a built-in BSN ladder — either through LWTech's own RN-BSN program or the UW Bothell articulation.

Highline College in Des Moines offers an Associate of Applied Science in Registered Nursing that prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. The program combines a rigorous classroom curriculum with required hands-on clinical experiences in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, and home health settings. Highline also maintains a pre-nursing transfer pathway for students who decide to pursue a four-year BSN directly. The program offers both full-time and part-time tracks, adding scheduling flexibility that is uncommon among Washington ADN programs. Admission is competitive and selective; the public program page references a separate application process, though detailed scoring criteria are not published on the main nursing site.

In-state tuition is $3,742 per year, and notably, out-of-state students pay the same rate — an unusual policy that removes the tuition penalty for applicants from outside Washington. With 5,592 enrolled students, Highline is the largest institution in this ranking set, giving students access to a broad range of financial aid resources, career counselors, and campus support services. The 35% graduation rate is consistent with selective nursing cohort programs statewide. Highline does not publish a specific NCLEX pass rate on its public nursing page. The program holds ACEN accreditation with a current status of Continuing Accreditation and is fully approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing. Hakia Score of 74.8 places it seventh among Washington ADN programs in this dataset.

Highline is a strong fit for South King County and north Pierce County applicants who want ACEN-accredited credentials, no out-of-state tuition surcharge, and access to the financial aid infrastructure of a large community college. The part-time track option makes it one of the few programs accessible to students who cannot commit to full-time study.

Centralia College runs a highly competitive two-year RN program that prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. The program admits a maximum of 24 first-year students per year, and second-year active LPNs may apply for any remaining cohort slots — one of the clearest LPN-to-RN advanced-placement provisions among Washington community college programs. Applicants must complete nine specific prerequisite courses (including two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Statistics, and English Composition) and must hold active Nursing Assistant Certification before the first day of nursing classes. Clinical rotations are required and in-person; the program explicitly addresses vaccine requirements for clinical site access, and the college does not guarantee clinical hours if a student restricts facility options through vaccine declination.

In-state tuition is $4,772 per year. The 42% graduation rate is the highest among the four programs in this group, suggesting that students who gain admission and complete prerequisites are more likely to finish. Out-of-state tuition is $5,157 — a modest $385 premium, making Centralia accessible to border-area students from Oregon. Centralia's program page does not publish a specific NCLEX pass rate. With a Hakia Score of 73.5, it ranks eighth among Washington ADN programs in this dataset. All graduates who pass the NCLEX-RN hold a full RN license identical to that of a BSN graduate; the BLS national median for RNs is $97,550 per year.

Centralia fits students in Lewis County and the I-5 corridor south of Olympia, particularly working LPNs who want an explicit advanced-placement option and are willing to complete a rigorous prerequisites sequence before applying. Applications for the 2027-28 cycle open in January 2027.

Skagit Valley College's Registered Nursing, AAS is a full-time, in-person program built around two specialized entry points that most community colleges do not offer. Licensed practical nurses holding a current, unencumbered Washington State LPN license can complete the RN program in 4 to 5 quarters by entering directly into nursing coursework rather than starting from scratch. Students who have already taken RN-level courses at another institution can apply for advanced placement, with the number of remaining quarters determined by a placement review from the Dean of Nursing and Allied Health. Both tracks require the same prerequisites and related-education courses as the standard ADN, and all clinical rotations are completed in person. Graduates earn an Associate in Applied Science in Registered Nursing and sit for the NCLEX-RN, the same licensure exam taken by BSN graduates, resulting in an identical registered nurse credential.

At $4,772 per year in-state tuition, SVC is among the more affordable entry points to RN licensure in Washington. The program posted a 36% graduation rate in IPEDS data, reflecting the competitive, cohort-based structure common to prelicensure nursing programs. Admit rate data is not published for this program. Hakia ranked SVC #9 among Washington ADN programs with a score of 73.5, driven by cost efficiency and the LPN and advanced-placement tracks that meaningfully shorten time to licensure for working healthcare professionals.

Seattle Central College's Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP is a full-time, in-person program that runs 6 quarters (roughly two years of nursing coursework) and is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission and nationally accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The program is administered through Seattle Central but gives students the choice of attending at three campuses: the Health Education Center in Beacon Hill, North Seattle College, or South Seattle College. Applications open twice a year, for fall and winter quarters. Most students complete one year of prerequisites before entering the nursing sequence. No part-time option is available; the program is cohort-based and full-time from entry through graduation.

In-state tuition runs $4,488 per year, making Seattle Central one of the lowest-cost paths to RN licensure in a high-cost city. The program reported a 2022 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate of 77%, against a national ADN program mean for that year. The graduation rate stands at 32% in IPEDS data, consistent with the selective, cohort-limited structure of most prelicensure nursing programs. Hakia ranked Seattle Central #10 among Washington ADN programs with a score of 73. The built-in DTA/MRP designation means graduates who pursue a BSN later enter a structured transfer pathway rather than navigating credit articulation case by case, a practical advantage for the large share of ADN graduates who bridge to a bachelor's while working as RNs.