Best RN Programs in Missouri for 2026

Saint Louis University's Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing offers a four-year, direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing that begins nursing coursework in the first semester with NURS 1400: Introduction to Nursing. The program is campus-based and traditional in structure, though the page also notes a junior-entry accelerated option for students who have completed at least 71 credit hours and specific prerequisites. Clinical lab experiences launch in the sophomore year and expand across all major nursing specialties. SLU also offers study abroad opportunities, including coursework tied to its Madrid campus, and the St. Louis area provides hospital partnerships where BSN students can work as patient care technicians during their studies.

SLU carries a Hakia Score of 88.2, ranking it first among Missouri BSN programs in this analysis. The program reports an 80% graduation rate and admits approximately 75% of applicants, making it accessible but not open-enrollment. Because SLU is a private nonprofit, tuition is the same for all students: $54,760 per year regardless of residency. That price point is the key tradeoff here. The holistic admissions process weighs leadership, community involvement, and personal attributes alongside a minimum 3.20 GPA, and standardized test scores are optional for domestic applicants. Transfer entry into the traditional program is described as extremely limited and space-dependent.

Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN, and the program expects graduates to be hired or accepted into graduate programs upon completion. The school notes that the St. Louis hospital market actively recruits SLU BSN students, with internship and fellowship opportunities available through area health systems.

The University of Missouri-Columbia's Sinclair School of Nursing delivers three distinct BSN pathways: a traditional four-year track for students entering directly from high school, a 17-month accelerated on-campus option for students who already hold or are completing a non-nursing degree, and a fully online RN-to-BSN for working registered nurses with an associate degree. The traditional track treats freshmen and sophomores as pre-nursing students, with formal admission to the clinical major occurring in the junior year. The accelerated option launches in the summer after the sophomore year and runs intensively through to graduation. The online RN-to-BSN pathway requires no campus presence, making it one of the more flexible options in the state.

Mizzou earns a Hakia Score of 87.7 and posts a 75% graduation rate with a 78% admit rate. The most compelling financial case is for Missouri residents: in-state tuition runs $13,658 per year, compared to $34,877 for out-of-state students. That gap of more than $21,000 annually makes residency a significant factor in the cost calculation. The Sinclair School cites that 98% of its graduates are employed in nursing within three months of graduation, though this figure comes from the school's own program page and is not independently verified here. The school's new building is noted as a dedicated innovation and immersive learning facility.

Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN upon completion. The program's breadth of pathways makes it one of the most versatile BSN offerings in Missouri, particularly for Missouri residents who qualify for in-state tuition or for working RNs seeking an online upgrade path. The BLS OEWS reports a national median annual wage of $97,550 for registered nurses, providing context for the long-term return on this investment.

Rockhurst University's nursing program is housed in the Saint Luke's College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the program page emphasizes guaranteed clinical placement as a core differentiator. The BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), as the program page states directly. Four entry pathways are listed: Freshman Direct Entry, high school admission, current Rockhurst student admission for junior-level classes, and transfer. The program also offers an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) and an RN-to-BSN bridge, making it a multi-pathway option despite the university's smaller scale. The page highlights a 1:1 faculty-to-student ratio specifically for NCLEX success coaching, and the school's affiliation with Saint Luke's Health System provides both clinical access and a tuition discount per credit hour for Saint Luke's employees and partner college students under a memorandum of understanding.

Rockhurst posts a Hakia Score of 85.4 with a 75% graduation rate and a 70% admit rate, making it the most selective of the four programs in this group. As a private Jesuit institution, tuition is uniform at $43,366 per year for all students. That is a meaningful savings versus SLU's $54,760 while still operating within a private nonprofit framework. The campus location near the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City places students close to some of the region's largest health systems, which the program credits for its clinical placement network and graduate employment pipeline.

The program's Jesuit educational mission threads through the curriculum, which emphasizes leadership, service, and evidence-based practice. Capstone coursework includes NUR 4400 Transition to Professional Practice, and upper-level clinical management courses offer certification preparation in areas such as NIHSS. Graduates are eligible for the NCLEX-RN. For students who value small-cohort mentorship and health-system ties in Kansas City, Rockhurst's size works in their favor.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis offers a traditional, full-time, on-campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing designed for first-time freshmen and transfer students. The program page describes it as a single traditional BSN track with no accelerated option listed. UMSL emphasizes breadth of clinical exposure through partnerships with more than 100 regional health care providers, naming Mercy Hospital St. Louis, St. Luke's Hospital, and Shriner's Hospital for Children among them. Senior-level students can access a 10-week Nurse Externship Program with BJC Healthcare System. The College of Nursing operates a Nursing Learning Resource and Simulation Center with computerized human models, ventilators, and a baby warmer, all noted on the program page as recent additions.

UMSL's Hakia Score of 83.9 reflects a 57% graduation rate and a 63% admit rate, the lowest graduation rate and admit rate in this four-school group. That combination signals a more selective admissions filter alongside a more demanding path to completion. The financial case for in-state students is strong: tuition runs $15,120 per year for Missouri residents versus $37,620 for out-of-state enrollees, making it the most affordable option in this ranking for residents. The program page notes that roughly half of BSN graduates go on to pursue doctoral work at UMSL, with BSN-to-DNP and BSN-to-PhD pathways available, suggesting the program is positioned as a pipeline for advanced practice as much as entry-level employment.

Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN upon completing the degree. The BLS OEWS puts the national median annual wage for registered nurses at $97,550. UMSL's low in-state tuition and deep St. Louis clinical network make it the value pick for Missouri residents who are prepared for a rigorous traditional program, though the 57% graduation rate is worth weighing carefully before enrolling.

William Jewell College offers a pre-licensure BSN in Liberty, MO with several entry paths: a traditional 4-year BSN, a compressed 3-year BSN for students who want to finish faster, a transfer option with both spring and fall entry points, and a 12-month Accelerated BSN track for students who already hold a bachelor's degree (available in-person or hybrid). The program is built around six nursing hallmarks including integrity, leadership, and excellence in practice, with clinicals starting the second semester of sophomore year at a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The school reports over 650 hours of clinical, simulation, and laboratory learning, plus Missouri and Kansas's first internationally endorsed simulation center.

Jewell's Hakia Score of 83.6 reflects a combination of strong outcomes and intentional program design at a small, selective institution. The admit rate sits at 38%, making this one of the more selective nursing programs on this list. The graduation rate is 68%. As a private institution, tuition runs $19,320 whether you are a Missouri resident or not, so out-of-state students pay the same as locals. The program is a fit for students who want small cohorts, early hands-on access, and a track record of NCLEX success, and who can absorb private-school tuition costs. National context: BLS data puts the median annual wage for registered nurses at $97,550.

The school reports 100% employment within three months of graduation and 85% employment before graduation, both figures sourced from the program page. A dedicated NCLEX Success Coordinator works individually with students in the senior year alongside predictor exams and a live NCLEX review, which the program ties directly to its licensure pass rate.

The University of Central Missouri offers a prelicensure BSN at two in-person campuses (Warrensburg and Lee's Summit, near Kansas City) alongside online nursing options. The program is a competitive, specialty-flexible degree where students choose a clinical focus from areas including pediatrics, women's health, critical care, neonatal, surgical, and travel nursing. Faculty include practicing family nurse practitioners, neonatal practitioners, ER nurses, trauma nurses, and cardiac nurses. Clinical placements run at major regional health systems including North Kansas City Hospital, St. Luke's, The University of Kansas Hospital, HCA, and Children's Mercy. The program also feeds into UCM's MSN with emphases in Nurse Educator and Family Nurse Practitioner tracks for students who want to advance later.

With a Hakia Score of 83.1, UCM offers one of the more accessible public-university nursing options in Missouri. In-state tuition is $8,550; out-of-state jumps to $17,100, so residency matters here. The admit rate of 64% is broader than most programs on this list, though admission to nursing specifically is conditional on completing all prerequisites and meeting separate program requirements. Enrollment across the university is 12,857, giving this program access to extensive campus infrastructure and specialty lab equipment. The graduation rate is 54%, which reflects a selective progression once students are enrolled in upper-division nursing coursework. The school reports U.S. News recognition for undergraduate nursing programs but Hakia has not independently verified that ranking.

The page cites a 97% NCLEX-RN pass rate for 2026 graduates from both in-person and online programs. Nursing-specific scholarships such as the Beverly Wilson Nursing Scholarship and the Carol Crandal Young Memorial Scholarship help offset costs. A Student Nurse Organization connects students across prelicensure and RN-to-BSN options through community health initiatives and service learning projects.

Truman State University in Kirksville offers a four-year, in-person Bachelor of Science in Nursing built on a structured 122-credit sequence. The program page provides a detailed semester-by-semester plan: foundational sciences and a nursing seminar in year one, clinical assessment and fundamentals beginning in year two, specialty rotations in adult health, maternal-neonatal, child and family nursing in years three and four, and culminating with critical care, rural public health nursing, and two dedicated NCLEX-RN review courses (NU 340 and NU 440) in the senior year. The curriculum also embeds a healthcare informatics course, a capstone nursing research course, and a clinical elective, reflecting broad preparation rather than a single specialty track. Truman does not list an accelerated or RN-to-BSN track on this program page; the offering is a traditional four-year prelicensure BSN.

Truman's Hakia Score is 81.8. The university's 84% admit rate makes it among the most accessible programs on this ranking, and its 69% graduation rate is the highest of the four public universities featured here. In-state tuition is $9,500 per year; out-of-state students pay $18,228. The program fits students who want a structured, liberal-arts-grounded nursing education at a public-university price point and are not looking for an accelerated or online pathway. Enrollment is 3,664 university-wide, keeping class sizes manageable relative to larger regional universities.

The sample plan embeds writing-enhanced courses, an interdisciplinary junior seminar, and rural public health nursing as a senior requirement, signaling that Truman orients graduates toward community and public health settings alongside acute care. No NCLEX pass rate or employment figure is listed on the scraped program page; national wage context comes from BLS OEWS data, which puts the registered nurse median at $97,550 per year.

Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau has run a nursing program since 1958 and offers three degree pathways through its Department of Nursing: a traditional prelicensure BSN, an online RN-to-BSN completion program, and an MSN. The program page highlights CCNE accreditation and full approval from the Missouri State Board of Nursing. SEMO also claims distinction as the home of the first MSN program in the southern half of Missouri. Clinical partnerships at regional hospitals give prelicensure students hands-on placement, and the department maintains simulation labs built to current hospital standards. The MSN track prepares nurse practitioners and nurse educators for students ready to advance post-licensure.

SEMO's Hakia Score is 81.3. One of the program's most notable features for prospective students is its flat tuition: $8,559 whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student, removing one of the key financial tradeoffs that shape choices at other Missouri public universities. The 74% admit rate signals broad access, though program admission has its own prerequisites. The graduation rate is 58%, and total university enrollment is 9,501. For out-of-state students comparing Missouri public programs, SEMO's uniform tuition rate is a concrete financial advantage over UCM's $17,100 out-of-state price. BLS data puts the national median for registered nurses at $97,550 per year.

The program page reports a 96.67% first-time NCLEX pass rate for BSN graduates in the first two quarters of 2025, a 96% five-year first-time pass rate for the FNP program, 100% employment for both BSN and FNP graduates in 2025, and a 100% pass rate for the online RN-to-BSN track in 2025. The CCNE accreditation link is confirmed at AACN.

Webster University's nursing program is an RN-to-BSN completion degree delivered entirely online in eight-week terms. It is designed for licensed RNs already working in the field who need scheduling flexibility. Part-time students typically finish in 2 to 2.5 years; full-time students can complete it in 1 to 1.5 years. The curriculum covers holistic health promotion, social determinants of health, leadership, and evidence-based practice, with coursework described as rigorous and continuously updated based on faculty and student input. There is no traditional four-year BSN entry path or accelerated ABSN option listed on the program page.

Webster's admit rate is 86%, making it moderately selective among Missouri nursing programs. Graduation rate sits at 64%, which is worth weighing for a part-time online cohort of working adults balancing jobs and coursework. Because Webster is a private nonprofit, tuition is the same for all students: $31,450 per year regardless of residency. That price point is the main tradeoff here: the flexibility and fully online format come at a cost roughly four times that of a Missouri public option. The program earned a Hakia Score of 76.8, placing it 9th among Missouri RN programs in this ranking.

The faculty profile is a concrete differentiator the school emphasizes: all full-time nursing faculty are described as 100% doctorally prepared, with clinical backgrounds spanning nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, community health, ICU, psychiatric mental health, maternal-newborn, and geriatric nursing. Registered nurses who want to advance without stepping away from practice will find the individualized transfer-credit review and personalized degree plan useful. National context: the BLS reports a median annual wage of $97,550 for registered nurses nationwide.

Missouri State University-Springfield offers a traditional four-year BSN, a 15-month accelerated BSN for students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field, and a flexible BSN-completion (RN-to-BSN) track finishable in as little as one year. The program is CCNE-accredited and approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing for the four-year BSN. A standout feature the school highlights is interprofessional education: nursing students train alongside students from anesthesia, social care, and therapy programs. The school is also a founding partner of the Alliance for Healthcare Education, a regional collaboration aimed at expanding healthcare workforce capacity.

The numbers Missouri State publishes are among the strongest in this ranking. The program reports a 96% first-time NCLEX pass rate, which the school compares to an 89% national average, and a 100% job placement rate for BSN graduates. In-state tuition is $8,120 per year, making it one of the most affordable BSN paths in Missouri. Out-of-state students pay $17,388. The admit rate is 91%, so entry is not the bottleneck; the graduation rate of 58% is worth noting and may reflect the difficulty of completing clinical requirements at a large public university. Enrollment stands at 24,360 institution-wide. The program earns a Hakia Score of 76.8, ranking 10th in Missouri.

This program fits cost-conscious students who want multiple entry points (traditional, accelerated, or RN-to-BSN), hands-on simulation labs, and a documented licensure track record. The accelerated 15-month BSN is a serious option for career-changers with an existing degree. For national wage context, BLS puts the median RN salary at $97,550 per year, with demand projected to generate over 194,000 annual job openings over the next decade per BLS figures the school cites. NCLEX details are available through NCSBN.