Best RN Programs in Nevada: 2026 Rankings and Cost Guide

The Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno runs two distinct BSN pathways. The Accelerated BSN is a 16-month, full-time program for students who have completed at least two years of college coursework or hold a prior bachelor's degree in another field. It is available at the main Reno campus or at a Lake Tahoe campus with a rural healthcare focus. The RN-to-BSN is fully online, built for working registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma who want to advance without relocating or cutting hours. The school states that both programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

At $8,430 in-state tuition against $26,572 out-of-state, UNR is the most affordable option on this list for Nevada residents. The program carries a Hakia Score of 84.3, the strongest in the state ranking, reflecting its combination of cost, scale, and program breadth. The admit rate sits at 74%, meaning the accelerated path is selective without being a reach. The 61% graduation rate is worth noting: the accelerated format is demanding, and applicants should come in with the prerequisites and time commitment firmly in place. As part of a Carnegie R1 research institution, Orvis students have access to interdisciplinary research and community engagement opportunities that most nursing-only colleges cannot offer.

The school coordinates and secures clinical placements for all BSN students, removing one of the logistical burdens that trips up candidates at competing programs. The RN-to-BSN track fits Nevada nurses already in the workforce who need the credential without a campus commute. National BLS data puts the registered nurse median at $97,550 per year, context for what either pathway can lead to.

Arizona College of Nursing Las Vegas offers a single path: a three-year, CCNE-accredited BSN with open admissions (100% admit rate). The program combines classroom instruction, simulation labs, clinical rotations, and online coursework. General education courses in Year 1 run in eight-week blocks with night class options, making it accessible for students managing other obligations. By Year 2, students begin nursing core courses and their first clinical placements. Year 3 adds specialty content in maternal health, pediatric health, community health, and leadership, capped by a transition-to-practice sequence. The school states the curriculum is built exclusively around nursing education and NCLEX preparation.

Tuition is $22,187 regardless of state residency, which is roughly 2.6 times the UNR in-state rate. That cost buys a structured, nursing-focused environment with smaller scale (1,222 enrolled students total) and personalized attention the school emphasizes. The 82% graduation rate is the highest of the four Nevada programs on this list, a meaningful figure given the open-door admissions policy. Hakia Score is 74.1. The program is also institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency. Students who do not yet have all prerequisites can take low-cost online courses through a partnership the school describes, though candidates should verify current transfer policies directly.

This program fits career-changers or recent high school graduates who want a single-minded nursing environment without the prerequisite complexity of a large public university admissions funnel. Open admissions removes the GPA barrier at the front door, but the 82% completion rate signals the curriculum still demands sustained effort. Registered nurses nationally earn a median of $97,550 per year according to BLS.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Nursing offers two undergraduate pathways: a traditional 16-month BSN and an Accelerated Second Degree BSN, both described as intense and demanding. Students must complete all prerequisite courses before beginning nursing coursework. The program's curriculum centers on patient-centered care and prepares graduates for entry-level RN practice as well as graduate study. Learning outcomes include clinical judgment, evidence-based practice, health policy literacy, interprofessional communication, and safe use of patient care technology. The school states graduates are prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN.

In-state tuition is $8,909, making UNLV nearly as affordable as UNR for Nevada residents, while out-of-state cost matches UNR at $26,572. The 96% admit rate means the university itself is broadly accessible, but the nursing program's pre-major requirement of a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA creates a real filter before students can enter the major. The 51% graduation rate is the lowest among the four programs here and should factor into any comparison: a large, research university environment with a demanding 16-month sequence and a competitive pre-nursing stage will not suit every learner. Hakia Score is 72.3. UNLV's enrollment of 32,911 offers the widest range of interdisciplinary resources and clinical network in Las Vegas.

UNLV is the strongest fit for Las Vegas-area students who already meet the 3.0 GPA floor and want the combination of a public-university credential and low in-state tuition. The accelerated second-degree track makes it relevant for career-changers in Southern Nevada who hold a prior bachelor's. Accreditation details can be verified through UNLV's Academic Program Accreditations page. BLS reports a national RN median of $97,550 per year.

Roseman University of Health Sciences in Henderson runs an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) designed to be completed in less than 18 months. The program offers two learning formats: on-campus (full-time, immersive, at Roseman's Southern Nevada campus) and hybrid-online (online didactic coursework with in-person clinical rotations and lab assignments). Four start dates per year, including Fall, Spring, and Summer, give applicants rolling entry points. Admission requires at least 49 semester credits of prerequisites, a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA, and a TEAS score of at least 58.7%, followed by an interview. The program is CCNE accredited. Roseman also maintains a campus in South Jordan, Utah, where the same ABSN runs.

Tuition is $41,200 with no in-state or out-of-state distinction, the highest cost on this list by a substantial margin. That figure needs to be weighed against what the school's program page reports: a 91.22% first-time pass rate on the Next Generation NCLEX (NCSBN reported results for 2024) and a 92.30% employed-within-six-months rate based on Roseman's own 2024 graduate employment survey. Hakia Score is 71.6. No graduation rate from IPEDS is available for this program in the data provided. The school is private nonprofit with 1,367 total enrolled students, which means smaller cohorts and a more focused environment than the public universities on this list.

Roseman's ABSN is built for candidates who already hold prior college credits, want the fastest credentialed path to RN licensure, and can absorb the higher tuition in exchange for speed and reported board-exam outcomes. The hybrid-online format gives working adults in Nevada a way to cover lecture content on their own schedule while completing required clinical hours locally. BLS sets the national RN median at $97,550 annually. CCNE accreditation details are available through AACN.

Chamberlain University's Las Vegas campus offers a traditional BSN built around a fast-track 3-year path, roughly a year shorter than most four-year programs. The program runs in a hybrid format, blending online coursework with in-person labs and clinical rotations. Two scheduling tracks are available: a hybrid weekday/evening option and an evening-and-weekend track designed for students who work. No prerequisites are required to start, and the next cohort opens in July. The campus reports an 89% first-time NCLEX pass rate for the 2025 calendar year and holds CCNE accreditation.

At a Hakia Score of 66.5, Chamberlain ranks 5th among Nevada BSN programs we evaluated. The tradeoff is stark: this is a private for-profit institution, and published tuition runs $775 per credit hour across 122 credits, putting the sticker cost at $94,550 before fees. The school estimates an average out-of-pocket of roughly $75,568 after transfer credits and grants, but savings are not guaranteed. The 20% graduation rate is the sharpest caution flag here. The 76% admit rate means admission is accessible, but completion is far from automatic. This program fits a highly self-directed student who needs scheduling flexibility and can start without prerequisites, and who has done the financial math carefully.

The Las Vegas setting offers clinical exposure tied to the city's hospitality and entertainment industries, alongside Nevada's broader healthcare workforce shortage, which the program highlights as a driver of local demand. An Excellence in Education Scholarship can reduce costs by up to $500 per session (capped at $5,000). Registered nurses interested in salary context can reference the BLS OEWS data, which pegs the national median for RNs at $97,550 per year.

Great Basin College in Elko offers a fully online RN-to-BSN completion program exclusively for working registered nurses who hold an ADN from an ACEN-accredited program. This is not an entry-level BSN. Applicants must already hold an active RN license and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The program admits students in the fall semester only, with an application deadline of August 1. No in-person clinical hours are required. GBC offers three track pathways: a 3-semester track, a traditional track, and a part-time track, allowing nurses to pace completion around active work schedules. The curriculum is built around six competencies: collaboration, leadership, informatics, evidence-based practice, population-focused care, and quality improvement, with particular emphasis on rural and underserved populations.

At a Hakia Score of 66.2, GBC ranks 6th among Nevada programs we evaluated. Its strongest differentiator is cost: in-state tuition is $3,758 per year, and the school estimates total program tuition at approximately $10,100. Out-of-state tuition rises to $11,816 annually. The 41% graduation rate is the highest among the four programs at this tier. Enrollment is limited and fall-only, so timing the application matters. The program holds ACEN accreditation with a continuing accreditation decision from the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

GBC is the right fit for a Nevada-based working RN who wants the lowest-cost path to a BSN without pausing clinical practice. The rural health orientation also makes it a natural match for nurses already working in Nevada's smaller and frontier communities. For national RN salary context, the BLS OEWS reports a median of $97,550 per year across all RNs nationally.

Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno offers the Maxine S. Jacobs RN to BSN Nursing Program, a fully online completion program for working registered nurses. Like GBC's program, this is not an entry-level path: students must already hold an RN license. The curriculum runs across three semesters plus two summers and covers 10 courses totaling 37 credits, including biostatistics, evidence-based practice, population care, nursing informatics, and a population care capstone. Students must earn a C or better in each course to progress. The program is built around developing nurse leaders, with emphasis on leadership principles, interdisciplinary collaboration, informatics, and equitable care for diverse and global populations.

At a Hakia Score of 65.5, TMCC ranks 7th among Nevada programs we scored. Its headline advantage is price: in-state tuition is $2,970 per year, the lowest annual rate among these four programs. Out-of-state tuition is $11,636. The 32% graduation rate sits in the middle of this group, and enrollment across the full college is 10,885 students. The program holds ACEN accreditation. TMCC also holds regional accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.

This program is well-suited for Nevada-based RNs who want a fully online, highly affordable BSN completion route in a structured cohort format. Students who need to keep working while finishing their degree will find the online format and block scheduling manageable. See the BLS OEWS for national RN salary context, and the ACEN website to verify current accreditation status.

Touro University Nevada in Henderson offers a one-year, fully online RN-to-BSN completion program with three start dates per year: fall (November), spring (March), and summer (July). The program is designed for working RNs who hold an ADN from a nationally or regionally accredited program and an active, unencumbered state RN license. There are no travel requirements. Touro reports a 98% graduation rate for this program, which is the standout outcome figure on their program page. The program carries CCNE accreditation, verified through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Touro also holds institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

At a Hakia Score of 65.3, Touro ranks 8th in this Nevada set. Tuition is $10,080 per year regardless of residency status, meaning in-state and out-of-state students pay the same rate. That positions it above GBC and TMCC for Nevada residents but below Chamberlain by a wide margin. Enrollment across the university is 1,600 students. The program has a partnership with Valley Health System (VHS), under which VHS employees may receive a tuition discount tied to their benefits eligibility. No graduation rate data was available in IPEDS for this program at the time of scoring.

Touro's one-year timeline and three annual entry points give it more scheduling flexibility than fall-only programs. It fits a working RN who wants a fast, fully online path to a BSN with strong completion outcomes and CCNE credentialing, and who does not need the lowest-cost option. For national RN wage data, the BLS OEWS pegs the national median at $97,550 annually. Verify accreditation directly at AACN's CCNE directory.

The College of Southern Nevada offers an RN-to-BSN degree completion program exclusively for licensed registered nurses who already hold an ADN from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or NLN CNEA-accredited program. CSN does not offer a direct-entry BSN; this is a bridge-only track. The curriculum is delivered fully online with community-based clinical preceptorships, built around an urban health focus that runs through courses like NURS 426 Nursing Care of the Urban Population and NURS 450 Nursing Systems: Policy, Power, and Practice in Urban Settings. The program caps with a capstone project presented in an interdisciplinary setting.

At $3,713 in-state tuition (rising to $12,379 out-of-state), CSN is by far the lowest-cost RN-to-BSN option in this Nevada ranking. The tradeoff is a 19% graduation rate, which signals that many admitted students do not complete on time or at all. The program's own benchmarks target a 60% on-time completion rate and a 70% completion rate within 150% of program length, so there is a clear gap between aspiration and reported outcomes. CSN enrolls more than 28,000 students across its campuses, giving working nurses access to a large community college infrastructure. The program holds ACEN accreditation. With a Hakia Score of 64.5, it ranks ninth among Nevada RN programs in this index, making it the right fit for Nevada-licensed RNs who need the lowest possible tuition and can handle a fully self-directed online environment.

Registered nurses nationally earn a median of $97,550 per year, according to BLS OEWS data. BSN completion is increasingly required for hospital employment and is a prerequisite for most graduate nursing programs. For Nevada RNs already holding a license who want the most cost-efficient path to a BSN, CSN's program is the clearest option in this ranking, provided the low completion rate is weighed carefully.

Las Vegas College offers a 100% online RN-to-BSN program designed for licensed registered nurses who hold an ADN and want to complete a bachelor's degree while continuing to work. The program is not open to direct-entry students. LVC targets working nurses specifically, structuring the curriculum to be completable in as few as 15 months. Coursework covers leadership, health assessments, bioethics, nursing research, community nursing, and care for complex acute and chronic conditions. The program is delivered through distance learning and carries a SARA student grievance policy for out-of-state students.

Tuition is $16,176 and is the same regardless of Nevada residency, which is standard for private institutions. That figure is considerably higher than CSN's in-state rate, but the accelerated 15-month timeline means a shorter overall enrollment period. As a private for-profit institution with a total enrollment of 536, LVC operates at a much smaller scale than the public colleges in this ranking. No graduation rate data was available in the Hakia dataset for this program, and the scraped program page does not publish NCLEX pass rates or accreditation status, so prospective students should request those figures directly from the institution before enrolling. LVC holds a Hakia Score of 57.5, placing it tenth in this Nevada ranking.

The national median wage for registered nurses is $97,550 per year per BLS OEWS data. LVC's program fits RNs who prioritize speed and scheduling flexibility over cost, and who want a program built entirely around the working nurse's schedule. Verify accreditation status and NCLEX outcomes directly with the college before committing.