Nursing Schools in New York

The University of Buffalo is in Buffalo, New York. It is part of the State University of New York System that includes nine other campuses throughout the state. When it was established in 1846 as a private medical school, the university did not have its own campus. The campus now spans over 1,300 acres in the suburban Buffalo area. The university has received numerous awards and recognition. It was recently ranked the top public university in the state of New York by US News & World Report. The university is organized into 13 colleges and schools, including the School of Nursing, which was founded in 1936.  

The university offers several CCNE-accredited nursing programs, including a traditional BSN and accelerated BSN program. They also offer MSN, DNP, and Ph.D. graduate programs. The accelerated and traditional BSN programs are offered on campus, while the RN to BSN program is an online-only program. During the traditional program, students will complete 700 clinical hours of training at healthcare clinics and hospitals in the Buffalo area. With the RN to BSN program, students may also choose their learning format to complete the program in one or two years. At the end of the program, students complete a three-week preceptorship in New York City or Buffalo. 

Cayuga County Community College is located in Auburn, New York. This two-year college was established back in 1953 and was originally known as Auburn Community College. The school currently serves more than 4000 students and has a large number of academic programs including associate’s degree programs, transfer options, and several certificate programs that will allow students to receive special training in certain fields.

The nursing program at the school has been a very important part of the institution for quite some time. The associate’s degree in nursing program at Cayuga is designed to teach students in the most complete way possible through learning experiences that take place in classrooms, nursing laboratories, and various clinical settings. The school’s nursing program gives students the varied education that they need in order to succeed as medical professionals and has consistently produced nurses who have high success rates when taking the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Cayuga’s nursing program has been fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

CUNY LaGuardia Community College is located in Long Island City, New York. This school has been voted one of the top three large community colleges in the United States of America. This community college was established back in 1968 and it currently serves more than 17,000 students. It is a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) college system and it gives students the opportunity to earn many associate’s degrees as well as some certificate programs and continuing education programs at this school. LaGuardia Community College also has an athletic department that is part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

The LaGuardia Community College nursing program is considered to be one of the finest programs in the area. Students can sign up for the practical nursing program or the associate’s degree nursing program. There is also an LPN-to-RN pathway for existing LPNs who wish to further their career prospects. Graduates of this school’s nursing program have traditionally performed fantastically on the NCLEX licensure examinations, having success rates that are far above the national average. This nursing program has been accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

CUNY Queensborough Community College (QCC) is located in Bayside, New York. QCC was established back in 1959 and it now serves more than 15,000 students. This school is a part of the City University of New York college system. There are more than 20 associate’s degree programs at QCC and the school also has a variety of different certificate programs as well as transfer opportunities. Certain continuing education programs can also be pursued at this college.

QCC is regionally accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The QCC nursing program was established back in 1967 and it has a very long history of educating top-quality nurses. QCC allows students to pursue associate’s degrees in nursing and there are also dual enrollment options for those who want to pursue a bachelor’s degrees from either Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing/CUNY, York College (CUNY), or the School of Professional Studies/CUNY. Their dual or joint enrollment programs are highly sought after and there are even some online options to consider. The nursing program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Niagara County Community College (NCCC) is located in Sanborn, New York and is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) college system. NCCC is a public community college that was established back in 1962 and it now serves over 5000 students. Students can pursue many academic paths on the school's 285-acre campus. There are a number of different associate’s degree and certificate options to consider as well as some dual admissions programs to help make transferring to a four-year college an even smoother process than usual. 

The NCCC nursing program allows students to pursue a practical nursing program for students who wish to become LPNs or an associate’s degree nursing program for those who want to become RNs. The NCCC nursing program also gives students various clinical experiences at hospitals, health care facilities, and community agencies in Niagara, Erie, and Orleans counties. This nursing program is accredited by both the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the State Education Department.

Erie Community College (ECC) is located in Buffalo, New York and is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system of colleges. ECC was established back in 1946 and it currently serves more than 10,000 students. This community college actually has three separate campuses with the other two being located in Williamsville, New York, and Orchard Park, New York respectively. ECC grants many different associate’s degrees in various fields of study and 25 one-year certificate programs that can help to provide educational and occupational skills to the community. ECC has a very well-received online program too, allowing students to conveniently pursue their studies.

The ECC nursing program allows students to pursue associate’s degrees in nursing. The curriculum of this nursing program is divided into several segments. There are classroom and instructional experiences plus laboratory learning opportunities. The clinical portion of this nursing program will see students caring for clients in hospitals and other health agencies in the area. This school is also among the best in the New York area when it comes to first-time success rates when taking the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. This nursing program is accredited by the State Education Department and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Orange County Community College (SUNY Orange) is located in Middletown, New York and is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) college system. SUNY Orange is a public community college that was established back in 1950. The school now serves more than 6500 students and has continued to grow to offer students in the community nearly 40 associate’s degree and certificate programs. This school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. It has become a very popular school for those who want to transfer to four-year universities as well as it has many transfer partnerships.

The SUNY Orange nursing program is thought of very favorably in the community. It even has the distinction of being the very first associate’s degree nursing program in the country. The school also has options for existing LPNs to receive advanced placement in the associate’s degree in nursing program. There are AAS-to-BSN transfer options as well. The faculty is very experienced and diverse and there will be many clinical opportunities as well at selected community hospitals and healthcare agencies. The SUNY Orange nursing program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Pace University-New York is a private institution in New York City. It was established in 1906 with the main campus in Manhattan. Additional campuses were eventually opened in Westchester County and Pleasantville. The university began as a business school and achieved university status in 1973. Pace University is structured into several schools offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. These schools include the Actors Studio MFA program at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, which is home to the Inside the Actors Studio program. Nursing programs are offered at the Lienhard School of Nursing, which is ranked as the 79th-best nursing school according to US News & World Report.

Several nursing programs are available at the Pace University Lienhard School of Nursing, including accelerated BSN and MSN programs. The accelerated MSN program includes a BSN and a master’s degree. The university also offers RN to BSN, DNP, and traditional BSN and MSN programs. All programs are accredited by the CCNE. The school boasts a high pass rate for the NCLEX-RN exam. Students have a 97.7% pass rate, which far exceeds the 87.8% national average. While enrolled in the BSN program, students gain experience at local clinics and a state-of-the-art simulations center.

Hartwick College is a private institution in Oneonta, New York. It was founded in upstate New York in 1797 by a Lutheran minister from Germany. The school was incorporated by the New York State Legislature in 1816 and then moved to its current location in Oneonta in 1928. Famed architect John Russell Pope designed the oldest building on campus. Bresee Hall is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While the college was originally affiliated with the Lutheran Church, the religious affiliation ended in the 1960s. The college no longer carries any religious affiliation. Hartwick College offers 31 majors, along with 24 areas of study, including several nursing programs. 

The college offers three CCNE-accredited baccalaureate programs, including traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, and RN to BSN programs. The college has more than 75 years of experience preparing students for careers in nursing. The NCLEX-RN exam pass rate for 2017 was 91%. Unlike many BSN programs, students begin taking nursing classes during their first semester. The program also includes four hours of training each week at the state-of-the-art nursing lab. At the end of the first semester, students are prepared to begin their training at clinical sites throughout the region.

Utica College (UC) is a private institution in Utica, New York. It was established as Utica College by Syracuse University in 1946 and became an independent institution in 1995. The campus was originally in the downtown area of Utica before it moved west of the city. It is also near the towns of New Hartford and Whitesboro. The college began offering its own graduate degrees in 1999 and undergraduate degrees in 2011. It now offers 40 undergraduate majors and 21 graduate programs. The most well-known departments include the health, sciences, and education departments. It is also one of the top colleges for physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Three BSN programs are offered at Utica College, including traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, and RN to BSN programs. All three of these options are CCNE-accredited and approved by the New York State Education Department. The accelerated BSN program combines traditional classroom learning and online courses to create a hybrid learning experience. The RN to BSN program is offered online only, providing registered nurses with a convenient option for earning their BSN. With the traditional four-year BSN program, students gain clinical experiences at local clinics. However, students are required to hold current certification in Basic Life Support and CPR. 

CUNY Hunter College is a public institution and part of the City University of New York system, along with nine other campuses. The college is in New York City and offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Hunter College was founded in 1870 as a women’s college. The first male student was admitted in 1946. While the college was originally a women’s college, Hunter College has always been very inclusive, accepting students regardless of their race, financial situation, religion, or political leanings. The college has also grown over the years, now serving more than 20,000 students annually. It is also a leading research and teaching institution. 

The CUNY Hunter College Bellevue School of Nursing offers both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. The undergraduate nursing programs include BSN, accelerated BSN, and RN to BSN. The traditional BSN program is a four-year course of study that includes two semesters of liberal arts courses. Clinical experience is provided at local hospitals and clinics. The clinical courses may be scheduled during the day, evening, and on weekends. The graduate programs include MSN, RN to MSN, DNP, and PhD programs. Students enrolled in one of the MSN programs may choose from four specialty tracks. All programs are currently accredited by the CCNE.