Top 10 Best HBCU Nursing Programs for 2025

Fayetteville State University’s nursing program opened in 1992. Among its benefits, Fayetteville State boasts a 100% job placement rate after graduation. The school offers several types of nursing programs, including:

• Prelicensure
• RN-to-BSN
• Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) Track
• Online MSN in patient safety and quality

In addition, the school is home to the Collaborative Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice. This program is a unique partnership between the nursing department, social work, psychology, and the Fort Bragg Veterans Center. It focuses on holistic approaches to behavioral health.

The school of nursing also offers Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, SANE Nurse, training. This training educates healthcare professionals about forensic examinations of clients who experience violence or sexual assault.

The L. Gale Lemerand School of Nursing at Bethune-Cookman University strives to provide a “faith-based environment of academic excellence and transformative experiences that educates and empowers people to seek their own solutions.” This HBCU nursing program also employs the core values of innovation, excellence, and inclusion.

The BSN program’s curriculum helps its graduates become professional nurse leaders who serve, educate, and empower their patients toward optimal wellness. Bethune-Cookman University's three-year NCLEX first-time pass rate averaged 90.50%. 

Albany State University’s Department of Nursing is part of the Darton College of Health Professions. The school ranks among the best HBCU nursing programs because it offers a range of nursing degrees and certifications, including:

• Traditional, evening, and hybrid Associate of Science in Nursing
• Healthcare professional-to-registered nurse bridge programs
• Online RN-to-BSN 
• Traditional 2+2 BSN 
• Accelerated second-degree BSN 
• Online Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Educator MSN programs

Though several programs offer online options, students primarily take the traditional BSN program on campus. The school conducts clinical experiences in the clinical skills lab, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, and other facilities in the surrounding area. 

The traditional BSN is a 2+2 program in which students spend their first two years at the university completing the core curriculum and the second two years completing nursing courses. The school’s graduates have achieved an average first-time NCLEX pass rate over three years of 93%.

Grambling State University offers various nursing programs to prospective students, which include:

• Pre-nursing programs
• Traditional BSN
• Post-licensure RN-BSN
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Educator
• Several post-master's certificate programs

The school’s BSN NCLEX-RN pass rate for 2022 was 100%, and the student body has a 78.9% completion rate. Additionally, Grambling State’s job placement rate for 2022 was also 100%. The graduate program also has achieved a 100% job placement rate and a 100% certificate rate.

Established in 1986, the Southern University School of Nursing is one of the best HBCU nursing programs and currently offers four degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

In addition to the traditional BSN path, the school will introduce an online RN-to-BSN program in the fall of 2023.

The school administration notes that it has produced over 2,500 BSN graduates and takes pride in being one of the nation's largest producers of African American nurses. Its BSN graduates have achieved an average first-time NCLEX pass rate of 87% over the past three years.

The Cora S. Balmat School of Nursing at Alcorn State University, Natchez Campus, was founded in 1977. Over the decades, it has graduated entry-level and advanced practice nurses prepared to work in various healthcare settings. The school offers a state-of-the-art learning environment that gives students the academic and hands-on skills needed to provide excellent patient care. 

The undergraduate program encompasses an Associate of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In addition, the graduate program offers a Master of Science in Nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.  

Founded in 1971, Lincoln University’s School of Nursing has become an esteemed and trusted source of top-notch nursing education. The school offers an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. They also have an RN-to-BSN program designed for RNs looking to continue their education and gain more skills.  

The BSN program offers on-campus classes and some online general education and nursing courses. Graduates’ average first-time pass rate for the NCLEX is 88%, and the BSN job placement rate has been 100% for the last two years. 

Prairie View A&M University's College of Nursing has been graduating professional nurses for 100 years. The school's undergraduate program offers a traditional BSN and an online RN-to-BSN program. Graduates from these courses have achieved an 88% average first-time pass rate on the NCLEX.

Prairie View also has an extensive graduate program offering the following degree options:

• Family Nurse Practitioner MSN
• Nurse Administration MSN
• Nurse Education MSN
• Doctor of Nursing Practice degree

The BSN program is a four-and-a-half-year program based on prerequisite courses at the lower division. You can complete these nursing school prereqs at the main campus or transfer them from another accredited college or university. You must be admitted to the university to declare pre-nursing as a major.

Hampton University has the distinction of being the first HBCU to initiate a nursing Ph.D. program with its Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree. Its innovation places it among the leading HBCU nursing programs in the country.

The university offers a traditional in-person BSN and an online accelerated RN-to-BSN track. It also has several programs leading to the Master of Science degree. These include advanced nursing practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner or advanced nursing practice roles in administration or education. 

Howard University’s Division of Nursing was established in 1969 with a program of studies leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Since then, the school has expanded to include three undergraduate study programs at the baccalaureate level. 

The basic BSN undergraduate track is broken into lower and upper-division programs. This split allows students to complete a robust liberal education curriculum and a concentration in nursing courses. There is also an LPN-to-BSN track and an RN-to-BSN track that is entirely online. 

Howard University is also home to a graduate nursing program for RNs seeking to become Family Nurse Practitioners or Nurse Educators. It offers full and part-time online classes, with the FNP track consisting of 46 semester hours and 720 clinical hours. Comparatively, the Nurse Educator track has 39 semester hours.