Top 10 Best Nursing Schools in Oregon

As a private school, Oregon residents won’t receive access to in-state tuition at Bushnell University. However, they do not charge any additional University fees in the nursing programs, so students pay only for tuition and books. Courses are in a condensed 8-week format and are designed for working adults.

Students won’t be able to complete a traditional nursing program, though Bushnell University is home to one of the top RN-BSN programs in the state. The RN-BSN is available entirely online, and current RNs who study full-time can complete this program in one to two years. Bushnell also offers an MSN in Nurse Leadership and Nursing Education as well as a post-master’s nursing education certificate. 

George Fox University has just over 4,200 students spread across four campuses in Portland, Salem, Redmond, and Newberg, though students enrolled in the traditional BSN will study at the Newberg campus. This four-year program accepts transfer students through Running Start, a program that allows Oregon high schoolers to complete college courses. George Fox had the highest NCLEX first-time pass rate of any BSN program in Oregon in 2020 at 97.67%

Concordia St. Paul has a branch near downtown Portland. Although Oregon students aren't eligible for in-state tuition, as the university operates out of St. Paul, Minnesota, 98% of its students receive some form of financial aid.

Concordia offers a 16-month accelerated BSN program. In order to be eligible for it, you'll need to have at least 54 credits, including the designated prerequisites. There are three yearly start dates in January, May, and September, allowing students to have increased flexibility with the program.

With just over 2,500 enrolled students, Linfield University is one of the smaller four-year institutions on this list. However, the Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing is one of the college's highlights, so nursing students are guaranteed to get an excellent education.

The traditional BSN program boasts clinical class sizes of no more than eight students, and theory courses never have more than 40. Other nursing options include an online RN-BSN and a 15-month accelerated second-degree program. Linfield offers one MSN program in Leadership in Healthcare Ecosystems. 

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has several campuses across Oregon at other institutions, so nursing students can choose the region of Oregon they want to study in. OHSU is not only one of the best nursing schools in the state, but it also has the best CRNA school in Oregon. Each campus offers a traditional, accelerated, and RN-to-BSN bridge option. 

NCLEX pass rates vary greatly depending on the location. OHSU-Portland’s accelerated BSN program has the highest pass rate, at 95.45%. OHSU is also an excellent graduate school, so nursing students interested in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Ph.D. can complete their entire schooling through OHSU. 

With an incredible location on a bluff that overlooks Portland and the Willamette River, nursing students may be drawn to the University of Portland for its campus. But UP is also one of the top schools in the region and offers an incredible BSN program.

The traditional BSN is the only option for undergraduate nursing students, though transfer students are regularly admitted into the program. Also, UP’s partnership with Providence Health and Services led to the creation of the Providence Scholars Program which covers over 80% of the BSN’s cost while guaranteeing student employment after graduation.

Before applying to this private school, students should note that the first two years of schooling are completed at Walla Walla University’s campus in College Place, Washington. After two years, traditional BSN students enter the nursing school and complete their junior and senior years at Walla Walla’s campus in Portland, Oregon.

If you already have an associate degree or have finished two years of schooling elsewhere, you can transfer directly into the program and begin your studies in Portland. An RN-BSN and LPN-BSN are also available, though neither is online.

While Portland Community College is a two-year institution with almost 73,000 full-time students. That makes PCC the largest post-secondary education institution in Oregon. Students interested in becoming nurses could benefit from PCC’s Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (ASN).

Students who complete the ASN are eligible to complete a BSN either through OHSU or Linfield College, so this can be an affordable way to begin your journey toward a BSN. In any case, ASN graduates are also on track to become RNs and could join an RN-BSN program as well.   

Treasure Valley Community College is a regionally accredited two-year institution in Ontario, Oregon. With just 3,000 students, TVCC is one of the smaller OCNE community colleges, but student outcomes are incredibly positive.

From 2015-2017, 100% of the associate degree program graduates found a job. Upon finishing the three-year associate in nursing, students are eligible to transfer to OHSU to finish their BSN. Students can also choose to take and pass the NCLEX-RN and then complete an RN-BSN program elsewhere. 

While the in-state tuition at Chemeketa Community College is low, many students end up attending school without paying tuition. So, students looking for an affordable way to earn a BSN might want to start at Chemeketa, complete the two-year nursing associate degree, transfer into a BSN program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and enter an RN-BSN program.

Chemeketa also connects graduates to reduced-tuition online RN-BSN programs at Linfield College and the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. Chemeketa has an impressive 100% NCLEX pass rate, which will gain attention from prospective nursing students.