Top Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Programs

Located in southern California, Santa Monica City College has a 100% job placement rate for 2021-2022 ADN graduates. This university also has transfer articulation agreements with several University of California and Cal State University campuses for students who wish to continue their education and obtain a BSN.

Cayuga Community College has a campus in Auburn and Fulton, NY. To gain entry into this program, prospective students must fill out a university application and a separate nursing program application.

The school encourages applicants to enroll in the Liberal Arts and Sciences/Humanities and Social Science program before pursuing nursing. Doing so allows students to complete their nursing school prereqs and select required nursing degree courses. Following this plan, they will earn their ADN in three years.

The ADN program at Howard College takes two years of full-time study to complete. In the second year, students attend online lectures, which provides more flexibilty and conveneince.

Howard College also has several articulation agreements in the area. So, many ADN graduates will continue their education at a university to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

The Chabot College ADN program boasts a 100% NCLEX pass rate every year from 2015 to 2022. The school admits 40 new nursing students each fall, which makes this program somewhat competetive. 

Students attend this program in four consecutive semesters, excluding summers. Following the program, they earn their ADN degree in just two years.

Students who want to attend BBCC's ADN program must submit their applications by April 15th to start class in the fall. Big Bend's admits between 24 and 28 new ADN students annually, depending on clinical spaces and available faculty. Although the college prefers applicants with some experience in patient care, it is not mandatory.

A-B Tech boasts its commitment to providing a student-centered and high-quality ADN educational program. In addition to the standard 2-year ADN, the college offers an LPN-RN and paramedic to RN bridge, which can help other healthcare workers more easily transition to nursing.

The school offers two start dates annually in the spring and fall. It also reports that ADN students find employoment within six months of graduation.

 Students at Mesa Community College’s ADN program receive a variety of course schedules and may choose between morning, afternoon, and evening cohorts. Clinical experiences take place in various laboratory, simulation, in-patient, and outpatient settings.

Saddleback College’s ADN program began in 1971 and has an outstanding reputation in its healthcare community. NCLEX pass rates are consistently higher than state and national pass rates. ADN graduates from the university work in various nursing positions, and many continue their education to earn a BSN.

100% of Southern Illinois College’s ADN program students passed their licensure exams the first time upon graduation in 2020. Many students from the university also go on to continue their education and earn a BSN.

Seminole State has one of the nation's best NCLEX-RN licensure pass rates. In fact, 97% of graduates passed on their first attempt in 2020, compared with a 68.8% statewide average during the same year.  Graduates also gain employment quickly, and the university has a 94.9% job placement rate. 

The university also offers a part-time option for students working toward their ADN. Both full-time and part-time ADN programs seamlessly transfer into the university’s RN-to-BSN program.