New York is home to one of the most extraordinary nursing education environments in the world — anchored by Columbia University’s globally ranked nursing program, NYU’s urban health focus, and a network of CUNY and SUNY nursing schools serving New York’s enormous and diverse nursing workforce needs across New York City’s world-class academic medical centers and regional healthcare systems statewide.
The top nursing colleges in New York benefit from a clinical placement environment that no other US state can fully replicate: New York City’s concentration of premier academic medical centers — NewYork-Presbyterian, NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and others — provides nursing students with clinical experiences across some of the most complex, diverse, and medically advanced patient populations in the world. For comparison with other state nursing landscapes — our complete guide to top nursing colleges in California covers UCSF, UCLA, and 8 additional programs. For Pennsylvania’s nursing landscape including the world’s top-ranked Penn Nursing — our guide to top nursing colleges in Pennsylvania covers all 10 programs.
How We Selected These Top Nursing Colleges in New York
Our selection criteria: CCNE or ACEN accreditation, NCLEX-RN pass rates, program reputation within New York’s healthcare market, delivery format options for working nurses advancing credentials, tuition accessibility across the full New York market, and clinical placement connections across New York’s major health systems.
1. Columbia University — School of Nursing
Columbia Nursing is consistently ranked among the top 5 nursing schools in the United States — a globally recognized research and advanced practice nursing institution in the heart of New York City’s Washington Heights medical community, adjacent to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Programs span BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD — with particular strength in nurse practitioner programs, global health nursing, and nursing research. Columbia’s location within one of the world’s leading academic medical complexes provides clinical access that few nursing programs anywhere can match.
CCNE accredited. Consistently top-5 ranked nationally. Strong NewYork-Presbyterian clinical connections. Tuition: approximately $60,000-$65,000 per year. Best suited for: highly competitive nursing students and nursing professionals seeking top-5 ranked nursing education with exceptional NewYork-Presbyterian clinical environment and global health research opportunities.
2. NYU — Rory Meyers College of Nursing
NYU Rory Meyers is consistently ranked among the top 10 nursing schools in the United States — with particular strength in urban health, mental health nursing, and global nursing. NYU’s New York City location provides clinical access to an exceptionally diverse urban patient population across NYU Langone Health and partner institutions.
Programs span BSN, MS, DNP, and PhD — with distinctive strength in mental health nursing and global nursing reflecting NYU’s urban and international identity. CCNE accredited. Strong NYU Langone Health clinical connections. Tuition: approximately $58,000-$62,000 per year. Best suited for: nursing students and professionals seeking top-10 nationally ranked nursing education with strong mental health nursing and global nursing specializations in NYC’s diverse urban healthcare environment.
3. Hunter College — Bellevue School of Nursing (CUNY)
Hunter College Bellevue School of Nursing — part of the City University of New York system — is one of the most historically significant nursing schools in the United States. Named for its historic partnership with Bellevue Hospital — the oldest public hospital in the United States — Hunter Bellevue produces nursing graduates who serve New York City’s most diverse and underserved patient populations.
Programs include BSN and MS programs — with strong emphasis on community health nursing, public health nursing, and care for New York City’s immigrant and underserved communities. ACEN accredited. CUNY tuition: approximately $7,000-$10,000 per year for New York City residents — the most affordable top nursing college in New York. Best suited for: NYC residents seeking the most affordable ACEN-accredited nursing education with the strongest historical connections to New York City’s public health system and underserved community healthcare.
4. Stony Brook University — School of Nursing (SUNY)
Stony Brook Nursing is the flagship SUNY nursing program — offering BSN, MS, and DNP programs with strong research connections through Stony Brook Medicine and Long Island’s growing healthcare market. Stony Brook’s research-intensive university environment produces nursing graduates with strong evidence-based practice foundations.
CCNE accredited. Strong Stony Brook Medicine clinical connections and Long Island healthcare market employer relationships. In-state tuition: approximately $10,000-$12,000 per year. Best suited for: New York state residents seeking research-intensive public university nursing education at SUNY flagship tuition with strong Long Island and metropolitan New York healthcare employer connections.
5. Pace University — Lienhard School of Nursing
Pace University’s Lienhard School of Nursing serves New York City’s metro area from its Pleasantville and New York City campuses — offering BSN, MS, and DNP programs with strong connections across Westchester and New York City’s major health systems. Pace’s nursing programs emphasize interprofessional education and community health.
CCNE accredited. Strong Westchester and New York metro healthcare connections. Tuition: approximately $44,000-$50,000 per year. Best suited for: New York metro area students seeking private university nursing education with strong Westchester and metropolitan New York City health system clinical connections at tuition below Columbia and NYU levels.
6. Lehman College — Department of Nursing (CUNY)
Lehman College’s nursing programs serve the Bronx and Northern Manhattan communities — one of the most underserved healthcare markets in New York City. Lehman’s nursing education reflects the Bronx community’s specific healthcare needs — producing culturally competent nursing graduates specifically prepared for the complex community health challenges of one of the most diverse urban healthcare environments in the United States.
ACEN accredited. CUNY tuition: approximately $7,000-$10,000 per year for NYC residents. Strong Bronx community health and Montefiore Health System connections. Best suited for: Bronx and Northern Manhattan students seeking affordable CUNY nursing education with strong community health and culturally competent nursing training for New York City’s most diverse and underserved healthcare communities.
7. SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University — College of Nursing
SUNY Downstate is New York’s health sciences university — offering nursing programs within a comprehensive health sciences institutional environment that includes medicine, pharmacy, and allied health. Located in Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate’s nursing programs serve Brooklyn’s enormous and diverse patient population with clinical connections across Kings County Hospital and University Hospital of Brooklyn.
CCNE accredited. Unique health sciences university environment — nursing students train alongside medical, pharmacy, and allied health students. In-state tuition: approximately $10,000-$12,000 per year. Best suited for: Brooklyn-area students seeking interprofessional health sciences nursing education at SUNY tuition with strong Kings County Hospital and Brooklyn health system clinical connections.
8. Molloy University — Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing
Molloy University’s nursing programs serve Long Island’s nursing education needs — reflecting Molloy’s Catholic institutional identity through a curriculum that emphasizes holistic care, ethics, and service. Programs span BSN, MS, and DNP with strong connections across Long Island’s major health systems including Northwell Health.
ACEN accredited. Catholic values-based nursing curriculum. Strong Northwell Health and Long Island health system connections. Tuition: approximately $36,000-$42,000 per year. Best suited for: Long Island students seeking faith-based nursing education within a Catholic academic tradition with strong Northwell Health clinical placement connections.
9. Adelphi University — College of Nursing and Public Health
Adelphi University’s College of Nursing and Public Health serves the Long Island and New York metro market — offering BSN, MS, and DNP programs with distinctive strength in integrating public health nursing with clinical nursing competencies. Adelphi’s Garden City, Long Island campus provides strong connections across Nassau County and metropolitan New York healthcare employers.
CCNE accredited. Strong public health nursing integration. Nassau County and NYC metro healthcare connections. Tuition: approximately $40,000-$46,000 per year. Best suited for: Long Island and NYC metro area students seeking private university nursing education with distinctive public health nursing integration and strong Nassau County healthcare employer connections.
10. Long Island University — School of Nursing
Long Island University’s School of Nursing serves the Brooklyn and Long Island markets — offering BSN and MS programs with strong clinical connections across Brooklyn’s major health systems and Long Island’s growing healthcare market. LIU’s nursing programs reflect the institution’s urban and suburban dual-market positioning.
ACEN accredited. Strong Brooklyn and Long Island healthcare connections. Tuition: approximately $38,000-$44,000 per year. Best suited for: Brooklyn and Long Island students seeking private university nursing education with strong clinical placement connections across both urban Brooklyn and suburban Long Island healthcare markets.
How to Verify Nursing College Accreditation in New York
CCNE accreditation is verifiable at ccneaccreditation.org. ACEN accreditation is verifiable at acenursing.org. New York state nursing program approval is verifiable through the New York State Education Department Office of the Professions at op.nysed.gov. For the complete accreditation verification methodology — our guide to online university accreditation covers the complete 4-step process. For nurses considering credential advancement alongside active clinical careers — our guide to how successful professionals keep learning after 40 covers the 5 proven patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best nursing college in New York?
Columbia University School of Nursing and NYU Rory Meyers are consistently ranked as the top nursing programs in New York — both placing in the top 10 nationally. For affordable options, Hunter College Bellevue (CUNY) and Stony Brook (SUNY) offer ACEN and CCNE-accredited nursing education at public university tuition. The best nursing college depends on career stage, specialization goals, location within New York, and budget.
What is the cheapest nursing college in New York?
Hunter College Bellevue and Lehman College — both CUNY institutions — offer accredited nursing programs at approximately $7,000-$10,000 per year for New York City residents. Stony Brook and SUNY Downstate offer the next tier at approximately $10,000-$12,000 per year for New York state residents.
Is there a nursing shortage in New York?
Yes — New York State consistently reports significant nursing workforce shortages particularly in New York City’s public health system, Long Island’s growing healthcare market, and upstate New York’s rural healthcare facilities. This shortage makes New York nursing graduates among the most sought-after healthcare professionals in the state’s enormous healthcare employment market.
How long does a nursing degree take in New York?
BSN programs typically take 4 years. Accelerated BSN for students with prior bachelor’s degrees typically take 12-18 months. MS and MSN programs typically take 2 years full-time. DNP programs typically take 3 years post-BSN or 2 years post-MSN. CUNY and SUNY programs offer the same degree timelines as private institutions at significantly lower tuition for qualifying New York residents.
