The Show-Me State is a wonderful place to live. Barbecue lovers converge down on Kansas City for plates of ribs on a regular basis, while baseball lovers enjoy watching the Cardinals and Royals every spring. Beer lovers appreciate the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis and tourists enjoy the southern hospitality of the bootheel region. The state is an absolute delight to live in and even more enjoyable for finding nursing schools in Missouri.
There are many job opportunities within the state, but one of the best options is Nursing. Missouri has a large population, with a huge demand for medical care, so there is a constant demand for new nurses.
The Missouri Board of Nursing oversees the accreditation process for nursing programs throughout the state. Each program must properly prepare its students for a career as a nurse while also preparing them for the intensive national exams. Students in the state can become Licensed Practical Nurses or Registered Nurses, depending on which program they choose.
Nursing Education in Missouri
There are numerous programs in Missouri for nurses. Students that want to become LPN’s can choose from several excellent institutions.
Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield is one of the state’s better-regarded practical nursing options, with a reputation for pairing strong technical instruction with solid general education.
Becoming a Registered Nurse is an admirable goal, and Missouri has numerous great programs. Saint Louis University runs one of the most highly regarded RN programs in the state, and its nursing school is consistently nationally ranked.
Nurses in Missouri have several great career advancement options. They can easily become Nurse Practitioners or move into nursing education. Hospitals around Missouri are constantly looking for new nurses, so there are numerous career opportunities.
Featured Programs
Chamberlain University College of Nursing – St. Louis campus
Chamberlain offers an onsite three-year campus-based BSN program at their St. Louis campus. Studying continues year-round and BSN students build their practical skills with experiential learning, including labs, simulations, and clinical placements.
The Chamberlain online MSN program offers five concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Nurse Executive, Nursing Informatics and Healthcare Policy.
The online RN to BSN option can be completed on a full or part-time basis. Two further online study programs can be pursued: Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Master of Public Health.
Chamberlain is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
St. Louis campus: 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: 877-751-5783
Website: http://www.chamberlain.edu/
Goldfarb School of Nursing – Barnes-Jewish College
Goldfarb offers several options for BSN study including a traditional BSN, an accelerated BSN, an upper division BSN for transfer students and an RN to BSN program. Also available are an MSN program with five concentrations, and a course of study leading to Doctor of Nursing Practice.
Students have regular opportunities to put textbook learning into hands-on practice before working on real patients in a hospital setting during clinical rotations in a diverse variety of real-world healthcare environments.
Goldfarb School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates vary by cohort and year, so check the school’s current published rate before applying.
4483 Duncan Avenue
Mailstop 90-36-697
St. Louis, MO USA 63110
Phone: 314-454-7055
Website: https://www.barnesjewishcollege.edu/
Graceland University School of Nursing
Graceland is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and its RN program is well regarded within Missouri.
In addition to a traditional on-campus BSN, Graceland offers several online options. These include an RN to BSN and a BA in Health Care Management. A combined degree program is available that bridges from RN to MSN, saving up to 4 semester hours of coursework. Graceland’s MSN features two-degree tracks, Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology and is predominantly online with short practicums on campus.
Graceland also offers an online Doctorate in Nursing Practice and the opportunity to continue studies with either a Family Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Educator Post Master’s Certificate.
1401 W. Truman Rd.
Independence, MO 64050
Phone: 800-833-0524
Website: http://www.graceland.edu/nursing/
Saint Louis University School of Nursing
The Saint Louis School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Several traditional and flexible options are on offer. BSN choices include a traditional four year BSN, an accelerated one year BSN and RN to BSN. Existing Registered Nurses can opt for the online MSN which also leads to qualification as a Nurse-Practitioner. The two-year direct-entry accelerated MSN offers an alternative for individuals with a first degree in another subject. Two online doctoral programs are also offered for holders of either a BSN or MSN.
SLU’s nursing programs are regularly placed in U.S. News & World Report’s national rankings, and the university has appeared on its “Best Value Schools” list. Check the current edition for this year’s placement, and the Missouri State Board of Nursing for the school’s most recent NCLEX-RN pass rate, since both figures move year to year.
1 N Grand Blvd,
St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: 1-800-758-3678
Website: http://www.slu.edu/
University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing
Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Sinclair School of Nursing offers two campus-based options, a traditional four year BSN and a 15 month accelerated BSN for holders of first degrees in other subjects. Sinclair reports strong first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, though the exact figure moves year to year – check the school’s current published rate.
An MSN course is also offered, this is largely online but does include some short, campus-based sessions. The MSN may be studied full or part-time and Nursing Education and Leadership are the two Master’s concentrations available. Other online options include an RN to BSN program and an RN to MSN option which has an emphasis upon preparing graduates to teach in nursing programs. Both the Ph.D. and Doctor of Nursing Practice courses are also accessed online.
S235 School of Nursing
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-0277
Website: http://nursing.missouri.edu/
Missouri Board of Nursing Approved Schools
Chamberlain University College of Nursing – Campus and Online Location: St. Louis, Missouri Programs: BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, DNP Founded In: 1889 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: https://www.chamberlain.edu
Avila University School of Nursing Location: Kansas City, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1916 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.avila.edu
Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Programs: RN to BSN, Accelerated BSN, Upper Division BSN, MSN Founded In: 1902 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.barnesjewishcollege.edu
University of Central Missouri School of Nursing Location: Warrensburg, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN Founded In: 1871 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: https://www.ucmo.edu
Graceland University School of Nursing Location: Independence, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN Founded In: 1895 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.graceland.edu
Lincoln University Department of Nursing Science Location: Jefferson City, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: N/A Accreditation body: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.lincolnu.edu
Maryville University of Saint Louis School of Nursing Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN Founded In: 1872 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.maryville.edu
Missouri Southern State University School of Nursing Location: Joplin, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1937 Accreditation body: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.mssu.edu
Missouri Western State University School of Nursing Location: Saint Joseph, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1915 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.missouriwestern.edu
Research College of Nursing Location: Kansas City, Missouri Programs: BSN (the MSN was discontinued; no MSN degrees awarded after December 2024) Founded In: 1980 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: https://researchcollege.edu
Saint Louis University School of Nursing Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded In: 1818 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.slu.edu
Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Rockhurst University Location: Kansas City, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1903 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: https://www.rockhurst.edu/saint-lukes-college
Southeast Missouri State University School of Nursing Location: Cape Girardeau, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN Founded In: 1873 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www2.semo.edu
Southwest Baptist University St. John’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences Location: Springfield, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1878 Accreditation body: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.sbuniv.edu
Missouri State University School of Nursing Location: Springfield, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN Founded In: 1905 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: https://www.missouristate.edu
Truman State University School of Nursing Location: Kirksville, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1867 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.truman.edu
University of Missouri Columbia Sinclair School of Nursing Location: Columbia, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded In: 1839 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.hsc.missouri.edu
University of Missouri Kansas City School of Nursing Location: Kansas City, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded In: 1929 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.umkc.edu
University of Missouri St. Louis College of Nursing Location: St. Louis, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded In: 1963 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.umsl.edu
Webster University School of Nursing Location: St. Louis, Missouri Programs: BSN, MSN Founded In: 1915 Accreditation body: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.webster.edu
William Jewell College School of Nursing Location: Liberty, Missouri Programs: BSN Founded In: 1849 Accreditation body: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.jewell.edu
Several changes are worth knowing about, because older versions of lists like this one circulate widely and still carry the outdated entries:
- Cox College in Springfield is closing. CoxHealth elected to wind the college down and move its resources into the Alliance for Healthcare Education, a partnership with Ozarks Technical Community College, Missouri State University and Springfield Public Schools. The college stopped admitting new students after the spring 2025 term and plans to cease operations at the end of summer 2027 so enrolled students can finish. Prospective students in the Springfield area should look at Missouri State or Ozarks Technical instead.
- Deaconess College of Nursing no longer exists as a separate school. DeVry acquired it in March 2005, and the name changed to Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2006 – so any directory listing both Deaconess and Chamberlain as separate St. Louis institutions is double-counting one school. Chamberlain College of Nursing then became Chamberlain University in May 2017.
- Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences is now part of Rockhurst University. Saint Luke’s Hospital and Rockhurst announced the affiliation in July 2019, and the college’s programs moved to the Rockhurst campus in 2022. It operates today as Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Rockhurst University.
- Research College of Nursing has discontinued its MSN. Its governing board voted in August 2022 to end the program, and no MSN degrees were awarded after December 2024. Its nearly 40-year joint BSN partnership with Rockhurst University also concluded in 2022; the college now operates independently and offers the BSN.
Three state-college-to-university renamings also recur in older Missouri directories, all within about eighteen months of each other: Southwest Missouri State University became Missouri State University on August 28, 2005, Missouri Western State College became Missouri Western State University the same day, and Central Missouri State University became the University of Central Missouri on September 20, 2006. Barnes-Jewish College is now generally known as the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College, following a 2007 gift from St. Louis philanthropist Alvin Goldfarb.
Because accreditation status, program offerings, and institution names all change, treat this list as a starting point for a shortlist rather than a licensure record. Verify any program against the Missouri State Board of Nursing and the accreditor’s own directory – the CCNE program directory or the ACEN program search – before you apply.
Related guide
For admissions requirements, program costs, and how to choose the right program, read our full guide to Nursing schools in Missouri: top programs, costs, and licensing.