Nursing Schools in Ohio

LS
By Lindsay Smith, AGPCNP
Updated September 6, 2026

Reviewed for clinical accuracy · Methodology: NIH, NCBI, AANP guidelines

The Buckeye State supports a broad economy across manufacturing, finance, logistics, and healthcare, and healthcare is among its largest employment sectors. Nursing positions are widely available across a state of roughly 11.8 million residents. Ohio is known for multiple professional sports teams, a deep industrial history, a large public university system, and plenty of nursing schools.

Nursing education in Ohio

Ohio’s public higher education system includes 14 four-year state universities alongside a large network of community and technical colleges, so the state offers a wide range of degree programs and career paths. Nursing programs are among the most common of these, offered at public universities such as The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, Kent State University, and Wright State University, as well as at private institutions including Case Western Reserve University, Xavier University, and Capital University.

Across these institutions, aspiring and returning nurses can earn an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree, covering credentials from LPN through RN and on to advanced practice roles.

Demand for nurses is expected to keep growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects registered nurse employment to grow 6% nationally from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 180,800 openings per year on average over the decade, most arising from the need to replace nurses who retire or leave the occupation. Pay in Ohio sits below the national benchmark: the median annual wage for registered nurses in Ohio is $82,510, against a national median of $97,550 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Cost of living in most of Ohio also runs below the national average, so the two figures should be weighed together rather than in isolation.

Nurses in Ohio can expect to find work at large systems such as the Cleveland Clinic, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and Premier Health’s Miami Valley Hospital, as well as at physician offices, long-term care facilities, and community health organizations.

Fortis Institute

Fortis offers select programs for nurses and allied health staff, including an associate degree in nursing, a practical nursing program, and medical assisting, delivered at its Cincinnati campus. Program availability differs by campus, so verify that the location you are considering offers the specific credential you want. Instruction combines classroom and clinical study. Graduates can work in hospitals, clinics, school health offices, and other healthcare settings. Because accreditation and Ohio Board of Nursing approval are granted per program and per campus, confirm the current status of the exact program you plan to enroll in before applying.

11499 Chester Rd #200, Cincinnati, OH 45246, USA

Phone:513-771-2795

Xavier University Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

Xavier University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a prelicensure program approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing. The curriculum emphasizes collaboration and working as part of a wider team of nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals. Graduates of the four-year program are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Holistic nursing certification through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation is a separate, postlicensure credential: the HN-BC requires an unrestricted RN license, 2,000 hours of holistic nursing practice within the previous five years, and 48 continuing education hours in holistic nursing. It is a credential to work toward after licensure rather than one a new graduate sits alongside the NCLEX.

3800 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, Ohio 45207

Phone: 877-XUADMIT 513-745-3301 (Daily Tours)

University of Akron School of Nursing

The University of Akron School of Nursing is one of the more competitive nursing programs in the state, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. High school graduates accepted to the university can apply to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, which introduces students to the profession and builds the clinical skills and knowledge needed to practice as a registered nurse. Graduates of the four-year program are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN, the national licensure examination for registered nurses. Other programs include RN to BSN and an accelerated BSN for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. Confirm the current accreditation status of any specific program with the school and with the accreditor directly.

209 Carroll Street Akron, OH 44325-3701

Phone: 330-972-6674

Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University, formerly Chamberlain College of Nursing, prepares undergraduate and graduate students for nursing practice through online and campus-based instruction, including a Cleveland campus. Its prelicensure BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), one of the two main national accreditors for nursing education. Degree paths include:

  • BSN (three-year year-round track)
  • RN to BSN
  • RN to MSN
  • Master of Science in Nursing
  • Graduate certificate programs
  • MSN with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialty
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice

Program length and start dates vary by campus and by whether you study full or part time. Confirm the current accreditation status of the specific program and campus you are considering, since accreditation is granted at the program level rather than to the institution as a whole.

Cleveland, Ohio Campus 6700 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44103

Phone: 216-361-6005 Toll-Free: 877-751-5783

Ohio Board of Nursing approved schools

Indiana Wesleyan University School of Nursing – Campus, and Online Location: Cleveland, Ohio Programs: RN to BSN, MSN Founded: 1920 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.indwes.edu

Chamberlain University College of Nursing – Campus and Online Location: Columbus, Ohio Programs: ASN/ADN, BSN, RN to BSN Founded: 1889 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.chamberlain.edu

University of Cincinnati School of Nursing – Campus and Online Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded: 1819 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.uc.edu

Ashland University School of Nursing Location: Ashland, Ohio Programs: BSN Founded: 1878 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.ashland.edu

Capital University School of Nursing Location: Columbus, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1830 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.capital.edu

Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing Location: Cleveland, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded: 1826 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.cwru.edu

Cedarville University School of Nursing Location: Cedarville, Ohio Programs: BSN Founded: 1887 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.cedarville.edu

Cleveland State University School of Nursing Location: Cleveland, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1964 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.csuohio.edu

Mount St. Joseph University Department of Nursing Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1920 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: https://www.msj.edu

Franciscan University of Steubenville School of Nursing Location: Steubenville, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1946 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.franciscan.edu

Kent State University School of Nursing Location: Kent, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded: 1910 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.kent.edu

Kettering College Division of Nursing Location: Kettering, Ohio Programs: BSN Founded: 1967 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: https://kc.edu

Malone University School of Nursing Location: Canton, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1892 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.malone.edu

University of Toledo College of Nursing Location: Toledo, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN, DNP Founded: 1964 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: https://www.utoledo.edu/nursing/

Miami University Department of Nursing (Hamilton regional campus) Location: Hamilton, Ohio Programs: BSN Founded: 1809 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: https://miamioh.edu/regionals/departments/nursing

Mount Carmel College of Nursing Location: Columbus, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1903 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.mccn.edu

The Ohio State University School of Nursing Location: Columbus, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded: 1870 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.osu.edu

Ohio University School of Nursing Location: Athens, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1804 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.ohiou.edu

Otterbein University Department of Nursing Location: Westerville, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1847 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.otterbein.edu

Shawnee State University School of Nursing Location: Portsmouth, Ohio Programs: BSN Founded: 1986 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.shawnee.edu

The University of Akron School of Nursing Location: Akron, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded: 1870 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.uakron.edu

Ursuline College Campus of Gannon University – Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions Location: Pepper Pike, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1871 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: https://www.ursuline.edu

Walsh University School of Nursing Location: North Canton, Ohio Programs: BSN Founded: 1958 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.walsh.edu

Wright State University School of Nursing Location: Dayton, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1964 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: http://www.wright.edu

Xavier University School of Nursing Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1831 Accreditation body: CCNE – Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Website: https://www.xavier.edu/nursing/

Youngstown State University School of Nursing Location: Youngstown, Ohio Programs: BSN, MSN Founded: 1908 Accreditation body: ACEN – Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing Website: http://www.ysu.edu

See also: associate degree (ADN) nursing programs

Several Ohio nursing schools have closed, merged, or changed names, and older directory listings still carry the previous entries. Before you apply anywhere, confirm the institution still exists under the name you are searching:

  • Lourdes University in Sylvania closed at the end of the 2025–26 academic year, citing declining enrollment and rising costs. It had operated since 1958 and offered a BSN.
  • Ursuline College merged with Gannon University. The two signed a definitive agreement in December 2024, and the Pepper Pike campus now operates as the Ursuline College Campus of Gannon University. Its Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions continues under the Gannon structure.
  • The Medical University of Ohio merged into the University of Toledo on 1 July 2006 under Ohio House Bill 478. Its nursing programs are now the University of Toledo College of Nursing, so a “Medical University of Ohio” listing is two decades out of date.
  • Chamberlain College of Nursing is now Chamberlain University, and Kettering College of Medical Arts is now Kettering College.
  • The College of Mount St. Joseph became Mount St. Joseph University on 1 July 2014. Malone College became Malone University in 2008, and Otterbein College became Otterbein University in 2010.

To confirm that a program is currently approved and accredited, check the source rather than a third-party directory. The Ohio Board of Nursing publishes the list of approved prelicensure nursing education programs in the state, and national accreditation can be verified through the CCNE program directory or the ACEN program search. Accreditation is granted per program, so a school with one accredited program does not necessarily have accreditation across all of them.

For admissions requirements, program costs, and how to choose the right program, read our full guide to Nursing schools in Ohio: programs, costs, and how to choose.

References

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), Ohio state estimates, May 2025. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses, employment projections 2025–2035. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm
  3. Ohio Board of Nursing. Nursing education programs and approval. https://nursing.ohio.gov/education-and-practice/education/education-programs
  4. Ohio Board of Nursing. Registered nurse and licensed practical nurse licensure by examination. https://nursing.ohio.gov/licensing-and-certification
  5. National Council of State Boards of Nursing. NCLEX examination candidate information. https://www.nclex.com/
  6. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Accredited baccalaureate and graduate nursing program directory. https://directory.ccnecommunity.org/
  7. Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Accredited nursing programs directory. https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs/
  8. American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. Holistic nurse certification eligibility requirements. https://www.ahncc.org/certification/holistic-nurse-certifications/
  9. University of Toledo. History of the merger of the University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio. https://www.utoledo.edu/campus/merger/
  10. Gannon University. Ursuline College campus. https://www.gannon.edu/ursuline-college/
  11. Ohio Department of Higher Education. Ohio’s public campuses and university system. https://highered.ohio.gov/
  12. U.S. Census Bureau. QuickFacts, Ohio state population estimates. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/OH

This page is an educational overview of nursing education in Ohio and is not admissions, licensing, or career advice. Program offerings, accreditation status, and licensure requirements change; verify current details with the school and with the Ohio Board of Nursing before making a decision. Last reviewed September 2026.