Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Florida
Ranked by graduate earnings
West Coast University - Miami, Arizona College of Nursing - Fort Lauderdale and Chamberlain University - Florida are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Florida by graduate earnings. West Coast University - Miami leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $95,859, College Scorecard. University of Central Florida, Nova Southeastern University and University of South Florida award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Florida: 944, 759 and 697 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 102 Florida colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 21,921 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Coast University - Miami Doral Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $95,859 | 289 | 33% | $38,218 | $38,145 |
| 2 | Arizona College of Nursing - Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $85,169 | 71 | — | $35,632 | $51,854 |
| 3 | Chamberlain University - Florida Jacksonville Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,188 | 200 | 33% | $30,012 | $39,146 |
| 4 | Barry University Miami Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $81,868 | 185 | 38% | $24,719 | $31,000 |
| 5 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,787 | 487 | 38% | — | $22,100 |
| 6 | Jacksonville University Jacksonville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $78,924 | 376 | 51% | $25,813 | $28,000 |
| 7 | Florida International University Miami Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,671 | 384 | 74% | — | $18,895 |
| 8 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,883 | 332 | 63% | — | $21,070 |
| 9 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,224 | 759 | 63% | $31,672 | $31,000 |
| 10 | University of North Florida Jacksonville Public · Bachelor's degree | $76,508 | 416 | 69% | — | $18,750 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations West Palm Beach Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $73,498 | 78 | 42% | $30,395 | $37,346 |
| 2 | Herzing University - Orlando Winter Park Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $73,342 | 145 | 37% | $20,697 | $31,509 |
| 3 | Broward College Fort Lauderdale Public · Associate degree | $72,991 | 506 | 39% | — | $13,886 |
| 4 | Northwest Florida State College Niceville Public · Associate degree | $71,737 | 87 | 39% | — | $14,000 |
| 5 | Valencia College Orlando Public · Associate degree | $70,422 | 448 | 48% | — | $17,750 |
| 6 | Seminole State College of Florida Sanford Public · Associate degree | $70,052 | 294 | 41% | — | $20,332 |
| 7 | College of Central Florida Ocala Public · Associate degree | $70,021 | 151 | 44% | — | $16,607 |
| 8 | Daytona College Ormond Beach Private for-profit · Associate degree | $69,749 | 26 | 86% | — | $32,500 |
| 9 | Polk State College Winter Haven Public · Associate degree | $69,158 | 197 | 35% | — | $15,460 |
| 10 | Santa Fe College Gainesville Public · Associate degree | $68,611 | 231 | 53% | — | $17,025 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in Florida
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Central Florida Orlando Public | 944 | $73,765 |
| 2 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Private not-for-profit | 759 | $77,224 |
| 3 | University of South Florida Tampa Public | 697 | $72,879 |
| 4 | St. Thomas University Miami Gardens Private not-for-profit | 534 | $70,805 |
| 5 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg Public | 487 | $80,787 |
| 6 | University of Miami Coral Gables Private not-for-profit | 472 | $75,036 |
| 7 | University of West Florida Pensacola Public | 427 | $73,787 |
| 8 | Florida State University Tallahassee Public | 422 | $69,997 |
| 9 | University of North Florida Jacksonville Public | 416 | $76,508 |
| 10 | Florida International University Miami Public | 384 | $78,671 |
ShowHide the other 92 Florida colleges offering Registered Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale | Private not-for-profit | 1,303 |
| Miami Regional University | Miami Springs | Private for-profit | 1,003 |
| Miami Dade College | Miami | Public | 977 |
| Rasmussen University - Florida | Ocala | Private for-profit | 951 |
| Broward College | Fort Lauderdale | Public | 506 |
| Valencia College | Orlando | Public | 448 |
| Florida National University | Hialeah | Private for-profit | 432 |
| Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay | Saint Petersburg | Private for-profit | 412 |
| Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Public | 398 |
| Hillsborough College | Tampa | Public | 376 |
| Jacksonville University | Jacksonville | Private not-for-profit | 376 |
| University of Florida | Gainesville | Public | 365 |
| Florida SouthWestern State College | Fort Myers | Public | 347 |
| Palm Beach State College | Lake Worth | Public | 338 |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton | Public | 332 |
| Daytona State College | Daytona Beach | Public | 314 |
| Seminole State College of Florida | Sanford | Public | 294 |
| AdventHealth University | Orlando | Private not-for-profit | 289 |
| West Coast University - Miami | Doral | Private for-profit | 289 |
| Indian River State College | Fort Pierce | Public | 279 |
| State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota | Bradenton | Public | 272 |
| Pensacola State College | Pensacola | Public | 263 |
| Eastern Florida State College | Melbourne | Public | 241 |
| Santa Fe College | Gainesville | Public | 231 |
| Chamberlain University - Florida | Jacksonville | Private for-profit | 200 |
| Polk State College | Winter Haven | Public | 197 |
| New Professions Technical Institute | Miami | Private for-profit | 197 |
| FVI School of Nursing and Technology | Miami | Private for-profit | 188 |
| Barry University | Miami | Private not-for-profit | 185 |
| Tallahassee State College | Tallahassee | Public | 183 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Miami Campus | Pembroke Pines | Private for-profit | 182 |
| Lake-Sumter State College | Leesburg | Public | 170 |
| Saint Johns River State College | Palatka | Public | 170 |
| Gulf Coast State College | Panama City | Public | 169 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Gainesville | Gainesville | Private for-profit | 157 |
| South University - Tampa | Tampa | Private for-profit | 154 |
| College of Central Florida | Ocala | Public | 151 |
| Herzing University - Orlando | Winter Park | Private not-for-profit | 145 |
| Florida Gateway College | Lake City | Public | 139 |
| Ana G. Mendez University | Orlando | Private not-for-profit | 136 |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers | Public | 127 |
| The University of Tampa | Tampa | Private not-for-profit | 123 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach | Private not-for-profit | 111 |
| HCI College | West Palm Beach | Private for-profit | 111 |
| Florida Southern College | Lakeland | Private not-for-profit | 106 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Sarasota | Sarasota | Private for-profit | 102 |
| University of Florida-Online (Online) | Gainesville | Public | 95 |
| Fortis Institute - Pensacola | Pensacola | Private for-profit | 93 |
| Northwest Florida State College | Niceville | Public | 87 |
| PENSACOLA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE | Pensacola | Private not-for-profit | 86 |
| South Florida State College | Avon Park | Public | 85 |
| Taylor College | Ocala | Private for-profit | 81 |
| Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations | West Palm Beach | Private not-for-profit | 78 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Tallahassee | Public | 77 |
| Fortis College - Cutler Bay | Cutler Bay | Private for-profit | 75 |
| Compu-Med Vocational Careers Corp | Hialeah | Private for-profit | 74 |
| Arizona College of Nursing - Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale | Private for-profit | 71 |
| Arizona College of Nursing - Tampa | Tampa | Private for-profit | 69 |
| Antigua College International | Miami Lakes | Private for-profit | 66 |
| SABER College | Miami | Private not-for-profit | 64 |
| Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology | Delray Beach | Private for-profit | 64 |
| North Florida College | Madison | Public | 61 |
| The College of the Florida Keys | Key West | Public | 58 |
| Southeastern University | Lakeland | Private not-for-profit | 57 |
| Chipola College | Marianna | Public | 47 |
| Fortis Institute - Port Saint Lucie | Port Saint Lucie | Private for-profit | 46 |
| Herzing University - Tampa | Tampa | Private not-for-profit | 44 |
| South University - West Palm Beach | Royal Palm Beach | Private for-profit | 43 |
| Care Hope College | Jupiter | Private for-profit | 43 |
| Southeastern College - Boynton Beach | Boynton Beach | Private for-profit | 42 |
| Advance Science International College | Miami Lakes | Private for-profit | 41 |
| Gwinnett Institute | Orlando | Private for-profit | 29 |
| Southern Technical College | Fort Myers | Private for-profit | 28 |
| Ultrasound Medical Institute | Wellington | Private for-profit | 27 |
| Daytona College | Ormond Beach | Private for-profit | 26 |
| Fortis College - Orange Park | Orange Park | Private for-profit | 23 |
| Activa Training Center | Miami | Private for-profit | 22 |
| Ave Maria University | Ave Maria | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Premiere International College | Fort Myers | Private for-profit | 21 |
| Hope College of Arts and Sciences | Pompano Beach | Private for-profit | 20 |
| Atlantis University | Miami | Private for-profit | 19 |
| Pasco-Hernando State College | New Port Richey | Public | 12 |
| Saint Leo University | Saint Leo | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Florida College | Temple Terrace | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology | Altamonte Springs | Private for-profit | 6 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Webber International University | Babson Park | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| American Medical Academy | Miami | Private for-profit | 3 |
| Med College | Hialeah | Private for-profit | 3 |
| Chancellor Institute | Ft Laurderdale | Private for-profit | 2 |
| Arizona College of Nursing - Sarasota | University Park | Private for-profit | 2 |
| Florida Academy of Nursing | Miramar | Private for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Florida
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Florida.
Which Florida colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
University of Central Florida (944 graduates a year), Nova Southeastern University (759 graduates a year) and University of South Florida (697 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Florida, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 102 Florida colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Florida?+
By graduate earnings, West Coast University - Miami leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Florida, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $95,859, College Scorecard. Arizona College of Nursing - Fort Lauderdale and Chamberlain University - Florida follow. By degrees awarded, University of Central Florida is the largest, with 944 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Florida has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, West Coast University - Miami tops the list at $95,859. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Florida?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Florida is $90,650 (median $84,190), across about 229,940 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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