Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Louisiana
Ranked by graduate earnings
Dillard University, Chamberlain University - Louisiana and Louisiana State University at Alexandria are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Louisiana by graduate earnings. Dillard University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $86,585, College Scorecard. Northwestern State University of Louisiana, University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Louisiana: 541, 327 and 299 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 30 Louisiana colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 3,663 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 | Dillard University New Orleans Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $86,585 | 42 | 43% | $18,826 | — |
| 2 | Chamberlain University - Louisiana Jefferson Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,188 | 119 | — | $36,972 | $39,146 |
| 3 | Louisiana State University at Alexandria Alexandria Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,919 | 265 | 34% | — | $28,143 |
| 4 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,416 | 327 | 53% | — | $27,000 |
| 5 | Nicholls State University Thibodaux Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,065 | 154 | 54% | — | $25,631 |
| 6 | McNeese State University Lake Charles Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,239 | 170 | 47% | — | $26,100 |
| 7 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans New Orleans Public · Bachelor's degree | $76,998 | 299 | — | — | $29,750 |
| 8 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Baton Rouge Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,607 | 150 | 45% | $17,925 | $39,565 |
| 9 | University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,828 | 112 | 54% | — | $23,550 |
| 10 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,935 | 541 | 43% | — | $25,638 |
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 | Fletcher Technical Community College Schriever Public · Associate degree | $76,405 | 44 | 30% | — | — |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech University Ruston Public · Associate degree | $75,694 | 111 | 64% | — | $21,192 |
| 3 | Louisiana Delta Community College Monroe Public · Associate degree | $74,622 | 63 | 30% | — | $22,176 |
| 4 | Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge Public · Associate degree | $74,249 | 131 | 31% | — | $28,824 |
| 5 | SOWELA Technical Community College Lake Charles Public · Associate degree | $72,690 | 45 | 43% | — | $5,606 |
| 6 | South Louisiana Community College Lafayette Public · Associate degree | $66,842 | 77 | 30% | — | $23,354 |
| 7 | Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Public · Associate degree | $78,352 | 27 | 10% | — | $35,875 |
| 8 | Delgado Community College New Orleans Public · Associate degree | $75,597 | 196 | 24% | — | $35,330 |
| 9 | Bossier Parish Community College Bossier City Public · Associate degree | $72,944 | 82 | 15% | — | $26,618 |
| 10 | Louisiana State University - Eunice Eunice Public · Associate degree | $69,964 | 87 | 19% | — | $23,750 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in Louisiana
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 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Public | 541 | $74,935 |
| 2 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette Public | 327 | $80,416 |
| 3 | Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans New Orleans Public | 299 | $76,998 |
| 4 | Louisiana State University at Alexandria Alexandria Public | 265 | $82,919 |
| 5 | Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond Public | 212 | $73,910 |
| 6 | McNeese State University Lake Charles Public | 170 | $77,239 |
| 7 | Nicholls State University Thibodaux Public | 154 | $78,065 |
| 8 | Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Baton Rouge Private not-for-profit | 150 | $76,607 |
| 9 | Chamberlain University - Louisiana Jefferson Private for-profit | 119 | $83,188 |
| 10 | University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Public | 112 | $75,828 |
ShowHide the other 20 Louisiana colleges offering Registered Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Louisiana
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Louisiana.
Which Louisiana colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
Northwestern State University of Louisiana (541 graduates a year), University of Louisiana at Lafayette (327 graduates a year) and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans (299 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Louisiana, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 30 Louisiana colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Louisiana?+
By graduate earnings, Dillard University leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Louisiana, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $86,585, College Scorecard. Chamberlain University - Louisiana and Louisiana State University at Alexandria follow. By degrees awarded, Northwestern State University of Louisiana is the largest, with 541 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Louisiana has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Dillard University tops the list at $86,585. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Louisiana?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Louisiana is $84,190 (median $80,230), across about 48,970 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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card