Best Registered Nurse programs in New York, ranked by enrollment
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients.
112 schools in New York run programs that feed this job, graduating 15,639 people a year. The job pays a median of $109,440 in New York across about 205,810 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in New York that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
16 programs in New York that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in New York (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own New York page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nursemain feeder CIP 51.3801In New York → | 12,838 | 82.1% | 109 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 2 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3805In New York → | 1,179 | 7.5% | 24 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 3 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3810In New York → | 423 | 2.7% | 15 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 4 | Adult Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3803In New York → | 296 | 1.9% | 18 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 5 | Nursing Practicemain feeder CIP 51.3818In New York → | 236 | 1.5% | 6 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 6 | Nursing Administrationmain feeder CIP 51.3802In New York → | 180 | 1.2% | 14 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 7 | CIP 51.3899In New York → | 115 | 0.7% | 4 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 8 | Critical Care Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3814In New York → | 92 | 0.6% | 4 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 9 | Nursing Sciencemain feeder CIP 51.3808In New York → | 73 | 0.5% | 8 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 10 | Geriatric Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3821In New York → | 71 | 0.5% | 3 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 11 | Pediatric Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3809In New York → | 58 | 0.4% | 6 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 12 | Women's Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3822In New York → | 39 | 0.2% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 13 | Clinical Nurse Specialistmain feeder CIP 51.3813In New York → | 12 | 0.1% | 3 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 14 | Clinical Nurse Leadermain feeder CIP 51.3820In New York → | 12 | 0.1% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 15 | Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3811In New York → | 10 | 0.1% | 2 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 16 | CIP 51.3806In New York → | 5 | 0.0% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
Top 25 schools in New York
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 91 of the 112 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Excelsior University Albany, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 897 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $77,162 | — | — | — |
| 2 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 9 feeder programs | 616 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $111,360 | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 3 | Long Island University Brookville, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 579 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $100,097 | 57% | $24,639 | 86% |
| 4 | Molloy University Rockville Centre, NY Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 523 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $105,747 | 70% | $25,812 | 82% |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 458 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | — | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 6 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 425 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $107,433 | 60% | $29,994 | 76% |
| 7 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Public · 9 feeder programs | 385 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $94,853 | 76% | — | 49% |
| 8 | Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 378 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $90,933 | 46% | $17,604 | 86% |
| 9 | Adelphi University Garden City, NY Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 364 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $102,136 | 67% | $27,326 | 66% |
| 10 | St Paul's School of Nursing - Queens Rego Park, NY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 348 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $89,103 | 56% | $34,186 | — |
| 11 | St. John Fisher University Rochester, NY Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 344 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $73,333 | 74% | $25,213 | 66% |
| 12 | Utica University Utica, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 308 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $78,857 | 56% | $20,237 | 92% |
| 13 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY Public · 6 feeder programs | 307 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $103,692 | 57% | — | 54% |
| 14 | D'Youville University Buffalo, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 301 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $75,587 | 67% | $18,846 | 81% |
| 15 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 289 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $75,093 | 85% | $25,874 | 40% |
| 16 | Binghamton University Vestal, NY Public · 5 feeder programs | 286 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $86,404 | 82% | — | 39% |
| 17 | University of Mount Saint Vincent Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 278 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $105,134 | 57% | $20,371 | 85% |
| 18 | Helene Fuld College of Nursing New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 267 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $92,475 | — | $37,574 | 17% |
| 19 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Public · 7 feeder programs | 240 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $78,621 | 75% | — | 74% |
| 20 | SUNY Brockport Brockport, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 239 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $75,698 | 55% | — | 71% |
| 21 | AMG School of Nursing Brooklyn, NY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 214 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | — | 79% | $33,363 | — |
| 22 | Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 214 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | — | 100% | — | — |
| 23 | Mount Saint Mary College Newburgh, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 205 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $95,495 | 65% | $21,810 | 89% |
| 24 | SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Brooklyn, NY Public · 3 feeder programs | 200 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $112,670 | — | — | — |
| 25 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi Delhi, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 193 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $89,749 | 45% | — | 89% |
All 112 schools in New York
Every school in New York with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior University | Albany | Private not-for-profit | 897 | 3 |
| New York University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 616 | 9 |
| Long Island University | Brookville | Private not-for-profit | 579 | 3 |
| Molloy University | Rockville Centre | Private not-for-profit | 523 | 7 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | Private not-for-profit | 458 | 3 |
| Pace University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 425 | 4 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook | Public | 385 | 9 |
| Mercy University | Dobbs Ferry | Private not-for-profit | 378 | 3 |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | Private not-for-profit | 364 | 5 |
| St Paul's School of Nursing - Queens | Rego Park | Private for-profit | 348 | 1 |
| St. John Fisher University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 344 | 6 |
| Utica University | Utica | Private not-for-profit | 308 | 3 |
| CUNY Hunter College | New York | Public | 307 | 6 |
| D'Youville University | Buffalo | Private not-for-profit | 301 | 4 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 289 | 8 |
What registered nurses earn in New York
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $97,550. New York pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in New York
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Registered Nurses page.
How to become a Registered Nurse
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in New York
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 21 majors mapped to Registered Nurses21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.3801Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- 51.3802Nursing Administration
- 51.3803Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3805Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3806Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3808Nursing Science
- 51.3809Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3810Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3811Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3812Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3813Clinical Nurse Specialist
- 51.3814Critical Care Nursing
- 51.3815Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
- 51.3816Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
- 51.3818Nursing Practice
- 51.3819Palliative Care Nursing
- 51.3820Clinical Nurse Leader
- 51.3821Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3822Women's Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3824Forensic Nursing
- 51.3899Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing registered nurses programs in New York.
What degree do you need to become a Registered Nurse?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, which awarded 12,838 degrees in New York in 2024-25, 82.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Registered Nurse?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 16 programs to this occupation. The largest are Registered Nursing. Together they graduate about 15,639 people a year in New York.
How much do registered nurses earn in New York?+
The median is $109,440 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 12.2% above the U.S. median of $97,550. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for registered nurses growing?+
BLS projects a +4.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 189,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in New York?+
112 institutions in New York reported graduates from at least one of the 16 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do registered nurses work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse, APN (Advanced Practice Nurse), CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-1141.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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