Nursing Education › Louisiana
Louisiana Nursing Programs

Top Nursing Schools in
Louisiana — 2026

Compare the best BSN, MSN, ADN, and RN programs in Louisiana. Tuition costs, NCLEX pass rates, accreditation, and unique program highlights for prospective nursing students.

7 programs listed BSN · ADN Louisiana State Board of Nursing Nurse Licensure Compact member

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Nursing Programs in Louisiana

BSN · On-Campus
Louisiana State University Health New Orleans
BSN Program — New Orleans

LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing is Louisiana's premier academic medical center nursing program, with clinical placements at University Medical Center New Orleans and Children's Hospital New Orleans.

$8,500/yearAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
92%NCLEX Pass
#1 Academic Nursing School in Louisiana Visit Program →
BSN · On-Campus
Loyola University New Orleans
BSN Program — New Orleans

Loyola's nursing program emphasizes social justice and community health in the spirit of its Jesuit mission, preparing nurses to serve New Orleans's diverse and underserved communities.

$21,500/yearAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
91%NCLEX Pass
Best Mission-Driven Nursing Program in Louisiana Visit Program →
BSN · On-Campus
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
BSN Program — New Orleans

Premier public nursing school in Louisiana with LCMC Health clinical network

$14,000/yrAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
92%NCLEX Pass
LSUHSC Nursing top-ranked program in Louisiana Visit Program →
BSN · On-Campus
Tulane University
BSN – Accelerated — New Orleans

Elite private university BSN with emphasis on public health and disaster preparedness

$52,000/yrAvg Cost
16 monthsLength
91%NCLEX Pass
Tulane Nursing unique focus on Gulf South community resilience Visit Program →
ADN · On-Campus
Delgado Community College
ADN Program — New Orleans

Affordable New Orleans ADN serving diverse Southeast Louisiana communities

$7,500 totalAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
88%NCLEX Pass
Delgado ADN key pipeline for Louisiana's nursing workforce Visit Program →
BSN · On-Campus
Nicholls State University
BSN Program — Thibodaux

Regional university serving Bayou Region with strong community nursing focus

$10,000/yrAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
89%NCLEX Pass
Nicholls Nursing top choice for south Louisiana students Visit Program →
ADN · On-Campus
Southern University at New Orleans
ADN Program — New Orleans

HBCU nursing program with focus on health equity in underserved communities

$6,800 totalAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
86%NCLEX Pass
SUNO Nursing serves New Orleans's African-American healthcare workforce Visit Program →

About Nursing Programs in Louisiana

Louisiana's nursing market is anchored by Ochsner Health — the largest system in the Gulf South — along with LCMC Health in New Orleans and strong employers in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport. Demand is steady across hospitals, long-term care, and community health, with ongoing needs tied to the state's health challenges and an aging population.

Students can pursue affordable community and technical college ADN programs through the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, BSN degrees at public universities such as LSU and Southeastern along with private institutions, accelerated second-degree options, and RN-to-BSN bridges plus MSN tracks for advanced practice and leadership.

Licensure is handled by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. Louisiana is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN license issued to a Louisiana resident is a multistate license valid across all compact states — valuable in a Gulf Coast region where neighboring Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas also participate.

Licensing authority: Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Louisiana is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. If Louisiana is your primary state of residence, your RN or LPN license is a multistate license valid across all compact states.
Complete a Louisiana State Board of Nursing-approved ADN or BSN program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and apply for licensure through the board.
Ochsner Health is the largest system in the Gulf South, with LCMC Health prominent in New Orleans and additional major employers in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport.
Both qualify you for the NCLEX-RN. A community or technical college ADN is an affordable entry point, while a BSN is preferred at larger systems and for advancement.
About two years for an ADN and four for a BSN, with accelerated BSN options finishing in roughly 12 to 18 months for second-degree students.
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