Virginia Nursing Programs

Top Nursing Schools in
Virginia — 2026

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

7 programs listed BSN · ADN · MSN Virginia Board of Nursing Nurse Licensure Compact member

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Nursing Programs in Virginia

BSN · On-Campus
University of Virginia
BSN Program — Charlottesville

UVA's School of Nursing is consistently ranked among the nation's top 25, with clinical placements at UVA Health — one of the Southeast's premier academic medical centers.

$16,000/yearAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
95%NCLEX Pass
BSN · On-Campus
Virginia Commonwealth University
BSN Program — Richmond

VCU's School of Nursing is Virginia's largest public nursing program. Clinical placements at VCU Health — Virginia's only academic medical center — provide access to the state's highest-acuity patient populations.

$14,000/yearAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
93%NCLEX Pass
BSN · On-Campus
University of Virginia
BSN Program — Charlottesville

Elite public university BSN with UVA Health clinical network

$22,000/yrAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
93%NCLEX Pass
BSN · On-Campus
Virginia Commonwealth University
BSN – Traditional — Richmond

Urban medical campus nursing with VCU Health and HCA VA clinical network

$20,000/yrAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
92%NCLEX Pass
ADN · On-Campus
Northern Virginia Community College
ADN Program — Annandale

Largest community college in Virginia; D.C. metro clinical sites

$8,000 totalAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
89%NCLEX Pass
ADN · On-Campus
Tidewater Community College
ADN Program — Norfolk

Hampton Roads ADN with Sentara and Bon Secours clinical placements

$7,800 totalAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
88%NCLEX Pass
MSN · Hybrid
George Mason University
MSN – NP Tracks — Fairfax

Northern Virginia public university MSN with diverse NP concentrations

$22,000/yrAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
N/ANCLEX Pass

About Nursing Programs in Virginia

Virginia spans a diverse healthcare landscape, from the dense Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., served by Inova Health, to Richmond's VCU Health and the Sentara network in Hampton Roads. Strong population growth and proximity to the nation's capital keep nursing demand high across much of the state.

Students can pursue affordable community-college ADN programs through the Virginia Community College System, BSN degrees at public universities and private institutions, accelerated second-degree options, and RN-to-BSN bridges plus MSN programs for nurse practitioners, educators, and leaders. The community-college route is a popular, economical way to enter the profession in Virginia.

Licensure is handled by the Virginia Board of Nursing, under the Department of Health Professions. Virginia is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN license issued to a Virginia resident is a multistate license valid across all compact states — an advantage in the D.C. metro, where many nurses work across nearby jurisdictions.

Licensing authority: Virginia Board of Nursing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Virginia is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. If Virginia is your primary state of residence, your RN or LPN license is a multistate license valid across all compact states.
Complete a Virginia Board of Nursing-approved ADN or BSN program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and apply for licensure through the board under the Department of Health Professions.
No. The District of Columbia requires its own license. Your Virginia compact license covers other compact states, but D.C. and Maryland each have their own requirements, so confirm before working across the metro.
Both qualify you for the NCLEX-RN. A BSN is preferred at Magnet hospitals and for advancement, while a community-college ADN is an affordable entry point you can build on.
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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