Washington Nursing Programs

Top Nursing Schools in
Washington — 2026

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

7 programs listed BSN · ADN · MSN Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission Nurse Licensure Compact member

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Nursing Programs in Washington

BSN · On-Campus
University of Washington
BSN Program — Seattle

UW's School of Nursing consistently ranks in the nation's top 5 and is the Pacific Northwest's premier nursing program. Students train at UW Medicine — one of the nation's top academic health systems.

$16,500/yearAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
94%NCLEX Pass
BSN · On-Campus
Washington State University
BSN Program — Spokane

WSU's College of Nursing serves Eastern Washington's significant rural and underserved population health needs, with clinical placements at Providence Health and MultiCare Health System in Spokane.

$13,000/yearAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
92%NCLEX Pass
BSN · On-Campus
University of Washington
BSN Program — Seattle

Top-ranked public nursing school with UW Medicine clinical network

$24,000/yrAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
93%NCLEX Pass
BSN · On-Campus
Washington State University
BSN – Traditional — Spokane

Eastern Washington BSN with Providence and MultiCare clinical partnerships

$18,000/yrAvg Cost
4 yearsLength
91%NCLEX Pass
ADN · On-Campus
Bellevue College
ADN Program — Bellevue

Eastside Seattle metro ADN with Providence and EvergreenHealth placements

$8,200 totalAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
89%NCLEX Pass
ADN · On-Campus
Spokane Falls Community College
ADN Program — Spokane

Eastern Washington ADN with Providence Sacred Heart and MultiCare Valley

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

Jesuit university MSN with health equity and social justice focus in Seattle

$38,000/yrAvg Cost
2 yearsLength
N/ANCLEX Pass

About Nursing Programs in Washington

Washington offers some of the highest nursing wages in the country, led by the Seattle metro and systems such as UW Medicine, Providence, and MultiCare, with additional demand in Spokane, Tacoma, and rural communities across the state. Strong pay and a high quality of life make Washington a sought-after place to practice.

Students can pursue affordable community and technical college ADN programs, BSN degrees at the University of Washington and other public and private institutions, accelerated second-degree options, and RN-to-BSN bridges plus MSN tracks for advanced practice and leadership. The University of Washington's nursing program is consistently among the top-ranked in the nation.

Licensure is handled by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission, the state's nursing regulatory body. Washington is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN license issued to a Washington resident is a multistate license valid across all compact states — useful for nurses serving the Pacific Northwest and taking travel assignments.

Licensing authority: Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Washington is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. If Washington is your primary state of residence, your RN or LPN license is a multistate license valid across all compact states.
The Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission oversees nursing licensure and program approval in Washington, rather than a body named a board of nursing.
Complete an approved ADN or BSN program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and apply for licensure through the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.
Washington, especially the Seattle metro, reports among the highest average RN wages in the country, though the cost of living in the Seattle area is also high.
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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