Best Nursing Programs in New Jersey
For the first blog of 2024, I will be listing the Top 10 4-Year Bachelor of Science Nursing Programs in New Jersey. My name is Alexa Salva, a recent hire with Horizon Healthcare Staffing as a Digital Marketing Associate! With a background in marketing, I’m helping with everything digital. That’s enough about me though, let’s dive into my very first blog post! There is a lot of debate around this topic and what defines a school as being one of the best nursing programs in New Jersey. After doing some research of my own, I’ve decided to make a list of the top 10 Nursing Programs in NJ for Bachelor of Science Degrees based on one very important factor.
Now, I’m definitely no expert when it comes to Nursing programs or healthcare in general – as I told you earlier – I have a marketing background and not a nursing background. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t do research on finding the best nursing programs in New Jersey based off the NCLEX passing rate. Why is this an important factor you ask?
Methodology
The NCLEX is a rigorous set of standardized tests nurses need to pass in order to become a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). This list will be compromised by students’ success based off the NCLEX passing rate for 2022 – 2023 (Q3). At the time of this blog, only Q3 results were posted for 2023. To determine the order of this list, I took the NJ Consumer Affairs test results posted for BS Nursing Programs taken during Q4 of 2022 – Q3 of 2023 and averaged the passing rate accordingly. After making a list of nearly 20+ school program results, I narrowed it down to schools with traditional 4-year BSN programs and took the top 10 average passing scores.
Nursing Programs in New Jersey are top-notch and deciding which program to enroll in is a substantive decision for your future. I researched this topic because I want you to be aware of some of the best nursing programs in New Jersey! Once you’ve graduated and receive your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, you will need to take the NCLEX. With a little background about each school’s program, I’m hoping this list will help you feel more secure and confident in your program decision. I want you going into a program knowing you will be over prepared for your NCLEX when the time comes!
Top 10 Bachelor of Science Nursing Programs (4-year) in New Jersey
10. Montclair State University
Coming in the #10 spot on our Top 4-Year BS Nursing Programs in NJ is Montclair State University! Montclair State University School of Nursing’s mission is to educate undergraduate and graduate students to engage in full scope practice as registered nurses to develop, implement, and evaluate compassionate, coordinate healthcare services through innovative collaboration with diverse communities. Their vision is to have faculty and students reflect the global community they serve to facilitate and lead innovative collaborations by transforming healthcare delivery for diverse populations across the continuum of care. Montclair’s graduate students who took the NCLEX between 2022 – 2023 had a passing average of 82.73%. By providing essential knowledge and skills, professional nursing education is grounded in mathematics, science, and humanities then progresses into nursing theory, clinical experiences, and other important healthcare courses.
GCU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing prepares future nurses with equipped skills such as critical-thinking, strong collaboration, and problem solving. With these skills and hands-on experiences, Georgian Court University provides a great deal of knowledge from top-notch nursing faculty and leaders. The passing average of the NCLEX for GCU came to 83.88%. They have partnered with the Hackensack Meridian Health Network which means learning cutting-edge health technology, networking opportunities, and real-world clinical placements. Georgian Court University was ranked #10 by RN Careers in nursing schools for the state of New Jersey.
Felician University is coming in at #8 for our list of the Top 10 BSN 4-year Programs which is located in Rutherford, New Jersey. The School of Nursing’s goals include creating a diverse, caring, inclusive learning experience, developing students’ core disciplinary nursing knowledge, facilitating ongoing professional identity development, and contribute to the improvement of access and care quality through the provision of healthcare services. Students that completed the NCLEX in 2022 – 2023 from Felician University had a passing average of 85.04%. The University’s partnerships provide job and internship placements at leading healthcare systems such as Hackensack Meridian Healthcare, RWJ/Barnabas System, and Atlantic Health System.
Stockton University offers both traditional BSN and Accelerated BSN programs as well as post-graduate programs such as Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). In 2021, Stockton was voted in the Top 10 Public Universities in the North. They consistently have a passing rate above 90% for undergraduate students for the NCLEX and had an average score of 90.19% in 2022 -2023 with the data provided. With their first launch of the RN-BSN program back in 1975, they have expanded to offer the generic BSN and an accelerated second-degree BSN program. Stockton University’s Nursing Program’s mission is to prepare nurse generalists and graduate level nurse practitioners as professional nurses with a commitment to life-long learning and the capacity to adapt to change in a multi-cultural, interdependent world.
6. Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickenson University is located in northern New Jersey and has a number of undergraduate and graduate programs within the nursing department. With the passing results provided by the NJ Consumer Affairs, the students’ passing average is 90.3%. This curriculum puts an emphasis on building important skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and building resilience. Both faculty and students work collaboratively to develop healthcare leadership, a desire to further equity and inclusivity, and promote joint efforts in interprofessional relationships. Fairleigh Dickenson’s School of Nursing & Allied Health takes pride in developing students to be a well-versed and prepared professional ready to practice in any setting.
5. Ramapo College of New Jersey
Placing at #5 on our list is Ramapo College of New Jersey. Ramapo College’s passing rate for NCLEX was an average of 90.97% according to the data provided from 2022 – 2023. The undergraduate BSN program was inaugurated back in 1993 and has expanded into additional programs such as Accelerated Nursing BSN, Master of Science in Nursing (MSP), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). In 2004, they partnered with The Valley Hospital, designated as a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, offering intimate guidance and attention clinical partnerships. Ramapo College pledges that their nursing students will be well prepared as generalists in critical roles as healthcare professionals.
Seton Hall University was the first college in New Jersey to offer their BSN program back in 1937. Their undergraduate program unites liberal arts with nursing, providing future nurses with diverse opportunities for meaningful clinical experiences. Seton Hall University has an average NCLEX passing score of 93.84%. The College of Nursing’s mission is to educate generalists and specialists in nursing at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The majority of Seton Hall’s full-time faculty have doctoral degrees and offer an active, hands-on learning experience to fully prepare students for their future.
The School of Nursing is a part of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences program with locations in Newark, New Brunswick, and Blackwood. Rutgers (New Brunswick) average passing percentage for the NCLEX was a whopping 95.34%. Rutgers is one of the nation’s largest, most comprehensive nursing schools. This school offers four different paths to achieving your BSN. These pathways include the traditional 4-year, the 2 + 2 BS in Nursing, Second-Degree BS in Nursing, and RN to BSN. The U.S. News & World Report has ranked Rutgers University #31 out of 656 programs which has placed them among the top 5% in the nation.
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) based in Ewing NJ, had an average passing percentage of 98.03%. TCNJ is committed to educating nurses with critical thinking and clinical skills that are required in this position of leadership within the profession. With their on-campus nursing labs and on-site clinical practice, TCNJ provides an excellent foundation and direction for this program. Of an average passing score of 98.03%, it is clear that they serve the people of New Jersey by preparing professional nurses to be successful, ethical, and visionary leaders. TCNJ offers two undergraduate BSN programs, the general BSN path, and a RN to BSN path. They also offer an accelerated two second-degree BSN program for those who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.
On the top of our list for the best BSN Programs in New Jersey we have Saint Peter’s University with the passing average, according to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, coming out to 100% of students passing their NCLEX test! Located in Jersey City, NJ, the mission of Saint Peter’s University is to educate individuals to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately, and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment. SPU is one of twenty-eight Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. The School of Nursing program is designed to construct future nurses with extensive knowledge and skills for empathetic, competent, and ethical practice. This school offers the generic BSN, RN to BSN, and accelerated BSN programs.
This completes Horizon Healthcare Staffing’s list of the Top 10 4-Year BS Nursing Programs in New Jersey! I’d like to reiterate one more time that this list was based solely off the NCLEX passing average data for the year of 2022 – 2023. New Jersey is full of amazing, high quality nursing programs and schools. This list names just the top schools that offer the traditional 4-year BSN program. There are many other schools with different programs that also have high average passing scores! With this list you can assume it is almost guaranteed that by attending one of these programs, you will be set up for success and have amazing nursing job opportunities once you pass the NCLEX!
No matter which degree or license you decide to pursue, I salute you in dedicating yourself to this profession. It is not an easy task to become a nurse, let alone work in the healthcare industry. Nurses are our modern-day heroes and I wish you all the luck on your exciting, fulfilling career path!
