A basic nursing degree won’t cut it anymore. That’s essentially what the nonprofit National Academy of Medicine said in its 2011 report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.” The report made eight recommendations for the field, including, “Increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020.”
It used to be that an associate’s degree in nursing or nursing certificate was enough, but that’s no longer the case. Nurses need to have a bachelor’s degree to cover the basics—which in turn can lead to further study for a nurse practitioner or another more advanced nursing role.
State legislatures hopped on the bandwagon, with several introducing so-called “BSN in 10” bills, which require nurses to earn their bachelor of science in nursing within 10 years of acquiring their nurse’s license. So far, the law has only passed in New York State, but momentum is clearly going one way: back to school.
These degrees will set you on the right path—whether that means simply increasing your knowledge base and earning power, or as the next step toward a more advanced position like Nurse Practitioner. Let the 25 best bachelor’s programs in nurse practitioners guide you.
Last update: October 9, 2025
What are the Best Bachelor’s in Nurse Practitioner?
At CollegeRank, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. To supply you with the best of the best in Bachelor’s in Nurse Practitioner degree programs, we considered the following points when compiling this list, such as:
- The school’s ability to provide a quality Bachelor’s degree program in the field of Nurse Practitioner,
- Offering various learning degree formats, such as online, on-campus, or hybrid coursework,
- Taught by professionals in the field of Nurse Practitioner,
- Offers financial aid opportunities, such as federal loans, scholarships, and grants,
- Displays proper accreditation, pursuant to the field of Nurse Practitioner,
- Prepares graduates for career advancement in Nurse Practitioner.
Please feel free to visit our dedicated methodology page for a step-by-step breakdown. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@collegerank.net.
Regis College
Located 12 miles west of Boston in Weston, MA, Regis College is a tiny—3,000 students—Catholic school with a higher calling. “We value social justice and challenge ourselves to reach out to the marginalized, ‘the dear neighbor,’” says the school’s website.
That includes its 121-credit nursing program. Available full-time or part-time, it’s designed for nurses seeking to expand their education for professional growth. The study begins with 91 credits of prerequisites (including 40 from nursing courses), then 30 credits of required major courses.
Among those are Health Assessment, Nursing Care for the Aging Adult, Evidence for Clinical Practice, Community-Based Nursing, Public Health and Policy, and more, including a pair of nursing electives.
The time it takes to complete the BS depends on transfer credit and whether students study full-time or part-time.