Top Nursing Schools in Alaska for ADN and BSN Students

Hospital employers keep raising the bar toward the BSN, yet Alaska has only a handful of programs that prepare students for RN licensure, so each choice carries more weight than it would in a larger state.

Entry points include an associate degree at Charter College, a pre-licensure BSN at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and an online RN-to-BSN at Alaska Pacific University, along with LPN-to-RN routes. Costs diverge sharply: UAA in-state tuition is $7,738, against $20,760 at APU.

Nearly every campus is in Anchorage, so applicants from elsewhere must plan around relocation or travel for clinicals.

Best Nursing Schools in Alaska for 2027

Alaska's nursing school options are few enough to count on one hand, and nearly all of them sit in Anchorage. The three institutions below span the realistic range of what the state offers: an online RN-to-BSN completion track for nurses who already hold a license, a large public pre-licensure and degree-completion program, and a blended associate degree built around local clinical rotations. Accreditation for each program was verified separately and is noted school by school.

How Alaska Nursing Programs Score on First-Time NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

A first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate shows how many graduates passed the licensing exam on their first attempt. That makes it a stronger quality signal than graduation rate, because it measures whether a program prepares students to practice safely, not just whether they finish. For the 2024 exam year, the most recent year with separate results for each program, UAA associate degree graduates passed at 94% (80 first-time takers), UAA BSN graduates at 89% (111 takers), and APU ADN graduates at 100% (24 of 24). The national first-time rate for U.S.-educated candidates was 91.2%, per NCSBN. Keep cohort size in mind: at APU, one failed attempt would shift the rate by about 4 points. A 2025 compilation based on Alaska Board of Nursing data reports 86% for APU and 78% for UAA overall, but it does not separate UAA's associate and BSN results, so we have not split or estimated those figures.

Alaska Nursing School Tuition, Net Price, and Graduate Earnings Compared

The University of Alaska Anchorage is the most affordable option here after aid, with an average net price of $15,301 a year. Its in-state tuition of $7,738 runs roughly $10,600 to $13,000 below the sticker prices at private Alaska Pacific University ($20,760) and Charter College ($18,341). Net price is an institution-wide average after grants and scholarships, drawn from 2024 IPEDS and College Scorecard data, so treat it as a benchmark rather than a quote for your own aid package. Before you borrow, weigh your expected total debt against what new nurses earn in their first year, and aim to keep total borrowing at or below that first-year salary.

ADN vs. BSN vs. RN-to-BSN: Choosing Your Path in Alaska

The core LPN vs ADN vs BSN tradeoff is speed versus ceiling: an associate degree gets you licensed and earning sooner, while a bachelor's opens more doors at the hospitals most Alaska nurses want to work for. Your current credential, your timeline, and the employers you're targeting should decide the route.

The ADN: Fastest Route to RN Licensure

An associate degree in nursing (often awarded as an AAS or ADN) is the quickest path to sitting for the NCLEX-RN and starting practice. It fits career-changers, LPNs moving up, and students who want to work as an RN before investing in further education. You qualify for the same license as a BSN graduate, but the degree takes less time and typically costs less up front.

The Pre-Licensure BSN and Why Employers Favor It

A pre-licensure BSN prepares you for the same license while adding coursework in leadership, research, community health, and nursing theory. Alaska hospital systems, particularly those pursuing or holding Magnet recognition, increasingly prefer BSN-prepared nurses for new hires and promotions. If you already know you want charge, management, or specialty roles, starting with the BSN saves you a later bridge.

Bridging Up: RN-to-BS and APU's LPN Pathways

The UAA RN-to-BS program is built for nurses who already hold a current, unencumbered Alaska RN license. The full bachelor's totals 120 credits, including 39 upper-division credits; much of the lower-division work is satisfied by your prior ADN coursework rather than retaken. UAA doesn't set one completion timeline, since transfer credit varies by student, but the nursing courses can be completed in about 16 months across four trimesters. Realistically, full-time students finish the remaining requirements faster than part-time students juggling work and clinical schedules.

Alaska Pacific University serves two groups. Its LPN-to-RN Bridge, one of the LPN to RN bridge programs, is an accelerated, hybrid ADN for licensed LPNs, delivered over roughly three semesters (about 18 months) with online lectures and required on-site clinical at selected Alaska partner locations. APU also offers an RN-to-BSN for RNs or students enrolled in an accredited ADN, structured as an accelerated, largely asynchronous online program built on 7-week modules, with a published total of 128 credits and completion in about 15 months.

A Quick Rule of Thumb

If you're an LPN, bridge into an ADN; if you're a new student aiming at hospital work, go straight for the BSN; if you already have an RN license, enroll in Alaska RN to BSN programs.

UAA Nursing Program Requirements and Deadlines

Getting into nursing at the University of Alaska Anchorage takes two separate approvals. You must first be admitted to UAA as an undergraduate degree-seeking student. You then apply to the School of Nursing itself. Requirements differ by track, so confirm current details with the School of Nursing before you apply.

1. AAS prerequisites

   Complete BIOL A111 and A111L, WRTG A111, PSY A150, MATH A105 (or an ALEKS score of 55), and CHEM A054 with a C or better by the application deadline. Additional courses are due by program start.
2. AAS GPA and TEAS

   You need a minimum 2.0 GPA, calculated from prerequisite courses only. You also need an ATI TEAS overall score of at least 58.7. UAA uses your highest score from the 36 months before the deadline, and you can retest once every 21 days.
3. AAS application

   Submit through NursingCAS by the posted deadline. Current official materials do not specify the 2026 deadline or start terms.
4. BSN prerequisites and GPA

   Required courses are BIOL A111/A111L, A112/A112L, and A240/A240L, along with CHEM A103 and A104, DN A203, HLTH A151, PSY A150, and STAT A200. You generally need a C or better in each, earned within two attempts, and a 3.00 GPA across these courses. Tier I general education requirements must also be complete. Pre-major status does not guarantee admission to the full major.
5. BSN exam and deadline

   A School of Nursing entrance exam is required, but UAA does not publish the exam type or passing score. Third-party sources list an October 1 deadline. Verify this date and the start term directly with the School of Nursing.
6. RN-to-BS eligibility

   You need an associate degree in nursing, a current unencumbered Alaska RN license, and a minimum 2.00 GPA. No entrance exam is required. Students apply through NursingCAS, enter as pre-majors, and can receive up to 42 credits for prior nursing coursework and NCLEX-RN licensure.
7. Statewide options

   UAA also admits nursing students outside Anchorage, including through its Mat-Su campus. See the rural Alaska section below for details on distance coursework and clinical placements.

Studying Nursing From Rural Alaska: Online Coursework and Clinical Placements

Staying in your home community while earning an RN is possible in Alaska, but nursing is hands-on, so some of the work will always happen in person , a reality the Guide to Rural Nursing covers. Knowing where the flexibility ends helps you plan realistically.

Coursework From Where You Live

UAA admits associate-level students at distance sites rather than only in Anchorage. Listed AAS locations include Bethel, Dillingham, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kotzebue, Nome, Petersburg, Sitka, and Valdez. Kodiak appears in one UAA listing but not in the FAQ's list, so confirm your site directly. Lectures outside Anchorage are live-streamed to these sites. Pre-major courses can be taken online through UAA, UAF, or UAS, as long as you meet the prerequisites in that campus catalog. The BSN is offered in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Mat-Su, and the RN-to-BSN option is online.

How Clinical Placements Work

Clinical components are in person only. UAA's School of Nursing tries to place distance students in their home communities to limit travel, but this is a best effort, not a guarantee. UAA's materials do not say who secures every site or preceptor, so ask early rather than assuming. You are responsible for your own transportation to clinicals. If a placement requires intensive travel, you also cover transportation, housing, and related costs. UAA does not publish how often such trips occur or which students must go to Anchorage.

Before clinical courses begin, expect to provide the clinical preparation for nursing students items below:

• Immunizations: Documentation of immunity per current clinical guidelines.
• HIV testing: Annual documentation (results are not required).
• CPR: Current certification for infants, children, and adults.
• Background check: A national criminal check.

You will also buy uniforms and specialized equipment. Liability insurance is included in clinical course fees.

Practical Hurdles

Rural clinical capacity is limited, and winter weather can complicate travel by road or air.¹ Build slack into your schedule, budget for lodging, and keep a backup plan for storm delays. UAA's published materials do not detail the technology requirements for distance students. Ask the program about the computer, webcam, and internet speed you will need for live-streamed lectures, since rural connections vary widely.

Before You Apply

Contact the School of Nursing's distance or outreach coordinator before submitting an application. Ask which site fits your community, how clinical placements near you have gone for recent students, what travel to expect, and what it will cost. Their answers will tell you more than any catalog listing.

Who Licenses Nurses in Alaska

How to Get Your RN License in Alaska

Most licensing delays in Alaska come from paperwork, not the exam. Knowing the sequence before you graduate keeps your start date on track.

Licensure by Examination, Step by Step

• Finish an approved program: Graduate from a board-approved prelicensure nursing program. Your school sends a verification of completion and your official transcript directly to the Alaska Board of Nursing.
• Apply to the Board: Submit the examination application online through MYLICENSE or on the notarized paper form (#08-4112).
• Submit fingerprints: Mail an original FD-258 fingerprint card for the background check because fingerprinting is required for your nursing license. Photocopies are not accepted, and incorrectly completed cards are rejected, so have prints taken carefully in black or pale-blue ink.
• Register with Pearson VUE: Sign up for the NCLEX-RN separately. You can schedule only after the Board confirms your eligibility and you receive your Authorization to Test.
• Pass the NCLEX-RN: A passing result clears the final hurdle for your license.

Fees, Timing, and Temporary Permits

The total cost is $375: a $200 nonrefundable application fee, a $100 license fee, and $75 for fingerprint processing. The Board does not publish a guaranteed processing time, so submit your application as early as your program allows.

New graduates may qualify for a temporary permit at no extra cost. It lasts six months or until you receive NCLEX-RN results, whichever comes first, and it cannot be renewed. The permit becomes invalid if you do not pass, and it is not available to anyone who has previously failed or missed a scheduled NCLEX.

Licensure by Endorsement

Nurses already licensed elsewhere can apply by endorsement using form #08-4016, online or on notarized paper. Expect the same $375 fee and an original FD-258 card. You will generally need:

• An active, unencumbered RN license in another U.S. state or territory
• License verification through Nursys, or sent directly from your original board if that state does not participate
• At least 320 hours of nursing practice within the past five years
• Proof of English proficiency if you trained outside the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec)

A six-month temporary permit is available at no added fee, though it cannot be renewed or expedited. Some license histories trigger a requirement to take the NCLEX instead, so review the Board's endorsement instructions against your own record.

Why Approval and Accreditation Both Matter

Board approval is what makes you eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN in the first place. Accreditation from ACEN or CCNE is a separate check on program quality, and it carries weight later: many RN-to-BSN programs, MSN Programs in Alaska, and NP Programs in Alaska expect applicants to hold a degree from an accredited school. Confirm both before you enroll, not after you graduate.

What Registered Nurses Earn in Alaska

Alaska RNs earn well, and pay is highest around Anchorage, where most of the state's nursing jobs are.

Advanced Nursing Degrees After Your RN in Alaska

Graduate nursing education has become the expected route for nurses who want to lead care teams, teach, or practice with greater autonomy, and the path almost always starts with a bachelor's degree. A BSN from an accredited program is typically the gateway to every degree below, which is why the RN-to-BSN decision covered earlier matters well beyond your current job.

The Main Graduate Options

• MSN: A master's degree built around a focus such as leadership, education, informatics, or clinical specialization.
• Nurse practitioner tracks: Advanced practice preparation in areas like family, adult-gerontology, psychiatric mental health, or pediatrics, ending in national certification and state authorization.
• DNP: A practice doctorate for nurses aiming at advanced clinical leadership, systems improvement, and the highest level of practice.
• Post-master's certificates: A shorter option for nurses who already hold an MSN and want a new specialty without repeating a full degree.

Studying While You Work

Many Alaska nurses complete graduate study online while continuing to work, which suits a state where distances are long and hospital schedules are demanding. Clinical hours still have to be arranged locally or through a preceptor, so ask each program how placements are handled before you apply.

The MSN and nurse practitioner pages on registerednursing.org, along with DNP programs in Alaska and the Best Alaska Post-Graduate Certificate in Nursing Programs page, list admission requirements, specialties, and formats for each program.

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