Nursing Programs in Arlington, VA

2026 Best Nursing Schools in Arlington

Registerednursing.org is creating rankings of the Best Nursing Schools in Arlington to help students evaluate programs effectively. These rankings use NCLEX pass rates as the sole criteria, providing objective data to compare schools. For more details on how these rankings are compiled, visit our methodology page: https://www.registerednursing.org/rn-ranking-methodology/.

Yearly Pass Rate Trends

Analysis of NCLEX pass rates in Arlington shows fluctuations over recent years. The data reveals changes in performance that may reflect program adjustments or broader educational trends.

• 2024: Average pass rate 83.12% with 77 students
• 2023: Average pass rate 91.25% with 80 students
• 2022: Average pass rate 83.33% with 60 students

Yearly Nursing Graduates

The number of nursing graduates in Arlington has varied across years, indicating shifts in program capacity or enrollment patterns.

• 2024: 77 graduates
• 2023: 80 graduates
• 2022: 60 graduates

Top Performing Schools

Among Arlington nursing schools with sufficient data, Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing demonstrates strong performance in NCLEX pass rates.

• Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing: Average pass rate 86.18% across 217 students over 3 years

Pass Rate by Program Size

Medium-sized nursing programs in Arlington show consistent pass rate performance, providing insight into how program scale relates to student outcomes.

• Medium programs (50-100 students/year): Average pass rate 83.12% with 77 students

Geographic Trends

Falls Church emerges as a key location for nursing education in the Arlington area, with data available for analysis.

• Falls Church: Average pass rate 83.12% with 77 students

#1

Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church

Falls Church, VA - Private 4-year - arizonacollege.edu

Bachelor's - 3-Year BSN Program

Campus Based - Visit Website

Arizona College of Nursing in Falls Church offers an accelerated 3-Year BSN Program accredited by CCNE. This campus-based program combines rigorous classroom instruction with extensive clinical experiences, featuring advanced simulation labs for hands-on practice. Night classes are available for general education courses, providing flexibility for students. The curriculum prepares graduates thoroughly for the NCLEX exam, though specific pass rate data isn't provided. As a bachelor's level program, entrance exams like ACT or SAT may be required for admission. The program emphasizes personalized support and offers financial aid options to eligible students.

• 3-Year BSN program
• CCNE-accredited
• Night classes available
• Advanced simulation labs
• Personalized attention
• Clinical experiences included
• Financial aid options
• Scholarships available
• NCLEX preparation
• State-of-the-art facilities

*Data from: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2024.

Entry-Level ADN & BSN Programs in Arlington, VA

Though nursing roles change with the times, a nurse’s core duty of caring for patients’ needs stays the same. By gaining a foothold in this stable career, nursing professionals can have job security. Nursing has many points of entry with each one requiring different education levels. Entry-level LPN to RN, ADN, and BSN programs in Arlington, VA all allow nurses to start or continue their career paths in ways that align with their own needs.

LPN to RN Programs

As a Licensed Practical Nurse, you work with patients’ every day tending to their wounds, taking vital signs and updating physicians on changes in their health status. By advancing your career from LPN to RN, you can perform additional patient procedures. At Standard Healthcare Services’ College of Nursing, located outside of Arlington, VA, students can leverage their LPN skills to become an RN in as few as 15 months. The curriculum includes clinical practicum, case studies, labs, audiovisuals, and traditional classroom instruction. Graduates of the bridge program can complete the NCLEX exam.

ADN Programs

The quickest and most direct way to a career as a Registered Nurse is the two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) sited outside of Arlington offers a quality, affordably priced entry-level nursing program.  With a dedicated nursing lab, simulation lab, clinicals, some online courses and lecture halls, students gain hands-on experience and fundamental nursing education from experienced instructors. Students who successfully complete the program can test for the NCLEX-RN.

Direct-Entry BSN Programs

Start off your nursing vocation with a bachelor’s degree and earn a higher paying wage from the start that will compound over the course of your career. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Marymount University provides comprehensive nursing competencies built on top of critical thinking, general education courses.  The traditionally Catholic university, which was founded in 1948, has affiliations with medical centers throughout Virginia and DC so students can learn from real-world clinical situations.

Find out more about Virginia Accelerated BSN Programs.

RN to BSN/MSN Programs in Arlington, VA

APRN & Nurse Practitioner Programs in Arlington, VA

Acquire greater decision-making autonomy by earning a master’s degree, a post-master's certificate or a doctorate in online, on-campus or blended education programs. Such healthcare professionals can secure long-term job security for themselves and their families while also doing more for patients under their care.

MSN Programs

After years of tending to patients’ bedside, nurses with leadership ambitions may seek to enter administration roles. Chamberlain University offers a Master of Science in Nursing Executive track that educates RNs on business management competencies so they can oversee nursing teams at hospitals. The online program covers business fundamentals such as financials, budgeting, planning and more. Practicums can be completed at Arlington, Virginia-area medical centers that are convenient to the student.

Find out more about Virginia Nurse Practitioner Programs.

Post-Master's Certificate Programs

Would you like to have greater authority in decision making regarding patient care? Become a Family Nurse Practitioner and you can gain authority to make diagnoses and treatment choices with little oversight. Marymount University in Arlington, VA offers a post-grad cert. in FNP so you can gain the clinical and book competencies to serve patients as their primary care providers. The Catholic-based school has a long history of preparing nurses and great relationships with area hospitals.

Find out more about Virginia Post-Master's Certificate Programs.

DNP Programs

Obtain the highest achievement in nursing when you earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice. With a focus on execution in the clinical environment rather academics, nurses with the DNP distinction command tremendous respect from their nursing and healthcare peers. George Mason University, located about 25 from Arlington, VA, offers a blended DNP program which meets on-campus once a month for clinicals and labs; all other coursework can be completed online.

Find out more about Virginia DNP Programs.