Nursing Programs in Brooklyn, NY

Last Updated On Feb 19, 2026

Expert Verified: Jessica Guzzetti, MBA, BSN, RN, CCHP-RN

3 Min Read

2026 Best Nursing Schools in Brooklyn

Choosing the right nursing program is crucial for future success, and rankings provide valuable guidance by highlighting top-performing schools based on objective criteria. Registerednursing.org is creating the "Best Nursing Schools in Brooklyn" rankings, focusing exclusively on NCLEX pass rates to help students identify programs with strong outcomes. For more details on how these rankings are compiled, see our methodology at https://www.registerednursing.org/rn-ranking-methodology/. This data-driven approach ensures transparency and reliability in evaluating nursing education options.

Top Performing Schools

These schools demonstrate the highest average NCLEX pass rates across multiple years, with at least 20 students in the dataset.

CUNY LaGuardia Community College: 98.8% pass rate with 168 students
CUNY Queensborough Community College: 97.57% pass rate with 165 students
CUNY Hunter College: 95.1% pass rate with 264 students

BSN vs ADN Pass Rate Comparison

Analysis of pass rates by program type reveals differences in performance across degree levels.

ADN programs: 81.68% pass rate with 1,479 students
BSN programs: 88.44% pass rate with 2,258 students
MSN programs: 91.35% pass rate with 185 students

Pass Rate by Program Size

Program size categories show varying average pass rates, with medium-sized programs performing strongest.

Small programs (<50 students/year): 81.89% pass rate with 265 students
Medium programs (50-100 students/year): 89.97% pass rate with 698 students
Large programs (>100 students/year): 85.47% pass rate with 2,959 students

Biggest Improvements

These schools showed the most significant increases in pass rates from their earliest to latest data points.

Touro University: 23.2% improvement (70.45% to 93.65%)
Plaza College: 13% improvement (83.3% to 96.3%)
CUNY York College: 12.35% improvement (81.4% to 93.75%)

Consistently High Performing Schools

These institutions maintained exceptional pass rates above 90% across multiple years of data.

CUNY LaGuardia Community College: 98.8% pass rate over 2 years
CUNY Queensborough Community College: 97.57% pass rate over 2 years
CUNY Hunter College: 95.1% pass rate over 2 years
College of Staten Island CUNY: 95.02% pass rate over 2 years
CUNY Bronx Community College: 95% pass rate over 2 years

CUNY LaGuardia Community College

Long Island City, NY - Public 2-Year - lagcc.cuny.edu

Associate - NRS-AAS Program

Campus Based - Visit Website

CUNY LaGuardia Community College's NRS-AAS Program in Long Island City provides a campus-based pathway into nursing with a strong emphasis on both practical skills and theoretical foundations. This affordable CUNY program requires a high school diploma for admission but does not mandate ACT or SAT scores. Students benefit from hands-on training that prepares them for immediate workforce entry or further education. Notably, the program demonstrates exceptional outcomes with a 100% NCLEX pass rate in 2024 among 84 students, building on a strong 97.6% pass rate in 2023, indicating consistently excellent preparation for nursing licensure.

Campus-based program.
Prepares for nursing career.
Practical and theoretical learning.
Affordable CUNY tuition.
High school diploma required.

CUNY Queensborough Community College

Bayside, NY - Public 2-Year - qcc.cuny.edu

Associate - Nursing (A.A.S.)

Campus Based - Visit Website

CUNY Queensborough Community College's Nursing (A.A.S.) program provides campus-based education for students entering healthcare. This associate degree program emphasizes hands-on training to build a solid nursing foundation without requiring ACT or SAT exams. Recent NCLEX pass rates are strong, with 98.86% of 88 students passing in 2024 and 96.10% of 77 students in 2023, indicating effective preparation for nursing licensure. The program focuses on practical skills for immediate nursing roles, with admissions requirements that prospective students should verify directly with the institution.

Campus-based program.
Prepares for nursing roles.
Hands-on training included.
Check latest admissions requirements.
Solid nursing foundation.

Bachelor's - Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

CUNY Queensborough Community College offers an innovative Nursing dual/joint degree program that creates a seamless pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This campus-based program serves working professionals and career changers through flexible learning, preparing graduates for healthcare leadership roles. The program requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and includes the National League for Nursing exam but doesn't specify additional entrance exams. With high completion rates (94-96%) and strong job placement (80-92%), graduates gain advanced skills for evolving healthcare challenges and graduate study opportunities.

Online nursing degree format
High 94-96% program completion
80-92% job placement rate
Leadership healthcare preparation
Dual/joint degree partnership
Minimum 3.0 GPA requirement
National League for Nursing exam

Show 1 More Programs ˅

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY - Public 4-Year - hunter.cuny.edu

Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

CUNY Hunter College's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program integrates liberal arts with professional nursing education across a four-year, full-time curriculum. Admission requires a 3.2 GPA and prerequisites in sciences and math, but does not mandate ACT or SAT entrance exams. The program emphasizes holistic health management, health promotion, and illness prevention, preparing students for the NCLEX-RN exam and graduate studies. Clinical practice clearances are mandatory. Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the program demonstrates strong outcomes with a 97.58% NCLEX pass rate in 2024, reflecting its quality education for aspiring nurses in New York City.

Four-year full-time program.
Requires 3.2 GPA for admission.
NCLEX-RN exam eligibility.
Liberal arts and nursing education.
Accredited by CCNE.
Located in New York City.
Mandatory clinical clearances.
Prepares for graduate studies.
Focus on holistic health management.
Competitive admission process.

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, NY - Public 4-Year - csi.cuny.edu

Associate - Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

The College of Staten Island CUNY offers an ACEN-accredited Associate Degree in Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing that prepares students for RN licensure. This campus-based program combines rigorous science and humanities coursework with extensive hands-on clinical training in state-of-the-art labs, including a High Fidelity Simulation Center. Designed for high school graduates and career changers, the program emphasizes practical nursing skills in supervised clinical settings. For the 2024 ADN program, graduates achieved a 96% NCLEX pass rate among 100 students, demonstrating strong preparation for the national licensure exam. No entrance exams like ACT or SAT are required for this associate-level program.

ACEN accredited program
Hands-on clinical experiences
High Fidelity Simulation Center
Eligible for RN licensure exam
Diverse career opportunities
State-of-the-art nursing labs
For high school graduates and career changers
Combines science and humanities
Supervised clinical settings
Contact for faculty advising

CUNY Bronx Community College

Bronx, NY - Public 2-Year - bcc.cuny.edu

Associate - Nursing AAS

Campus Based - Visit Website

The Nursing AAS program at CUNY Bronx Community College provides a campus-based education focused on patient-centered care, leadership, and clinical reasoning. Accredited by ACEN and approved by New York State, this program emphasizes evidence-based practices and hands-on experience to prepare graduates for healthcare roles. For NCLEX performance, the ADN program had a 100% pass rate in 2023 and 88.89% in 2024. Admission does not require ACT or SAT exams, but students must meet state education standards. The curriculum covers safe patient care, teamwork, and professional development in the Bronx location.

ACEN accredited program.
New York State approved.
Focus on patient-centered care.
Covers leadership in nursing.
Teaches clinical reasoning skills.
Hands-on learning experience.
Prepares for healthcare workforce.
Located in Bronx, NY.
Campus-based learning.
Evidence-based curriculum.

Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science in Nursing Dual/Joint with Bronx Community College

Campus Based - Visit Website

CUNY's Bachelor of Science in Nursing Dual/Joint program offers registered nurses an online pathway to advance their careers through Bronx Community College. This flexible degree focuses on leadership preparation for dynamic medical settings, with a high 94-96% completion rate and 89% job placement. No entrance exam is required, but a minimum 2.50 GPA is needed. Graduates gain comprehensive skills for hospitals and community agencies, with potential for graduate studies. While specific NCLEX data isn't provided for this bachelor's program, the school's ADN program shows strong recent pass rates.

Online flexible nursing degree
High 94-96% program completion
89% job placement rate
Minimum 2.50 GPA required
Leadership career preparation

Show 1 More Programs ˅

*National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS 2024. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

Entry Level ADN, BSN, & MSN Programs in Brooklyn, NY

Entry-level nursing programs are designed to train students for their first professional jobs and to take the appropriate certification exams. The two most common entry-level programs are Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN). Both provide a foundational knowledge of nursing principles and practices, though a BSN degree is more in-depth and takes longer to complete than the ADN. Less common than the ADN and BSN degrees as an entry point to a career in nursing are direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, which are designed for aspiring nurses who have earned their bachelor’s degree in another field.

ADN Programs

ADN programs are ideal for students who would like to begin working as soon as possible, as they are typically the fastest to complete and are lower cost than BSN degree programs. The ADN at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn is a 64-credit hour program that is designed to be taken over four semesters ( two years).

Direct-Entry Accelerated BSN (ABSN) Programs

A BSN program also prepares students to take the licensing exam and apply for their first nursing job, but provides a more in-depth nursing education than the ADN program. Completion time varies from school to school, but as one example the BSN program at Long Island College – Brooklyn is offered in a traditional full-time daytime format, a part-time nights and weekend format and an accelerated 16-month format for students who have earned their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing subject.

Learn more about New York Accelerated BSN Programs

Direct-Entry MSN Programs

Less common than the ADN or BSN degrees, some schools offer a direct-entry MSN program that allows students who have earned their bachelor’s degree in another subject an accelerated pathway to a master’s degree in nursing, which saves students the time and expense of taking a traditional BSN followed by MSN program. The 15-month Master’s Direct Entry program at Columbia University prepares students to enter the nursing field as master’s-credentialed nurses with an emphasis on care coordination.

Learn more about New York Accelerated MSN Programs

RN to BSN Programs in Brooklyn, NY

Many ADN-educated nurses are considering returning to school to earn their BSN degree in order to earn a higher salary and open the door to additional job opportunities. Specially designed “bridge programs” are available with these RNs in mind. RN to BSN programs provide a pathway to a higher degree which takes into account prior coursework and clinical experience, resulting in shorter completion times and less expense for the student.

RN to BSN Programs

RN to BSN programs may be offered in traditional on-campus formats, as well as online formats, which may be more convenient for nurses who wish to continue working while studying for their BSN. The RN to BSN program at CUNY School of Professional Studies is offered fully online and includes coursework on health assessment, leadership and management, nursing research, care of culturally diverse populations, global health and policy and nursing informatics.

Learn more about New York RN to BSN Programs

List of RN to BSN/MSN Programs

We provide a list of RN to BSN and MSN programs to help nurses advance their careers. The table below shows schools by city and state, with program highlights and links to more details. Explore options to find the right fit for your education goals.

Jump to City:

Bronx, NY

CUNY Lehman College

RN to BSN - RN to BS Nursing
Online Learning - Website
- Rolling admissions
- Starts spring/fall
- Prerequisite courses required
- 37.5-credit nursing major
- 120 total credits for graduation
- Online or traditional format
- Requires NY RN license
- Foundation for graduate study

Brooklyn, NY

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

RN to BSN - RN to BS in Nursing
Online Learning - Website
- 3-Semester program
- 125 total credit hours
- Starts fall
- Online classes with clinical component
- Designed for working nurses
- Prepares for graduate nursing study
- Affordable tuition cost
- Highly rated program

St. Francis College

RN to BSN - Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, R.N. to B.S.N.
Campus Based - Website
- CCNE accredited
- Rolling admissions
- 2.8 GPA minimum
- Work experience required
- Designed for working RNs
- Up to 92 transfer credits accepted
- State-of-the-art simulation labs
- Small classes for individual attention