Nursing Programs in Jackson, MS

2027 Best Nursing Schools in Jackson

Rankings help prospective students compare nursing programs and make informed decisions. Our 'Best Nursing Schools in Jackson' list is designed to highlight top-performing options based on NCLEX pass rates. Registerednursing.org has compiled these rankings to guide your search. For our methodology, visit https://www.registerednursing.org/rn-ranking-methodology/.

Yearly Pass Rate Trends

Pass rates in Jackson nursing programs have shown some fluctuation over recent years, with a notable peak in 2023.

• 2022: 93.28% average pass rate
• 2023: 98.84% average pass rate
• 2024: 95.80% average pass rate

Biggest Improvements

Among Jackson nursing schools, Hinds Community College demonstrated the most significant improvement in pass rates over the available period.

• Hinds Community College: +5.3 percentage points
• Mississippi College: -0.26 percentage points

Consistently High Performing Schools

Two Jackson nursing schools have maintained average pass rates above 90% across multiple years of data.

• Hinds Community College: 96.79% average
• Mississippi College: 95.16% average

#1

Belhaven University

Jackson, MS - Private 4-year - belhaven.edu

Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Belhaven University's campus-based Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a four-year, CCNE-accredited program blending rigorous health science with a Christian worldview and servant leadership. Students train in a fully equipped skills lab and gain clinical experience near Mississippi's largest medical corridor, preparing for careers in hospitals, case management, outpatient care, research, school health, and specialty care. Unique features include the Blessing of the Hands ceremony and a Freshman Guarantee early-admission option. Scholarships and financial aid help keep education affordable. Belhaven is military-friendly and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). NCLEX first-time pass rates for the BSN were 100% in 2022, 2023, and 2024. No ACT/SAT entrance exam requirement is specified for the nursing program.

• CCNE accredited
• 4-Year program
• Scholarships available
• Servant leadership based curriculum
• Blessing of the Hands ceremony
• Skills lab minutes from medical corridor
• Freshman Guarantee early admission option
• Career paths: case management, hospitals, research
• Christian worldview education

Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Online Learning - Visit Website

Belhaven University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is an on-campus, pre-licensure program that integrates liberal arts, evidence-based nursing, and Christian values within a servant-leadership framework. This CCNE-accredited program features hands-on clinical experiences at Jackson's premier healthcare destinations and a skills lab mimicking real hospital units. Small class sizes foster personalized mentorship, and the curriculum emphasizes compassion and integrity. The program starts fall, offers a Freshman Guarantee option, and is recognized as a College of Distinction. Belhaven is military-friendly and Presbyterian (USA)-affiliated. The nursing entrance exam is the TEAS, not the ACT/SAT. Graduates achieved a 100% first-time NCLEX pass rate in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

• CCNE accredited
• Entrance exam required
• Exams: TEAS
• 4-Year program
• Starts fall
• Financial aid available
• Scholarships available
• Small class sizes
• Nursing Skills Lab mimicking hospital unit
• Rich clinical experiences in Jackson

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#2

Hinds Community College

Raymond, MS - Public 2-Year - hindscc.edu

Associate - Associate Degree Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Hinds Community College offers a two-year, campus-based Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program culminating in an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. The curriculum prepares students for the NCLEX-RN and careers as registered nurses, emphasizing communication, clinical decision-making, assessment, caring interventions, collaboration, and teaching. Students may pursue the Traditional RN track—a four-semester sequence—or the Transition-to-RN option designed for LPNs, paramedics, and respiratory therapists. ACEN-accredited, the program features simulation-based learning at the Nursing Allied Health Center and Rankin Campus. Recent NCLEX pass rates are impressive: 92.97% (2022), 99.13% (2023), and 98.27% (2024).

• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredited
• 2 concentration options
• 2-Year program
• State-of-the-art simulation center
• Two campus locations
• Face-to-face delivery mode
• Prepares for RN licensure
• Transition option for LPNs, paramedics, respiratory therapists

#3

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS - Private 4-year - mc.edu

Bachelor's - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Mississippi College's BSN program in Clinton, MS, offers both traditional and accelerated pathways to nursing licensure. The curriculum integrates classroom theory, simulation labs, and clinical rotations in adult health, pediatrics, mental health, and population health, with additional coursework in pharmacology, pathophysiology, and evidence-based practice. Rooted in Southern Baptist values, the program emphasizes compassionate, ethical care and culminates in a capstone clinical experience. The accelerated track can be completed in four semesters, and a dedicated NCLEX review course is provided. Mississippi College's recent NCLEX-RN pass rates were 93.59% (2022), 98.55% (2023), and 93.33% (2024). Applicants must meet a 2.5 GPA and prerequisite requirements; no specific ACT/SAT requirement is listed, so entrance exam expectations are unknown. Graduates pursue roles as RNs, nurse educators, or nurse managers.

• 2 concentration options
• Prerequisite courses required
• Capstone required
• Prepares for NCLEX
• Traditional and accelerated paths available
• Accelerated BSN in 4 semesters
• Christ-centered nursing education
• Clinical rotations in varied settings
• NCLEX review course included

Bachelor's - BSN Program

Campus Based - Visit Website

Mississippi College's Bachelor of Science in Nursing features traditional and accelerated tracks for first-time and second-degree students. The program covers adult health, pediatrics, mental health, population health, and nursing leadership, all grounded in evidence-based practice. Christian values are woven into the curriculum, shaping ethically responsible caregivers. Hands-on clinical rotations and a final capstone course synthesize knowledge and skills. The accelerated path allows completion in as few as four semesters. Mississippi College's NCLEX-RN pass rates have been strong: 98.55% in 2023, 93.33% in 2024, and 93.59% in 2022. Admission requires a 2.5 GPA and prerequisite coursework, but the program does not explicitly state whether ACT or SAT scores are needed, leaving entrance exam requirements unconfirmed. Graduates are prepared for roles such as registered nurse, nurse educator, or nurse manager.

• Starts fall/spring
• 2.5 GPA minimum
• Prerequisite courses required
• Capstone required
• Prepares for NCLEX
• Traditional and accelerated tracks available
• NCLEX preparation course included
• Culminating clinical capstone experience
• Christian values integrated into nursing education
• Career paths: RN, nurse educator, nurse manager

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*From: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2025. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

Entry-Level ADN & BSN Programs in Jackson, MS

Few fields are as accessible and in demand as healthcare. If you’ve ever given thought to joining the industry as a nurse, there are numerous entry points including LPN to RN, AND, and BSN. Higher education institutions in and around Jackson, Mississippi offer accelerated and traditional nursing programs designed for those without a nursing or healthcare background.

LPN to RN Programs

Checking patients’ vital signs, gathering their information and taking care of their basic health needs is all part of a day’s work for Licensed Practical Nurses. LPNs can perform a boundless range of care duties and earn better wages by obtaining their RN. East Central Community College, located about an hour east of Jackson, MS, has in its program offerings an LPN to RN bridge. It teaches everything from nursing basics to healthcare technology systems for family, geriatric and pediatric populations. Upon completion, graduates are ready to sit for the NCLEX.

ADN Programs

Few careers are as rewarding as nursing. Though most require you to earn a four-year degree, you can begin an impactful, well-compensated career in nursing in two short years. The Generic Option Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree at Hinds Community College in Jackson, MS accepts students with or without previously earned college credits. With a focus on holistic, patient-centered care, the ASN program teaches nursing fundamentals as well as informatics, healthcare systems, and nursing ethics.

Direct-Entry BSN Programs

Nurses who launch with bachelor’s degrees have a strong foundation from which to build their careers. With BSNs, these professionals can have their pick of jobs and earn higher wages than non-BSN-holding nurses. The University of Mississippi, one of the preeminent schools for nursing and medicine in the state, offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The clinical-heavy instructional program includes partnerships with four major hospitals in the area. Such partnerships give student nurses an advantage in the job market upon graduation (provided they obtain their RN license).

Find out more about Mississippi Accelerated BSN Programs.

RN to BSN/MSN Programs in Jackson, MS

Working staff nurses know firsthand the benefits of having a BSN or MSN attached to the end of their name. In the near future, industry experts believe that the BSN will be required for nursing jobs in most major hospitals and medical centers. RNs can get a head start on this future job requirement by completing a fast-paced RN to BSN bridge degree, or an even more in-depth RN to MSN degree, in Jackson, MS.

RN to BSN Programs

Working as a nurse enables you to care for patients and have a meaningful, lasting impact on their lives. Experienced nurses can take on more patient care responsibility by earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Belhaven University, a Christian school, leverages the strength of its traditional BSN in its accelerated RN to BSN bridge offering. The program, which is completely online, offers 8-week intensives that let most students earn their degree in about two years.

Find out more about Mississippi RN to BSN Programs.

RN to MSN Programs

For nurses who know they wanter enter into more specialized, high-level ranks, the RN to MSN bridge program is ideal. Most programs allow students to choose a nurse practitioner or other specialty track to further hone their skills. The University of Mississippi Medical Center offers an RN to MSN pathway that offers flexible plans of study, including four nurse practitioner tracks along with a nurse educator and nurse administrator track. Access to four major hospitals in the immediate area makes the program especially advantageous for ambitious students.

Find out more about Mississippi RN to MSN Programs.

APRN & Nurse Practitioner Programs in Jackson, MS

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are playing a larger role in their patients’ lives and taking on more autonomy and responsibilities. In the southern state of Mississippi, Nurse Practitioners are considered primary care providers. They are who patients most commonly see, particularly in rural communities. Nurses who wish to obtain this level of patient care authority can now complete their advanced degrees on their schedules in Jackson-area universities.

MSN Programs

Nurses are at the frontline of healthcare communicating with and caring for patients at every turn. Managing teams of nurses requires clinical nursing expertise as well as leadership traits. Christian-based Mississippi College, located outside of Jackson, offers a 100% online MSN – Clinical Nurse Leader Track for nurses looking to lead. Nurses with the CNL distinction gain the authority to modify patient care plans (if needed). Students must also complete 400 hours in clinical (supervised) to complete the degree.

Find out more about Mississippi Nurse Practitioner Programs.

Post-Master's Certificate Programs

Nurses are being asked to provide higher levels of care, and many are answering the call. Earning a post-graduate certificate allows APRNs to become nurse practitioners and gain greater autonomy in providing patient care. The University of Mississippi, an affordable state-run school, enables APRNs to advance their career on a budget. It offers top-rated acute care geriatric/pediatric nurse practitioner programs as well as family, neonatal and psychiatric NP programs.

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

DNP Programs

More than treating patients, nurses today are taking on leadership, policy-impacting roles that affect patients as a whole and the larger healthcare system. Those advanced practice nurses who would like to have a more influential impact can do so by earning their Doctor of Nursing Practice. The program at Alcorn State University, located about 45 minutes west of Jackson, Mississippi, offers select students the opportunity to elevate their careers and the nursing profession as a whole. Students must successfully complete a capstone project to earn their doctorate degree.

Find out more about Mississippi DNP Programs.