A Louisiana nursing degree only pays off if you pass the NCLEX-RN, and first-attempt results vary widely from one school to the next. A 2-year associate degree at a community college and a BSN at a university health science center can both lead to licensure, but the seat you land in often decides how smoothly that happens.
The programs here include ADN and BSN options, from small community colleges to large university-based schools, and the strongest performers tend to pair selective admissions with steady clinical placements.
Still, a high pass rate means little if the cost, commute, or timeline does not fit your life, and many nurses weigh those same factors before applying to NP Programs in Louisiana or MSN Programs in Louisiana. Louisiana's hospital systems keep hiring, and the state board approves only graduates of accredited programs.
Quick Answers: Louisiana's Top Nursing Schools, Pass Rates, and Program Lengths
Louisiana nursing applicants most often ask about board-exam results, licensure, and how long programs take.
- Who has the best nursing program in Louisiana: In our ranking data, Grambling State University, one of Louisiana's HBCU Nursing Schools, leads with a 100% first-time NCLEX-RN result. "Best" here means exam performance, not reputation. Grambling's cohort was small (24 test-takers), so weigh it alongside Franciscan Missionaries (99.4%) and McNeese State (99.1%).
- Which Louisiana nursing schools post the highest NCLEX-RN pass rates: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, McNeese State, and UL Lafayette sit near the top. Statewide, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) reports an 89.51% first-time pass rate for 2025, versus 86.71% nationally.
- How long does nursing school take in Louisiana: ADN programs run about two years, while RN to BSN Programs in Louisiana build on an associate degree; traditional BSNs take about four years (120 credits). Accelerated BSNs for degree holders can take roughly 16 months, as at Franciscan Missionaries. Timelines vary with prerequisites and start dates.
- Are there 2-year nursing programs in Louisiana: Yes. Community colleges such as Bossier Parish Community College offer associate degree tracks (72 credits there). LSBN's 2024 data showed associate degree graduates passing at 92.20%. The two-year section below has more.
- Does Louisiana offer accelerated BSN programs: Yes. Franciscan Missionaries lists a 16-month accelerated track. Admission is competitive and prerequisites usually apply, so compare formats in the ADN, BSN, and accelerated BSN section below.
- How do you become a registered nurse in Louisiana: Graduate from a board-approved program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and apply for licensure through the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. The licensing snapshot below walks through the steps.
- Is Louisiana part of the Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes. Louisiana belongs to the compact, which lets eligible nurses holding a Louisiana primary-state license practice in other member states. The licensing snapshot below covers the details.
Top NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: Louisiana's 10 Best ADN and BSN Programs for 2027
Order here comes down to one test: how often a school's graduates clear the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt. The Louisiana programs below post the strongest first-time results in the state, and each entry spells out what you would actually enroll in, from a traditional campus BSN to an accelerated second-degree track or a career-ladder RN to BSN. Where a school's accreditation or state approval status is confirmed, we say so plainly.
How we ranked these
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Retention and completion outcomes
- Three-year weighted NCLEX-RN pass rates
- Accreditation and state approval status
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- Program-level NCLEX pass rates from the state boards of nursing — ncsbn.org
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
Grambling State University
#1Grambling, LA · ~$20,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 100% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Students seeking an HBCU nursing community
Grambling State University is an HBCU whose Bachelor of Science in Nursing runs through the School of Nursing as a structured four-year sequence of classroom, lab, and clinical work, with practicum hours in the junior and senior years. The curriculum builds in 160 service learning hours and a BSN application packet for 2026, and the program is CCNE accredited and fully approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. The university as a whole graduates about 36% of its students.
- CCNE accredited BSN
- 120 total credit hours
- 160 service learning hours required
- BSN application packet available for 2026
- Practicum experiences in junior and senior years
- Campus-based program in the School of Nursing
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
#2Baton Rouge, LA · ~$19,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 99.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Career changers with a prior bachelor's degree
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University sits beside the Our Lady of the Lake Health System, where much of its clinical training happens, and its Simulated Environment Teaching Hospital lab lets students practice before they reach patients. The nursing school offers a five-semester traditional BSN for first-time college students and a 16-month accelerated BSN for people who already hold a bachelor's degree, both campus-based and both leading to NCLEX-RN eligibility. The institution graduates about 45% of its students overall.
- ACEN accredited
- Traditional five-semester track for first-time college students
- 2 start dates per year, fall and spring
- TEAS entrance exam required
- Simulated Environment Teaching Hospital (SETH) lab
- Clinical rotations at Our Lady of the Lake Health System
- Reported 98.95% first-time NCLEX pass rate for the traditional track
- 16-month accelerated track for students with a prior bachelor's degree
- 3.0 GPA minimum
- Reported 100% licensure pass rate for the accelerated track
- 2 start dates per year, fall and spring
- Clinical rotations and service-learning components
- Prerequisite courses required
McNeese State University
#3Lake Charles, LA · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 99.1% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Hands-on learners drawn to simulation labs
McNeese State University offers a 120-credit BSN that is CCNE accredited and fully approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. Students train in high-fidelity simulation labs, rotate through adult health, obstetrics, pediatrics, and community health, and finish with a six-week preceptorship alongside a mentor at a local facility. The program reports a 98% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, and about 47% of the university's students graduate.
- CCNE accredited
- 4-year program, 120 total credit hours
- Reported 98% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate
- Six-week preceptorship with a nursing mentor
- High-fidelity simulation labs for hands-on practice
- Approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing
- Sigma Theta Tau honor society for seniors
- Active Student Nurses Association chapter
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
#4Lafayette, LA · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette runs a four-year, campus-based pre-licensure BSN that mixes nursing theory, clinical practice, and leadership coursework across multiple clinical settings. The program is CCNE accredited and prepares students for Louisiana RN licensure. UL Lafayette is one of four Louisiana schools in the state's Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing, worth noting if you plan to continue past the bachelor's degree, and the university graduates about 53% of its students.
- CCNE accredited
- 4-year, campus-based pre-licensure program
- Prepares students for Louisiana RN licensure
- Coursework in nursing theory, clinical practice, and leadership
- Clinical experience across multiple healthcare settings
- Advances health policy and patient care leadership skills
Southeastern Louisiana University
#5Hammond, LA · ~$13,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
Southeastern Louisiana University offers a 120-credit BSN with four concentration paths, including a fully online RN to BSN, an LPN to BSN route, and an accelerated option, all CCNE accredited. Simulation labs support hands-on practice, and first-time NCLEX pass rates are reported in the 97% to 100% range. Southeastern also belongs to the state's Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing, and about 45% of its students graduate.
- CCNE accredited
- 120 total credit hours
- First-time NCLEX pass rates of 97% to 100%
- Four concentration options including a 100% online RN to BSN
- LPN to BSN and accelerated tracks available
- Early Entry EDGE program for high school students
- Clinical facilities spanning Baton Rouge to the Northshore
- State-of-the-art simulation opportunities
University of Louisiana at Monroe
#6Monroe, LA · ~$13,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97.5% (3-yr weighted avg)
The University of Louisiana at Monroe's Kitty DeGree School of Nursing has been preparing nurses since 1960 and offers a CCNE-accredited campus BSN that pairs a broad liberal arts foundation with nursing coursework. Simulation experiences supplement clinical placements at multiple facilities, and graduates are reported to exceed state and national averages on licensure exams. ULM graduates about 54% of its students, and its program appears on the state's approved prelicensure list.
- CCNE accredited
- Kitty DeGree School of Nursing, founded 1960
- Simulation experiences augment clinical learning
- Clinical placements across diverse facilities
- Graduates exceed state and national licensure averages
- Broad liberal arts foundation
- Multiple undergraduate pathways available
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans
#7New Orleans, LA · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.5% (2-yr weighted avg)
LSU Health New Orleans anchors the region's academic medical district, and its traditional BSN is a three-year, on-campus curriculum with fall and spring starts. The program is CCNE accredited and holds full approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, with competitive admission and limited class sizes. A second path, the Career Alternative RN Education (CARE) track, is a two-year accelerated BSN for students who already hold a bachelor's degree, offered at two campuses, and a campus-wide graduation rate is not reported in the federal data we reviewed.
- CCNE accredited
- 3-year, on-campus curriculum
- Two start dates per year, fall and spring
- Very competitive admission with limited class size
- Pre-nursing coursework required
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-RN
- Two-year accelerated BSN for prior bachelor's degree holders
- Prior bachelor's degree required
- Campuses in New Orleans and Shreveport
- Fall and spring start dates
- Limited class size with competitive admission
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
#8Natchitoches, LA · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.8% (3-yr weighted avg)
Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers both a BSN and an associate degree in nursing, giving students two entry points into the profession. The BSN is campus-based and offered at multiple locations, with state-of-the-art labs, faculty mentorship, and preparation for critical care, school, and travel nursing roles, while the associate pathway adds TEAS preparation and job-placement readiness. The nursing program holds full approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, and the university graduates about 43% of its students.
- State-of-the-art nursing labs
- Expert faculty mentors
- Prepares graduates for critical care, school, and travel nursing roles
- Licensure-ready skills and leadership development
- Campus-based program offered at multiple locations
- Graduate ready for certification and job placement
- TEAS exam preparation available
- Campus-based associate degree pathway
Nicholls State University
#9Thibodaux, LA · $8,000 – $9,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
Nicholls State University runs a CCNE-accredited BSN with a reported 98.25% NCLEX-RN pass rate, and the Louisiana State Board of Nursing continued its full approval after reviewing the program's 2025 annual report. Admission requires the TEAS and a 2.8 GPA minimum, the S.E.A.T. early acceptance track gives high-achieving high school seniors a competition-free clinical seat, and LPN-BSN articulation serves working nurses. An online RN to BSN articulation is available for licensed nurses, and the university graduates about 54% of its students.
- CCNE accredited
- Reported 98.25% NCLEX-RN pass rate
- Approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing
- TEAS entrance exam required, 2.8 GPA minimum
- S.E.A.T. early acceptance track for high school seniors
- LPN-BSN articulation available
- 100% online format
- Focus on evidence-based care
- Builds critical thinking for advanced practice preparation
- Aligns with the BSN-in-10 initiative
Bossier Parish Community College
#10Bossier City, LA · ~$11,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Bossier Parish Community College offers a 72-credit Associate of Science in Nursing, traditional track, blending classroom instruction with skills lab work, simulation, and clinical experiences in hospitals and community settings. The program holds continuing accreditation from the ACEN and full approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, and it keeps cohorts small to match state faculty-student ratios. Admission is competitive and point-based, so prerequisite grades matter, and a separate transition track lets working LPNs advance to RN; the college graduates about 15% of its students overall.
- ACEN continuing accreditation
- 72 total credit hours
- 2 start dates per year, fall and spring
- TEAS entrance exam required, 2.0 GPA minimum
- Competitive point-based admission
- Skills lab and clinical simulation
- Minimum grade of C (76%) required in courses
- LPN transition track also available
Why Board-Exam Results Drive Our Louisiana Ranking
A first-time NCLEX-RN pass is the clearest public evidence that a nursing program prepared its graduates to practice. That is why pass rates carry the most weight here, measured over three years rather than one.
What the Statewide Numbers Show
The Louisiana State Board of Nursing publishes first-time pass rates for Louisiana candidates alongside the national rate. In 2023, Louisiana graduates passed at 93.52% versus 88.56% nationally. In 2024 the state held at 93.52% while the national rate rose to 91.16%. In 2025 Louisiana slipped to 89.51%, still ahead of the national 86.71%, with 2,593 first-time candidates, about 3% more than the year before.
That dip shows why a single year is a weak guide. Cohorts at many schools are small, and one difficult class can swing a result. Three years of results smooth out the noise and reward programs that pass students consistently.
What Third-Party Awards Actually Tell You
Nurse.org named Southern University School of Nursing "Best Nursing School" in its 2026 Best of Nursing Awards, published in March 2026. The recognition is real, but the published listing does not spell out judging criteria, the voting method, or which years of performance it reflects. Treat it as a reputation signal, not a measured outcome.
We also looked for the U.S. News recognition often attached to Northwestern State University nursing and the "top" claims made for LSU Health New Orleans. We could not verify the ranking category, year, or criteria behind either, so we don't lean on them. A badge without a stated method can't be compared fairly across schools.
Where Pass Rates Fall Short
Pass rates say nothing about the quality of clinical placements or what a program costs. That is why the cost and earnings sections that follow matter as much as the exam results.
What Louisiana RNs Earn
Licensed registered nurses in Louisiana earned a median annual wage of $80,230, with a mean of $84,190 across roughly 48,970 RN jobs statewide.
Which Louisiana Nursing Schools Have the Lowest Net Price?
Louisiana State University-Alexandria has the lowest average net price among these schools at $7,065 per year. SOWELA, Louisiana Delta, Baton Rouge Community College, and Delgado all come in under $10,000. These are institution-wide averages for aided students at public colleges, not nursing-specific quotes, so clinical fees, uniforms, and licensing exam costs add to the total. Low cost does not mean weaker board results here. SOWELA reports a 95.7% three-year NCLEX-RN pass rate, and both LSUA and Delgado report 88.8%, so compare their positions in the NCLEX ranking above.
Louisiana by City
Explore other Louisiana related topics
ADN vs. Traditional BSN vs. Accelerated BSN in Louisiana
The right Louisiana nursing path depends less on prestige than on what you already have: a high school diploma, some college credit, or a bachelor's degree in another field.
The Three Paths Compared
- ADN: About two years at a community or technical college. Prerequisites are usually modest, and it is typically the lowest-cost route to an RN license. It suits those considering a career change to nursing who want to start working quickly, but many magnet-designated hospitals prefer or require a BSN, and graduate study requires one.
- Traditional BSN: About four years at a university, with prerequisite science courses taken early in the program. It costs more than an ADN but leads most directly to leadership roles, magnet employers, and graduate programs such as nurse practitioner tracks.
- Accelerated BSN: Built for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field. It condenses nursing coursework into a shorter, intensive stretch, though cost per month of enrollment is usually higher. It carries the same BSN career ceiling as the traditional route.
Accelerated BSN Options in Louisiana
Louisiana's accelerated BSN programs vary more than the reported 12 to 18 month range suggests.
- LSU Health New Orleans (CARE): A 24-month program for applicants with a prior non-nursing bachelor's. It requires a 3.0 GPA, 37 hours of prerequisites (or being in your final prerequisite semester when you apply), and a HESI A2 with an 80% or higher on Critical Thinking. Science prerequisites need at least a B-. The listed deadline is January 31 for fall admission.
- LSU Health Shreveport (CARE): Admits in fall and spring. Confirm length and prerequisites directly with the school.
- Loyola University New Orleans: A 17-month program with rolling admissions and a prior non-nursing bachelor's from a regionally accredited institution. Confirm GPA and course requirements with the school.
Typical accelerated prerequisites include Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Statistics, Human Growth and Development, and Nutrition, sometimes Chemistry, usually with a C or better. Requirements differ by school, so check each program's current list. Louisiana Tech and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University have not been confirmed here as offering a direct-entry accelerated BSN, so verify with them before planning around one.
Bridge Programs
LPN to RN programs let licensed practical nurses earn an RN credential without starting over. RN to BSN online programs let working ADN graduates add the bachelor's degree, often part-time.
The Verdict
Choose an ADN for the fastest, cheapest entry, a traditional BSN if you are starting from scratch, and an accelerated BSN if you already hold a bachelor's degree.
2-Year Nursing Programs at Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges
Louisiana's community and technical colleges remain one of the most direct routes to registered nursing, with associate degree tracks that prepare students for the NCLEX-RN in about two years of full-time study after prerequisites are complete.
LCTCS ADN Pathway
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System offers RN-eligible associate degrees at schools including Baton Rouge Community College, Bossier Parish Community College, Delgado Community College, South Louisiana Community College, and Northshore Technical Community College. The standard timeline is roughly two years, but total time can stretch longer when prerequisite coursework, admission sequencing, or part-time enrollment are added. Fletcher Technical Community College, for example, structures its nursing program as a five-semester, 69-credit pathway.
LPN-to-RN and Flexible Schedules
Several programs offer advanced standing for licensed practical nurses. Louisiana Delta Community College, Southern University at Shreveport, and SOWELA Technical Community College provide LPN-to-RN bridge programs. SOWELA admits eligible LPNs each summer at its Lake Charles and Leesville locations and requires an unencumbered Louisiana LPN license plus IV Therapy Certification. LSU Eunice, though part of the LSU system rather than LCTCS, offers a traditional four-semester ASN as well as an evening/weekend schedule and an LPN-to-ASN pathway with up to 14 advanced-standing credits.
From ADN to BSN
ADN graduates have a clear bridge to bachelor's completion. Louisiana maintains a statewide community college to university nursing pathway, and Southern University and A&M College has documented transfer affiliations with several LCTCS schools, including Baton Rouge Community College, Bossier Parish Community College, Delgado Community College, Fletcher Technical Community College, South Louisiana Community College, SOWELA Technical Community College, Northshore Technical Community College, and Louisiana Delta Community College. RN-to-BSN eligibility generally requires graduation from an ACEN or NLN CNEA accredited associate degree or diploma program and completion of prerequisite courses.
Admission to many ADN programs can be selective, so prospective students should confirm current application requirements, prerequisite deadlines, and cohort capacity with each campus before applying.
Louisiana RN Licensure Snapshot
More Louisiana Nursing Programs to Consider
Not every strong Louisiana nursing program lands at the very top of the pass-rate list. The directory below groups additional colleges and universities by region so you can weigh local options side by side, comparing degree level, delivery format, and reported average net price. Each entry reflects the program details published by the school.
Greater New Orleans
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate Degree Track (AD-RN)
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing
- LPN to BSN
- RN to BSN
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN-RN)
Bayou Region
- Associate of Science in Nursing
Acadiana
- Associate of Science in Nursing
- Nursing, ASN
Southwest Louisiana
- Nursing (RN)
Central Louisiana
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate of Science in Nursing
- LPN to ASN
Baton Rouge Area
- Hospital Diploma in Nursing
- Associate of Science in Nursing
North Louisiana
- RN to BSN
- Nursing (ASN)
- Registered Nursing
- Registered Nursing
- Registered Nursing (Generic Tract)
- Registered Nursing (Accelerated LPN-RN Tract)