4 Best Nursing Schools in Tampa (2026): Ranked

Are you looking for the best nursing schools in Tampa?

Based on our ranking methodology, we’ve listed the 4 very best nursing programs in Tampa today. We also break down their different degree programs, NCLEX-RN pass rates, alumni salary data, and students’ ratings.

Our rankings consider factors like the average NCLEX pass rates from the last 4 years, affordability measured by typical federal student debt upon graduation, reported alumni salaries, and the school’s overall reputation.

Here’s a List of the 4 Best Nursing Schools in Tampa

1. University of South Florida- College of Nursing

The University of South Florida (USF) is a large public university in Tampa, Florida, founded in 1956. It’s a member of the State University System of Florida.

The USF College of Nursing was established in 1973, with a main campus in Tampa, and other campuses in St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee. This college is committed to educating future nurses and improving health and wellness through research and practice.

USF nursing students can gain hands-on experience at over 1,000 partner hospitals and healthcare facilities like Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, and Tampa General Hospital.

Plus, USF nursing students have access to the USF Health Simulation Consortium for practical nursing training. This simulation center makes USF the only one in Tampa & one of the few in Florida to be recognized by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

For financial aid, USF provides grants and several university-wide scholarships.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, nursing students at USF typically graduate with around $15,250 in federal student loan debt for a Bachelor’s degree, $52,931 for a Master’s degree, and $38,646 for a Doctoral degree.

USF is not only one of the best nursing schools in Tampa but also one of the top schools in Florida.

List of USF Nursing Undergraduate Programs:

• Upper Division Nursing Pathway (Traditional BSN Program)

• Accelerated Second Degree program

• Veteran to BSN (V-CARE) Pathway- for military medics and corpsmen to be RNs

List of USF Nursing Graduate Programs:

• MSN Program- Nurse Practitioner Tracks

• DNP Program:

  • Nurse Anesthesia

  • Nurse Practitioner Tracks

• PhD Program in Nursing Science:

  • BSN to PhD

  • MSN to PhD

  • DNP to PhD

List of USF Nursing Post-Graduate Certificate Programs:

• Nurse Education

• Advance Pain Management Fellowship

• Integrative Pain Management Certificate

USF NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for USF Nursing Graduates

Overall USF Student Ratings

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2. The University of Tampa- Department of Nursing

The University of Tampa is a private university located in Tampa, Florida. It was established in 1931.

Its Department of Nursing focuses on preparing students for various healthcare roles by offering relevant teaching, research, and hands-on experience in evidence-based practice.

Students at The University of Tampa get to practice in the university’s Nursing Skills and Simulation Laboratory, featuring realistic patient care simulations with manikins. Plus, the university also offers clinical rotations at partner hospitals like Tampa General Hospital.

As for financial aid, The University of Tampa provides nursing-specific scholarships, although the specific awards are not listed on their website.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, The University of Tampa nursing students typically graduate with about $27,000 in federal student loan debt for a Bachelor’s degree, and approximately $39,491 for a Master’s degree.

List of The University of Tampa Nursing Undergraduate Programs:

• Four-Year BSN Program

List of The University of Tampa Nursing Graduate Programs:

• MSN Program:

  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

  • Family Nurse Practitioner

• DNP Program:

  • Advanced Practice Nursing

  • Leadership in Population Health

  • Leadership in Clinical and Academic Nursing Education

The University of Tampa NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for The University of Tampa Nursing Graduates

Overall The University of Tampa Student Ratings

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3. Nova Southeastern University- Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a private research university established in 1964. Its main campus is in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida, but it also has a Tampa regional campus.

NSU’s Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing aims to produce healthcare leaders known for their excellent nursing practice, education, and research.

NSU offers hands-on learning in a high-tech nursing simulation lab, providing real-world clinical scenarios. You can also gain practical experience at several clinical sites around the Tampa Bay Area.

Regarding financial aid, NSU offers a number of nursing-specific scholarships. For example, there’s the CVS Health Foundation Scholarship, offering a $1,000 award for Family Nurse Practitioner Students.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, Bachelor’s degree nursing students at NSU typically have about $26,250 in federal student loan debt, while Master’s degree students generally have about $70,148 in federal debt.

List of NSU Graduate Nursing Programs:

• MSN Program:

  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

  • Family Nurse Practitioner

  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

List of NSU Nursing Post-Graduate Certificate Programs:

• Family Nurse Practitioner

• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

NSU Tampa* NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for NSU Nursing Graduates

Overall NSU Student Ratings

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4. Lincoln Memorial University Tampa- Caylor School of Nursing

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) is a private institution established in 1897 in Tennessee. It also has a satellite campus in Tampa, Florida offering nursing programs. This is thanks to a partnership between LMU and AdventHealth, forming the LMU-Caylor School of Nursing.

The Caylor School is committed to meeting the needs of healthcare and nursing education in local communities. They prepare nurses at various levels and offer continuing education opportunities rooted in knowledge and research.

For hands-on training, you’d mainly have clinical rotations at AdventHealth Tampa due to the university’s partnership.

In terms of financial aid, LMU offers various scholarships and grants, such as the Cornerstone Scholarship, which provides $8,000 for your freshman year if you have a high school GPA of 3.0. However, we couldn’t find specific nursing scholarships during our research.

As per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, nursing students at LMU typically graduate with around $19,226 in debt for an Associate degree, about $22,960 for a Bachelor’s degree, and $57,040 for a Doctorate degree.

List of LMU Nursing Undergraduate Programs:

• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)

• LPN to ASN Bridge

• RN to BSN Bridge Online

• BSN Program

List of LMU Nursing Graduate Programs:

• MSN Program:

  • Advanced Population Health

  • Executive Nurse Leadership

  • Nursing Education

  • Nursing Informatics

  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

  • Family Nurse Practitioner

  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

• BSN to DNP Program:

  • Nurse Administration

  • Family Nurse Practitioner

  • Family Mental Psychiatric Health Nurse Practitioner

• DNP Program

LMU Tampa NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for LMU Nursing Graduates

Overall LMU Student Ratings

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FYI

Another institution (begins with an “H”) was ranked 5th here, and they didn’t like that we were ranking them at the bottom; so they requested a takedown of their name. Doesn’t say much about their integrity and transparency, especially to potential Tampa nursing students. Stick to the reputable ones above & you’ll be just fine!

Nurse Salary in the Tampa Bay Area

Why Consider Best Nursing Schools in Tampa?

Florida is projected to face a nursing shortage of nearly 60,000 by 2035. But efforts are underway to attract more nursing students in areas like Tampa Bay.

For instance, Moffitt Cancer Center partnered with the University of South Florida College of Nursing and Nova Southeastern University to offer a scholarship for the Accelerated Second Degree pathway (ABSN program).

The scholarship covers full tuition and fees, and students receiving it only need to commit to working at Moffitt for two years after graduating. So far, 30 nursing students have received this scholarship and committed to work at Moffitt post-graduation.

Plus, the USF College of Nursing, with backing from the Florida State Legislature, is aggressively tackling the nursing shortage. The college received $33 million to expand its infrastructure and simulation training space on the Tampa campus.

An additional $6.9 million in recurring funding has been approved to hire faculty and staff to support this expansion.

With such promising efforts underway, it’s clear that Tampa is taking big steps to tackle the impending nursing shortage. These initiatives make it an excellent time to consider joining the best nursing programs in Tampa to kickstart or further your nursing career.