The East Coast offers a thriving, diverse region with numerous advancement opportunities for nurses. Find Nursing Schools can guide you in choosing the best nursing schools on the East Coast that have an ABSN program, will prepare you for the NCLEX-RN and have great clinical partners to begin your nursing career.
When you decide to become a nurse, you begin an exciting and challenging journey. The most important part of this endeavor is choosing a nursing school that fits you, your values and your lifestyle needs. If you want to become a nurse on the East Coast of the U.S., you can earn your degree and access plenty of high-quality job opportunities after graduation.
The location of the nursing school you choose can shape the start of your career and the positions you pursue. Clinical rotations as a nursing student help you gain invaluable experience, and the impression you make on practicing nurses during this time could potentially lead to job offers after graduation. Choosing a nursing school in an area where you intend to work can be instrumental in building your nursing career on a solid foundation.
Find Nursing Schools connects prospective students with nursing schools across the country, helping identify the best options to earn a nursing degree. Explore what makes the East Coast an excellent region to pursue a nursing education and see some of the top nursing schools in the northeastern U.S.
Why Consider Nursing Schools on the East Coast?
Among the many reasons to consider nursing schools on the East Coast, the opportunities in multiple large cities stand out. In the heart of cities like New York, New York, or Boston, Massachusetts, you can find a setting for nearly any practice area you want to pursue.
Since the East Coast is a hub for research and development in medical technology, you will find many employers with the resources to make use of the latest in medical technology. With large populations and major metropolitan areas across the northeastern U.S., practically every nursing practice area is represented.
What Makes the Best Nursing Schools on the East Coast Stand Out?
Throughout the East Coast, many great nursing schools will prepare you for success. One aspect that makes these nursing schools stand out is the access to clinical environments in major metro areas. To complete clinical rotations in the northeastern U.S. and graduate sooner to pursue job opportunities, Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) programs can be a good option.
If you already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or a significant amount of college credit, you can enroll in an ABSN program to earn your nursing degree significantly faster than through a traditional BSN program.
With flexible online coursework, hands-on skills and simulation labs and clinical rotations, ABSN programs can equip you to pass the NCLEX-RN and become a successful practicing nurse.
Do you have a non-nursing associate’s degree? Explore more about how to turn your 2-year degree into a nursing career.
Five Notable Nursing Schools on the East Coast
Whether you are exploring nursing schools in New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York or Maryland, you have excellent nursing school options located across multiple major metropolitan areas.
Felician University—Parsippany or Rutherford, New Jersey
If you are interested in nursing schools in New Jersey, Felician University is an excellent option. Its hybrid ABSN learning site is in Parsippany, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City. It is also a lovely place to live, with attractions such as MetLife Stadium, Asbury Park and many large, beautiful municipal parks.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses in New Jersey earn a median annual wage of $102,730 with employment of 95,150, which makes this a prime area for networking and gaining hands-on experience in your nursing education and career.
Felician offers a fully accredited ABSN program with a 16-month hybrid option in Parsippany and an on-ground option in Rutherford. The Felician ABSN program provides high-tech experiences that thoroughly prepare you for nursing practice while fostering education in values of love, service, respect and truth.
Contact the Felician University ABSN admissions team to learn more.
Northeastern University—Near Boston, Massachusetts, or Providence, Rhode Island
Northeastern's ABSN program offers two East Coast locations with learning sites in Burlington, Massachusetts, near Boston, and in Fall River, Massachusetts, near Providence, Rhode Island. The ABSN learning site in suburban Burlington offers easy access to Boston’s popular historic and metro areas. At the Providence ABSN site, students gain experience in esteemed health care facilities and are exposed to exceptional career opportunities.
In the Boston area, nurses earn an annual median wage of $102,440, and the metro area ranks sixth in the nation for RN employment at 66,440 jobs. In the Providence-Warwick metro area, nurses earn an annual median wage of $97,220 with 15,770 registered nurse jobs, according to BLS data.
Northeastern has been rated among the top 20 nursing schools in the nation. Their online and lab learning helps students enter the workplace as fully competent nurses. The ABSN program is designed for students with a previous non-nursing bachelor's degree to complete their BSN in as few as 16 months.
If you are looking for nursing schools in the Boston or Providence areas, Northeastern may be right for you. Contact an admissions counselor to learn more about the ABSN program.
Notre Dame of Maryland University—Baltimore, Maryland
There are many nursing schools in Maryland but Notre Dame of Maryland University’s ABSN program stands out. The learning site in Elkridge, Maryland, is near Baltimore, a thriving high-tech metropolitan area with much to explore. There are many career and networking opportunities with medical facilities such as Johns Hopkins, Mercy Hospital and St. Agnes. Because of this, ABSN graduates have many options within the Elkridge-Baltimore area.
With about 29,000 nurses employed within this area, nurses earn an average salary of $97,130. Due to the high demand for nurses, registered nurses here make more than the national average, according to the BLS.
The accelerated nursing program at NDMU is ideal for individuals transitioning to nursing on a non-traditional timeline. They offer two options: a hybrid program in Elkridge and an in-person program in Baltimore. This allows students to graduate in as few as 15 months while receiving a holistic and comprehensive education infused with Catholic values.
Discover whether Notre Dame of Maryland University is right for you by contacting the admissions team.
University of Mount Saint Vincent—New York City
Earn your BSN in as few as 16 months through hybrid learning at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. The University of Mount St. Vincent's ABSN program is focused on a transformative, innovative and passionate nursing education with a small student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1.
The New York metro area is one of the most popular cities in the country with many famous sites to explore, including Central Park, Carnegie Hall and the Statue of Liberty. Each of UMSV’s learning centers features state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, as well as student common areas.
In the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area, registered nurses earn a median annual wage of $113,40, which tops the list of metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to the BLS.
Contact an admission counselor at UMSV who will work with you throughout the pre-application and application process.
It operates learning sites in Riverdale, Brooklyn, Long Island City, and Yonkers, New York.
Utica University—Utica and Albany, New York
Also in New York state, Utica University's ABSN program in Utica and Albany prepares students for a successful nursing career on a shorter timeline of 16 months. Nearby hospitals are excellent places to gain experience during clinical rotations for future practice. But that isn't all. As the state's capital, Albany is full of historical and cultural experiences and has become a popular place to live in recent years.
According to BLS data, nurses in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York, metropolitan area earn an annual median wage of $92,470 per year with RN employment of 10,020. Meanwhile, the Utica-Rome area employs over 2,400 nurses who an annual median wage of $86,020.
Utica ABSN prioritizes classical and innovative values grounded in ethics, community, lifelong learning and the well-being of others. They take pride in being easily accessible, and their ABSN program is designed for non-traditional and transfer students.
Explore nursing in New York by contacting an admission representative at Utica University ABSN today.
Is nursing the right career for you? Learn more about how to choose the right career.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing an East Coast Nursing School
Choosing a nursing school is an important decision as it can have a large impact on your future career. Important factors to consider when choosing an East Coast nursing school include:
- Accredited by national agencies and approved by the state board
- NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates above the national average
- Admission prerequisites and requirements
- Length and intensity of the ABSN program
- Quality and variety of clinical partners
- Hybrid or in-person class options
It is essential to find a nursing school that aligns with your career goals by considering these aspects of nursing school.
Take the First Step to Begin Your Nursing Career
Now that you have learned more about the best nursing schools on the East Coast, it is time to take the first step in your nursing journey.
If you are still trying to decide which nursing school options are best for you, complete our online form today to be matched with schools that fit your personal criteria and lifestyle.
