10 Best Nursing Schools in Kansas – 2024 Rankings
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
Thinking about pursuing a nursing career in Kansas? Graduates of nursing schools in Kansas make $66,560 a year on average, and demand for nursing services is slated to increase by more than 8 percent over the next decade. Nursing programs in the Sunflower State offer lots of flexible options, too. You can enroll in a campus program or in a distance-learning curriculum that’s taught online; you can attend school full-time or part-time. Interested in learning more? Check out the 10 best nursing schools in Kansas for 2024.
RECOMMENDED ONLINE NURSING SCHOOLS
WHAT ARE THE BEST ACCREDITED NURSING SCHOOLS IN KANSAS?
(After closely assessing all nursing schools approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing, based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the best accredited nursing schools in Kansas offering ADN programs.)
If you feel a career in direct patient care is meant for you, then pursuing a nursing degree in Kansas can be given a thought. Labette Community College offers nursing aspirants with a bi-level nursing program that allows you to either exit the program after completing the LPN coursework or continue with it to earn your Associate in Applied Science Degree in Nursing. Students who complete the entire program earn an RN as well as an LPN degree. An offering since 1968, the program boasts of a 100% placement rate and has its 1500 graduates successfully offering nursing care across the state.
![]()
Admission to Coffeyville Community College’s two-year registered nursing degree is open for LPN’s or paramedics who hold active licensure in the state of Kansas. Although not a requirement for admission, paramedics can enhance their odds by obtaining an active CNA certificate. The curriculum is designed to prepare you for a career as a professional nurse by covering courses in health assessment, maternal child nursing, mental health nursing, advanced nursing, leadership and management in nursing and an NCLEX-RN review course. Upon completion of the program, you will demonstrate the ability to effectively practice evidence-based nursing care by collaborating with a healthcare team.
![]()
The LPN to RN transition program at Garden City Community College is taught by competent faculty, who provide high-quality training in both classroom and clinical settings. The college’s registered nursing graduates have been serving patients and families across the state of Kansas for more than five decades now. Admission is competitive and every year only 40 students are selected for this program. You are advised to fill in the scholarship application as almost all GCCC registered nursing students receive some sort of assistance. Students of this program have been doing exceedingly well on the NCLEX-RN. Upon passing the NCLEX-RN, you will be ready to efficiently discharge your duties as a professional nurse in a variety of health care organizations.
![]()
If you are a licensed practical nurse looking at securing your nursing career, then completing an RN program can be a prudent career move. Manhattan Area Technical College offers an LPN to RN bridge program for individuals holding an active LPN license. The program builds upon your past nursing education, thereby allowing you to transfer 10 credits towards the 62-credit RN curriculum. Once enrolled, you will complete 28 credits towards nursing courses, beginning with an RN transition course, and then progressing to nursing care across the lifespan and management of patient care courses. In just two semesters of study, you earn your Associate of Applied Science degree and gain eligibility to take the RN licensure exam.
![]()
A highly regarded college for its nursing education, Butler Community College prepares you for a profession as a vital member of a healthcare team. You can enter this RN program either as a non-nursing student or as an LPN graduate; either way, you will benefit from the college’s conducive learning environment and the vast experience of its faculty. The coursework blends the science and art of nursing and makes you adept at clinical reasoning, critical thinking and decision making, crucial skills that are required for a successful nursing career. If you are seeking to further your education with a BSN, then the college offers a dual enrollment in partnership with KU School of Nursing. This way, you can earn two degrees at the same time.
![]()
Cloud County Community College has produced many proficient nurses since 1978 through its Associate degree in nursing program. This RN program in Kansas comes with a traditional and LPN to RN option. While traditional track takes two years, the bridge program can be completed in a year’s time. While the former requires a CNA certificate or healthcare experience to be eligible, LPNs entering the program must be holding an active license. The curriculum requires you to complete 23 credits in general education courses and 44 credits in nursing courses. To help you understand bedside challenges in the real world, didactic nursing courses are complemented by clinical experiences in diverse healthcare settings.
![]()
The two-semester LPN to RN bridge program at Highland Comm College Technical Center is designed to build upon your knowledge, skills, and experience as a licensed practical nurse. To apply for this 63-credit program, you need to hold an active LPN license. The curriculum includes 22-credits in nursing-specific courses such as LPN to RN transition, health assessment, and advanced nursing skills, advanced medical-surgical nursing, advanced mental health nursing, nurse as leader, high-risk maternal child nursing and professional nursing practicum. Post completion, students earn an associate degree in nursing and are well-prepared to take the NCLEX-RN exam.
![]()
After completing your RN education at Fort Scott Community College, you can choose to earn a BSN at any one of the twelve college partnered institutions, which include the University of Kansas Medical Center, Ottawa University, Pittsburg State University, and Washburn University. The five-semester ADN program requires you to complete 31 credits in general education and 41 credits in nursing courses. You will put your classroom learning into practice at the college’s state-of-the-art human simulation lab and further gain real-world experience by participating in clinical training at various health facilities in Fort Scott, Paola, Girard, Osawatomie, and Pittsburg. FSCC also offers an LPN to RN bridge program for practical nurses holding an active license in Kansas.
![]()
North Central Kansas Technical College offers an 18-month registered nursing degree program that will thoroughly train you to provide evidence-based nursing care to the sick and injured. This is a 1+1 program, where students will earn the dual credentials of an LPN as well as an RN. After completion of your first year, you will earn a PN certificate and take the NCLEX-PN exam. Based on your grades, you will then have the option of continuing with the second year and earn an associate degree in nursing. Post-completion of the second year, you will take the NCLEX-RN and obtain your RN licensure. Every year 40 students are selected for the first year PN program and 30 students for the second year RN program.
![]()
The associate degree at Dodge City Community College is designed for individuals aspiring to take-up the highly in-demand entry-level registered nursing jobs. This two-year nursing program in KS is a 68-credit curriculum starting once every year in fall. It is a combination of classroom learning, and clinical experiences at various college partnered health care facilities. This program comes with the option of earning a practical nurse certificate post completion of your first year. DC3 also offers a two-semester LPN to RN bridge option for licensed practical nurses, who possess an active license and have at least one year of work experience.
VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY
Nursing Schools in Nearby States
Nursing Schools in other States
Nursing Salaries
