If you love helping others, want variety in your work day, and want diverse opportunities, nursing can be a fulfilling and rewarding career. And, there are many different routes you can take, from studying to be a Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse, to a Critical Care Nurse or Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner. Whichever route you choose, you are pursing an ever needed occupation.
For the 2025 Hidden Gem Nursing Schools, we not only considered the overall excellence of the school (the schools must be in our top 500), but also the prevalence of the nursing major relative to other programs on campus. That means we highlight schools where nursing is among the most popular programs as well as schools that excel in graduating a larger number of nurses each year. Additionally, like all hidden gem school, they need to:
- Receive fewer than 5,000 applications per year.
- Have fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students.
- Offer 5 or more unique majors.
- Have a 10% acceptance rate or higher.
2025 Hidden Gem Nursing Schools
St. John Fisher University is composed of five schools including the Wegmans Schools of Nursing. The school has a 68% acceptance rate and $0 application fee. Registered Nursing is by far the top major at St. John Fisher. Students can expect a 12:1 student faculty ratio and about 64% of students will graduate in 4 years.
Location
Rochester, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,621
Saint Anselm College is the third oldest Catholic college in New England, having been founded in 1889. The school has been the site of presidential policy speeches from John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon as well as several national presidential debates. 100% of students receive institutional aid from the school ($29,355 on average).
Location
Manchester, NH
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,977
Partnered with Saint John’s University for men, the College of Saint Benedict is exclusively for women. The school got its start in 1913 with only six students. Today, resources are shared between the two campuses, a partnership that began in 1955. They have an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 89% first year retention rate, and 79% four-year graduation rate.
Location
Saint Joseph, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,470
Wagner College is a Liberal Arts college in the Grymes Hill community. The school has an 83% acceptance rate and almost all students (100%) receive grant aid. The most popular major at Wager by far is Registered Nursing. Other majors pursued include Business Administration, Drama/Theater Arts, and Physician Assistant.
Location
Staten Island, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,949
Though the school seal features two lions, Carroll College’s mascot is actually a St. Bernard named Halo. Student athletes compete as the Fighting Saints in sports like track, basketball, and soccer. The campus is located near Mt. Helena. Registered Nursing is the most popular major, followed by Health Services/Health Sciences and Biology.
Location
Helena, MT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,168
Bellarmine University is a Catholic, liberal arts college in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville. The school competes in NCAA Division I athletics where about a quarter of students are student-athletes. Registered Nursing is the most popular major among students.
Location
Louisville, KY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,970
Saint Mary’s College was founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross and is an all women’s school. Competing in the NCAA Division III, the students are known as the Belles. Popular majors include Registered Nursing, Business Administration and Management, and Psychology.
Location
Notre Dame, IN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,519
The College of Saint Scholastica is a Roman Catholic college founded in 1912. The school has a 94% acceptance rate and $0 application fee. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1 and Registered Nursing is by far the most popular major among students.
Location
Duluth, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,207
Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) accepted nearly 82% of applicants during the last admissions cycle. The school was founded in 1902 as the Pacific Bible College, and underwent several name changes before arriving at its current moniker in 1998. There are currently 200 athletes and PLNU competes in the Pacific West Conference.
Location
San Diego, CA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
4,319
Union University athletes are known as the Bulldogs. They’ve won several championships while part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division I. Today, they compete in Division II in the Gulf South Conference. Union is a fairly selective school, having accepted nearly 53% of applicants in the last admissions cycle. Registered Nursing is the most sought after undergraduate major.
Location
Jackson, TN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,731
Mount Saint Mary College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts school and its motto is "Be the Spark, Be a Knight." The school has an 82% acceptance rate and it's free to apply. Registered Nursing is the most common major among students. 66% of Mount Saint Mary students graduate in six years.
Location
Newburgh, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,918
Founded in 1841, Samford University was originally called Howard College and was converted to a military hospital during the Civil War. Today the school has an 82% acceptance rate and 91% first year retention rate. Samford offers over 60 majors, the top three of which are Registered Nursing, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Marketing.
Location
Birmingham, AL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,682
Sharing a campus with Cascadia College, University of Washington's Bothell Campus is actually the largest campus branch in the state. Over 95% of students are from Washington. UW Bothell has over 50 majors, to most popular of which are Computer Science, Registered Nursing, and Business Administration. 85% of students stay at the school after their first year.
Location
Bothell, WA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
5,735
St. Catherine University (also called St. Kate's) is an all women's, Catholic college. The school has a 94% acceptance rate, $0 application fee, and 83% first year retention rate. 99% of students who attend will receive institutional grant aid and Registered Nursing is by far the most common major among students.
Location
Saint Paul, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,577
Randolph-Macon College is located right outside the capital city of Virginia, Richmond. The school accepts 83% of students and 99% of those who attend will receive institutional grants ($28,093 per student on average). Almost 500 athletes are known as the Yellow Jackets (appropriately wearing black and lemon) and compete in the NCAA Division III with football.
Location
Ashland, VA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,490
Calvin University was founded in 1876 but known as Calvin College for most of its existence. It only became a university in 2019. The chapel on campus holds daily services and the spire is higher than all of the school’s academic buildings. The college has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an 86% first year retention rate.
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,231
99% of students who attend Rockhurst University receive institutional grant aid from the school ($29,558 on average). Former alumni have gone on to have careers in politics, professional sports, law, and acting. Popular sports among student athletes, known as the Hawks, include baseball, gold, lacrosse, and soccer. Rockhurt’s motto is Sapientia Aedificavit Sibi Domum', which is Latin for “Wisdom has built herself a home.”
Location
Kansas City, MO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,405
Pacific Lutheran University has a noble motto - “Educating for Lives of Thoughtful Inquiry, Service, Leadership, and Care.” Registered Nursing, Business Administration, and Kinesiology, are the most popular majors and 99% of attending students receive institutional grant aid. Notable alumni include Rosanna Pansino, Marissa Meyer, and Michael Peterson.
Location
Tacoma, WA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,633
The Florham Campus of the Fairleigh Dickinson University opened in spring of 2013, and the university itself has campuses in New Jersey, Canada, and the UK. Classes are also available online. With a 80% first year retention rate, students often major in Psychology, Biology, and Registered Nursing, and Business Administration and Management.
Location
Madison, NJ
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,823
Messiah University has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a first year retention rate of 86%. Originally the Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training House in 1909, the school would become a college in 1951 and a university in 2020. Students have to sign a Community Covenant if they decide to attend the school.
Location
Mechanicsburg, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,231
Bethel University has a 91% acceptance rate and it's free to apply. Registered Nursing and Business Administration and Management are the most popular majors, followed by Elementary Education and Teaching. The campus is located on Valentine Lake, and students can benefit from an 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. 75% of students will graduate within 6 years.
Location
Saint Paul, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,546
A largely female school, the University of Saint Joseph was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1932 and only started accepting men in 2018. The campus is well known for its Georgian brick architecture and the entire school is on an 84 acre campus. 80% of students who apply are accepted; about 12% of these decide to attend the following fall.
Location
West Hartford, CT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,992
DeSales University is a Roman Catholic college who go by St. Francis de Sales motto "Be who you are and be that well." The school accepts 79% of students and it's free to apply. All attending students receive institutional grant aid, on average $26,212, and Registered Nursing is the most common major.
Location
Center Valley, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,991
Simmons University is a women’s school with an impressive 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio 81% first year retention rate. With more than 60 majors programs, the most popular major by far is Registered Nursing followed by Family Practice Nursing. This year Simmons earned the Carnegie designation for "Leadership for Public Purpose."
Location
Boston, MA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
5,710
At Augustana University, navy blue and gold are the official colors of the Vikings, who compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Registered Nursing, Biology, Business Administration, and Elementary Education are the top 4 most popular majors on campus, and the school has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. 100% of students attending Augustana receive institutional aid to help pay for college.
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,086
What is a Nursing School?
Nursing schools are educational institutions and programs that provide training and education for individuals who wish to become nurses. They can offer a wide range of programs to help students prepare for different careers in nursing, including entry-level and advanced positions. Depending on the program, the school may offer Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) programs, Licensed Practice Nurse (LPN) programs, associate degrees in nursing (ADN), bachelors degrees in nursing (BSN) and more.
Depending on your desired career, becoming a nurse can take anywhere from a few months (for CNA certification) to several years (for bachelor’s degrees). Most student nurses will go onto become Registered Nurses (RN), which usually requires an associate’s degree.
Career Options and Projections for Nurses
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Degree: Associates or other certificates
- Median Annual Wages: $59,740
- Projected Career Growth through 2030: + 5%
- Degree: Bachelor’s (4-year)
- Median Annual Wages: $86,000
- Projected Career Growth through 2030: + 5.6%
- Degree: Bachelor’s (4-year)
- Median Annual Wages: $86,000
- Projected Career Growth through 2030: + 6%
- Degree: Masters
- Median Annual Wages: $121,000
- Projected Career Growth through 2030: + 38%
- Degree: Masters
- Median Annual Wages: $212,000
- Projected Career Growth through 2030: + 4.3%
Is a Hidden Gem Nursing School Right for You?
As you can see from the different nursing career paths, there are also different types of nursing programs, so it helps to know what which path you want to take. If you want to become a CNA, you can attend a school that prepares you for CNA certification. If you want to become an RN, you will need to go to a college that offers an associate’s degree in nursing.
Choosing a hidden gem nursing school could provide you the following benefits:
- These tend to be more affordable, especially where you can get grant aid or participate in tuition reciprocity programs.
- In nursing programs, you will have clinicals and need a lot of hands on experience. Hidden gems schools tend to have smaller classes sizes and are great for nursing students who could use the extra support that those smaller classes afford.
- More than half (14 of the 25 schools) have acceptance rates that are 80% or higher. They all have acceptance rates higher than 50% meaning these could be easier to get into.
- More than half (14 of the 25 schools) have $0 application fee, so it can’t hurt to apply!
- If you decide nursing isn’t your calling after year one, these gems have other great programs to choose from (at least 5 majors, most have plenty more).
Methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
