SRU ranked among state’s best nursing schools

Jan. 6, 2020

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Slippery Rock University has been ranked among the best nursing schools in Pennsylvania by nursingschoolsalmanac.com.

For its rankings, nursingschoolsalmanac.com evaluated more than 3,000 schools across the country on three criteria:

• The institution's academic prestige and perceived value (50%): Included in this criterion is graduates' ability to repay their student debt in a timely manner; professional designations (e.g., National League for Nursing Center of Excellence); grant funding for nursing research from the National Institutes of Health; and number of years in operation, particularly at the graduate nursing education level.

• The breadth and depth of nursing programs (20%): Included in this criterion is the full range of undergraduate and graduate nursing programs offered by each school, including degrees, diplomas and certificates. Graduate programs were weighted more heavily, although they also recognized program breadth (offering bachelor's, master's and/or doctoral nursing tracks). They also awarded points for program size since, with all else being equal, programs with higher enrollment play a larger role in combating the nation's nursing shortage.

• Student success, particularly on the National Council Licensure Examination (30%): According to the website, student performance on these tests provides a standardized metric for assessing the quality of instruction across schools. It relied most heavily on first-time NCLEX exam pass rates, a test uniformly required for both RN and LPN/LVN licensure. Also considered was APRN certification tests administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and similar organizations.

The assessments were then combined into an overall score. SRU was one of 11 institutions from Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education to be included in the rankings.

SRU, one of the first nursing programs in the country to offer classes completely online, has two programs: a 21-credit program for graduate students to become certified school nurses and a 39-credit program for registered nurses to build on their associate degree or diploma education and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Most of the students in the University's RN-to-BSN program are working in the field and complete their degrees at their preferred pace, thanks to eight-week sessions each semester.

To view the complete rankings, click here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robb King | 724.738.2199 | robb.king@sru.edu