NurseSavvy ranking · Alabama · updated October 10, 2026

Best Nursing Schools in Alabama (2026): The NurseSavvy Top 10

We ranked all 40 RN programs in Alabama that publish a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, on the four things that decide whether a program gets you to a nursing license you can afford: passing the NCLEX, actually finishing, the cost next to what nurses earn in Alabama, and what graduates earn a year out.

Southern Union State Community College comes out on top. Here are the top 10, with every number’s source — and you can re-rank them by what matters to you.

No school can pay for placement. Public data only — see the full methodology.

Rank it your way

Rank Alabama’s 40 RN programs on what matters to you

NCLEX pass rate, students who finish, cost vs nurse pay, grads’ early pay — compare in-state, by region, or nationwide.

The top 10 nursing programs in Alabama

Scores are out of 100 under the default NurseSavvy weights. A school with two programs (say, an ADN and a BSN) can appear twice.

1
Southern Union State Community College
Associate Degree· Public
86score
A 99.2% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
99.2%
Students who finish
81% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$6,142/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$69,147 1 yr out
Start to license: 80 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
2
Gadsden State Community College
Associate Degree· Public
85score
A 99.1% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
99.1%
Students who finish
82% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$3,515/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$61,443 1 yr out
Start to license: 81 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
3
Northeast Alabama Community College
Associate Degree· Public
82score
A 97.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.9%
Students who finish
85% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$2,756/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$52,569 1 yr out
Start to license: 83 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
4
Troy University
Baccalaureate Degree· Public
75score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$16,527/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$66,344 1 yr out
5
University of North Alabama
Baccalaureate Degree· Public
73score
A 96.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
96.9%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$12,170/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$61,137 1 yr out
6
University of Mobile
Baccalaureate Degree· Private nonprofit
72score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$22,382/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$66,307 1 yr out
7
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Baccalaureate Degree· Public
71score
A 98.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
98.9%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$18,796/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$63,036 1 yr out
8
University of Alabama (Capstone)
Baccalaureate Degree
71score
A 99.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
99.6%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
9
Auburn University
Baccalaureate Degree· Public
71score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$24,323/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$67,120 1 yr out
10
Auburn University – Montgomery
MontgomeryBaccalaureate Degree· Public
70score
A 92.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
92.3%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$13,224/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$69,625 1 yr out

Fill-in: a figure the program hasn’t published is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs that publish it (same degree type) — not its own number.

All 96 approved programs in Alabama Full rankings table

The Alabama leaders on each measure

Different students weigh these differently — here is who leads on each one alone, among programs that publish it.

Highest NCLEX pass rate: Troy University (Baccalaureate Degree), 100% first-time.
Most students finish: Northeast Alabama Community College (Associate Degree), 85% on time.
Lowest average net price: Northeast Alabama Community College, $2,756/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: Tuskegee University, $78,874 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: Southern Union State Community College (#1 overall) and Troy University (#4 overall).

How we ranked Alabama’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the Alabama board of nursing, steadied for small cohorts.
Students who finish (33%). The program’s own on-time completion rate, where a board or the program publishes it.
Cost vs nurse pay (20%). Average net price per year next to Alabama’s median RN pay (College Scorecard + BLS).
Graduates’ early pay (14%). What the program’s nursing graduates earn one year out, next to the state’s RN median.

A missing figure is a labeled 33rd-percentile fill-in, never a guess. Programs without a published NCLEX rate, and direct-entry master’s programs, are not ranked. Every formula and source →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best nursing school in Alabama?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, Southern Union State Community College (Associate Degree) ranks #1 of 40 RN programs in Alabama with a score of 86 out of 100 and a 99.2% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. "Best" depends on what you weigh most — re-rank the list on this page by your own priorities.

How did NurseSavvy rank Alabama nursing schools?

Every RN program with a published 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is scored 0–100 on four public measures: NCLEX pass rate (33%), students who finish (33%), cost next to local RN pay (20%), and graduates’ pay one year out (14%). Pass rates come from the Alabama board of nursing; cost and pay from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

What does “fill-in” mean on this list?

When a program has not published a figure, we do not guess it. It is scored at the 33rd percentile of programs (same degree type) that do publish it — below typical — and labeled “fill-in” wherever it appears. Publishing its real number can only help a program that performs well.

Can a school pay to rank higher?

No. Schools cannot pay, partner, sponsor, or advertise their way to a better rank. Every input is public data, and the same formula applies to every program.