Nursing Schools in Massachusetts: All 87 Approved Programs & NCLEX Pass Rates
Massachusetts has 74 schools running 87 board-approved nursing programs — 60 RN-track and 27 PN/LPN-track. The average 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across Massachusetts programs is 89.1%, 2.6 points above the national average of 86.5%. Every row below comes straight from the state board of nursing's published approved-program list — not self-reported school marketing.
Best Nursing Schools in Massachusetts by NCLEX Pass Rate
Top RN programs ranked by 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, among programs with a published 2025 rate. Rates are one year of data — check multi-year trends before deciding.
- 1100%Worcester · Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program
- 2100%Associate Degree Nursing Program
- 3100%Milton · Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate Program
- 4100%Boston · Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program
- 5100%Fitchburg · Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program
- 6100%Boston · Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate Program
- 7100%Worcester · Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate Program
- 8100%Worcester · Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program
- 998%Gardner · Associate Degree Nursing Program
- 1098%Weston · Associate Degree Nursing Program
What Nursing School Costs in Massachusetts — and What Graduates Earn
Tuition, admissions and graduate-earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, matched to 39 of 74 Massachusetts schools. Earnings are program-level — the median for graduates of that school's own nursing program, not all its alumni.
Median federal loan debt for BSN graduates in Massachusetts is $25,000 (13 programs). Sticker tuition is the whole school's published price, not the nursing program's alone, and it ignores aid — the number that decides whether a program pays off is what you actually pay plus the wages you give up while enrolled. Run your own numbers in the ROI calculator or read the full cost of becoming an RN.
Every Approved Nursing Program in Massachusetts
Sort by any column, filter RN vs PN/LPN, or search a school or city.
87 of 87 programs · “—” = not published for that program · tuition is the school’s published in-state price for one year, before aid; grad pay is the median for that program’s own graduates, one year out
| American International College | Springfield | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $44,230 | $79,889 | 94% |
| Anna Maria College | Paxton | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $44,571 | $75,045 | 95% |
| Assabet Valley Regional Technical SchoolConditional | Marlborough | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $17,158program year | — | 83% |
| Assumption University | Worcester | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $51,356 | — | 100% |
| Atlantic Union College, Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program | — | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Bay Path Practical Nurse Academy | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 87% |
| Bay Path UniversityNew/provisional | Longmeadow | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $38,302 | — | — |
| Bay Path University Direct-Entry Master’sNew/provisional | Longmeadow | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Bay State College, Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program | — | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 100% |
| Becker College, Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program | — | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Becker College, Baccalaureate Degree Registered Nurse Program | — | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Berkshire Community College | Pittsfield | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,164 | $69,083 | 73% |
| Berkshire Community College | Pittsfield | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $6,164 | $49,764 | 95% |
| Blackstone Valley Regional Voc Tech School | Upton | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 94% |
| Blue Hills Regional Technical School, Practical Degree Nurse Program | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 100% |
| Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing | Chestnut Hill | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 92% |
| Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing | Chestnut Hill | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | — | — | 93% |
| Bristol Community College | Fall River | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,832 | $70,855 | 82% |
| Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School | Taunton | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 100% |
| Brockton Hospital | Brockton | Registered Nurse Hospital-Based Diploma ProgramRN | — | — | 94% |
| Bunker Hill Community College | Charlestown | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,168 | $72,734 | 91% |
| Bunker Hill, Practical Nursing Program | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | — |
| Cape Cod Community College | West Barnstable | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,000 | $65,350 | 75% |
| College of Our Lady of the Elms | Chicopee | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $43,325 | $83,775 | 86% |
| Curry College | Milton | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $47,970 | $79,242 | 91% |
| Curry College (AE-MSN) | Milton | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | — | — | 100% |
| Diman Regional School of Practical NursingConditional | Fall River | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 94% |
| Emmanuel College | Boston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $48,550 | — | 100% |
| Endicott College | Beverly | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $40,650 | $78,594 | 89% |
| Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $11,346 | $80,228 | 100% |
| Greater Lowell Technical School of Practical Nursing | Tyngsboro | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $9,200program year | $67,281 | 93% |
| Greenfield Community College | Greenfield | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,810 | $75,914 | 97% |
| Greenfield Community College | Greenfield | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $5,810 | $56,658 | 86% |
| Holyoke Community College | Holyoke | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,988 | $73,404 | 79% |
| Holyoke Community College | Holyoke | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $5,988 | — | 100% |
| Labouré College of Healthcare | Milton | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $30,618 | $69,451 | 87% |
| Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions | Boston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 89% |
| Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions | Boston | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | — | — | 96% |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College | 490 Franklin Street | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,856 | — | 79% |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College | 490 Franklin Street | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $5,856 | — | 100% |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsNew/provisional | North Adams | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $12,436 | — | — |
| Massasoit Community College | Brockton | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,376 | $72,980 | 91% |
| McCann Technical School | North Adams | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 89% |
| MCPHS-Boston | Boston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 90% |
| MCPHS-Worcester | Worcester | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 90% |
| Medical Professional Institute, Practical Nursing Program | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | — |
| Merrimack College | North Andover | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $53,962 | — | 86% |
| Middlesex Community College | Lowell | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,048 | $75,351 | 96% |
| Mildred Elley Practical Nursing Program | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 64% |
| Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School | Fitchburg | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 93% |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,160 | $74,618 | 98% |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $6,160 | $62,720 | 93% |
| North Shore Community College | Danvers | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,352 | $72,803 | 94% |
| North Shore Community College | Danvers | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $5,352 | $55,336 | 87% |
| Northeastern University | Boston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $66,162 | $78,713 | 81% |
| Northeastern University | Boston | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | $66,162 | — | 95% |
| Northern Essex Community CollegeConditional | Lawrence | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,732 | $74,427 | 74% |
| Northern Essex Community CollegeConditional | Lawrence | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $6,732 | $50,770 | 92% |
| Quincy College | Quincy | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $8,938 | — | 78% |
| Quincy College | Quincy | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $8,938 | — | 86.2% |
| Quincy College, Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program, Quincy, MA | Quincy | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Quincy College, Practical Nursing Program, Quincy, MA | Quincy | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | — |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Worcester | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,262 | $74,992 | 82% |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Worcester | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $6,262 | $54,629 | 90% |
| Regis College | Weston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $49,680 | $78,481 | 93% |
| Regis College | Weston | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | $49,680 | — | 86% |
| Regis College, Young School of Nursing Associate Degree Nursing Program | Weston | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 98% |
| Roxbury Community CollegeNew/provisional | Roxbury | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $6,024 | $71,794 | 71% |
| Roxbury Community College, Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program | — | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Roxbury Community College, Practical Nurse Program | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | — |
| Salem State UniversityConditional | Salem | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $12,338 | $80,641 | 87% |
| Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing | Billerica | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $14,540program year | $72,230 | 90% |
| Simmons University | Boston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $46,874 | $85,096 | 80% |
| Simmons University Master’s Entry into Professional Nursing Practice ProgramNew/provisional | Boston | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | — | — | 100% |
| Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School | South Easton | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 100% |
| Springfield Technical Community College | Springfield | Associate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $5,904 | $75,769 | 85% |
| Stonehill CollegeNew/provisional | North Easton | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $57,490 | — | — |
| Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School Practical Nurse Program | — | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | — | — | 78% |
| University of Mass Amherst Elaine Marieb College of Nursing | Amherst | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 88% |
| University of Mass Boston Robert and Donna Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Boston | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 80% |
| University of Mass/Dartmouth | N. Dartmouth | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 70% |
| University of Mass/Lowell | Lowell | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | 93% |
| University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Tan Chingfen Graduate SON | Worcester | Registered Nurse Entry Level Graduate ProgramRN | — | — | 100% |
| Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School | Bourne | Practical Nursing ProgramPN | $11,420program year | — | 88% |
| Westfield State University | Westfield | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $12,179 | $81,136 | 89% |
| Wheaton CollegeNew/provisional | Norton | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | — | — | — |
| Worcester State UniversityConditional | Worcester | Baccalaureate Degree Nursing ProgramRN | $11,786 | $75,249 | 100% |
Whichever school you choose, the NCLEX is the finish line
The pass rates above are made by students, not buildings. Students who do well start NCLEX-style practice in their first semester — studying for class exams and the boards at the same time. NurseSavvy turns your own course materials into matched NCLEX practice questions from day one — free to try, then $19/mo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best nursing school in Massachusetts by NCLEX pass rate?
8 RN programs in Massachusetts tied for the highest 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at 100%, including Assumption University in Worcester — see the full ranked list above, among programs with a published 2025 rate on the state board's list.
How many nursing schools are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 74 schools offering 87 board-approved nursing programs: 60 RN-track (ADN/BSN and similar) and 27 PN/LPN-track programs, per the state board of nursing's current approved-program list.
What is the average NCLEX pass rate in Massachusetts?
Across Massachusetts RN programs with a published 2025 rate, the average first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is 89.1% — 2.6 points above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does nursing school cost in Massachusetts?
Across Massachusetts nursing schools we could match to U.S. Department of Education data, median published in-state tuition and fees run $6,160 a year at public schools (21 schools) and $47,422 at private nonprofits (14 schools). That is the whole institution's sticker price per year, before aid — an ADN takes about two years and a BSN four, and most students pay less than sticker. Per-school figures are in the table above.
What do nursing graduates in Massachusetts earn?
Federal earnings data tracks graduates of each specific nursing program. In Massachusetts, median earnings one year after finishing are $73,192 for ADN graduates (16 programs) and $79,889 for BSN graduates (13 programs). These are medians of program-level medians and the federal figures lag by a few years, so treat them as a floor for comparison between schools rather than a salary prediction.
What does a first-time NCLEX pass rate tell me about a school?
It is the share of a program’s graduates who passed the NCLEX on their first attempt — the single most comparable public outcome number nursing programs report. Boards of nursing track it for program approval, and consistently low rates can put a program on conditional status. Compare it alongside cost, location, and program length, not in isolation.
About this data
Program list and 2025 first-time NCLEX pass rates are taken directly from the Massachusetts board of nursing's published approved-program materials. “—” means the board did not publish a 2025 rate for that program (new programs, small cohorts, or PN lists without rate tables). Pass rates refresh annually; this page is rebuilt from the board lists when they update.
Tuition, admission rates, graduate earnings and debt come from the U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts, June 10 2026 data release), matched by school name and city to 39 of 74 Massachusetts schools. Schools the federal data does not cover — hospital-based programs and schools outside federal student-aid reporting — show “—” rather than an estimate. Tuition and admission rates describe the whole institution; earnings and debt are specific to its nursing programs, by credential, and lag the current graduating class by several years.
- collegescorecard.ed.gov — Most Recent Cohorts, June 10 2026 data release
- www.mass.gov — list: Roster as of July 8, 2026; pass rate CY2025 first-time (NCSBN data, Board 2012-2025 report)