NurseSavvy ranking · New York · updated October 10, 2026

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

We ranked all 136 RN programs in New York 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 New York, and what graduates earn a year out.

York 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 New York’s 136 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 New York

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
York College
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)· Public
96score
92% of its nursing students finish the program on time, and 97.8% pass the NCLEX on the first try.
NCLEX strength
97.8%
Students who finish
92% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$4,456/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$113,718 1 yr out
Start to license: 90 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
2
Fulton Montgomery Community College
Associate Degree (RN)· Public
74score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
69% finish
Cost-to-pay value
$6,696/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$77,192 1 yr out
Start to license: 69 of every 100 who start finish on time and pass the NCLEX first try.
3
Hunter College
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)· Public
73score
A $2,984 average net price is low next to $109,440 median RN pay in New York.
NCLEX strength
87.6%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$2,984/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$103,692 1 yr out
4
Adelphi University - ASDBS
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)
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
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
5
Columbia University
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)
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
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
6
Hartwick College - ASDBS
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)
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
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
7
SUNY Buffalo
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)
70score
A 98.5% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
98.5%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
8
Cayuga County Community College
Associate Degree (RN)· Public
70score
A 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
100%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$8,662/yr net price
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in
9
Monroe University
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)· Private for-profit
70score
A 88.1% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
88.1%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
$14,522/yr net price
Early-career earnings
$105,209 1 yr out
10
SUNY College of Tech at Farmingdale
Baccalaureate Degree (RN)
69score
A 97.4% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries its score.
NCLEX strength
97.4%
Students who finish
Not publishedfill-in
Cost-to-pay value
Not publishedfill-in
Early-career earnings
Not publishedfill-in

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 215 approved programs in New York Full rankings table

The New York 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: Fulton Montgomery Community College (Associate Degree (RN)), 100% first-time.
Most students finish: York College (Baccalaureate Degree (RN)), 92% on time.
Lowest average net price: Hunter College, $2,984/yr.
Highest graduates’ pay: Helene Fuld College of Nursing, $119,170 one year out.
Top ADN vs top BSN: Fulton Montgomery Community College (#2 overall) and York College (#1 overall).

How we ranked New York’s nursing schools

NCLEX pass rate (33%). The 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rate from the New York 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 New York’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 New York?

Under the NurseSavvy ranking, York College (Baccalaureate Degree (RN)) ranks #1 of 136 RN programs in New York with a score of 96 out of 100 and a 97.8% 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 New York 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 New York 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.