University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program Continues to Excel in U.S. News Rankings

Baltimore, Md. - In the newly released U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs, the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) BSN program ranked No. 13 in the nation (tied with five other institutions), out of the more than 685 accredited nursing schools ranked. Among public schools of nursing, UMSON is ranked No. 8 in the nation (tied with four other public nursing schools).

“It is gratifying to be recognized as one of the top baccalaureate programs in the nation. This is a testament to our faculty, staff, and students and all who support our efforts,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We are committed to addressing the critical shortage of nurses at all levels, not only within Maryland but also nationally. We are proud of our graduates, who are well prepared to serve as competent, compassionate, and trusted nurses meeting the needs of individuals, their families, and our many diverse communities.”

UMSON’s BSN program encompasses an entry-into-nursing program and an RN-to-BSN program for already licensed practicing nurses. The program prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) 2023 New Graduate Employment Data indicates that 70% of employers express a strong preference for BSN program graduates, while one-quarter of hospitals and other health care settings require a BSN for employment. 

This fall, UMSON admitted 250 entry BSN students, its largest class ever, between its Baltimore and Universities at Shady Grove (Rockville, Maryland) locations, reflecting the School’s commitment to responding to the demands of health care at a critical time of substantial nursing shortages. By increasing the number of students in each program at both locations, UMSON is playing a key role in bolstering the nursing workforce in Maryland.

The School was among the first in the nation to launch an entirely revised BSN curriculum for incoming students in 2022, in alignment with AACN’s The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, an updated framework for nursing education using a competency-based approach. The curriculum responds to the Essentials’ direction for curricula that respond to the changing face of health care, necessitating updates to how nurses are prepared; in that vein, the BSN curriculum includes courses focusing on evidence-based practice, public and community health, social determinants of health, disease prevention, and palliative care. Two clinical practice initiatives with the University of Maryland Medical System — the Practicum to Practice Program and the Academy of Clinical Essentials — provide students expanded and advanced clinical opportunities.

“We are so proud to be playing such a big role in addressing the nursing shortage in Maryland by graduating so many passionate, competent nurses,” said Kathleen “Katie” McElroy, PhD ’16, MS ’10, BSN ’98, RN, CNE, associate professor and associate dean for the baccalaureate program.

In addition to serving practicing nurses seeking a BSN degree, UMSON’s RN-to-BSN program boasts dual-admission partnerships with all 15 community colleges in Maryland that offer an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, enabling a smooth transition for ADN students into UMSON’s BSN program. To date, nearly 280 students have transitioned from community college to UMSON’s BSN program via the School’s dual-admission partnerships.

Rankings are determined by scores received from surveys of top academics and officials at nursing schools or departments at institutions nationwide that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. In addition, the institutions must be regionally accredited and have recently awarded at least 50 BSN degrees.

###

The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.