Nursing Schools in Seattle: Top Online & Campus Programs

The University of Washington provides a variety of nursing degrees to meet students at different academic levels. The School of Nursing offers a traditional BSN for those with associate degrees along with an Accelerated BSN for students with bachelor’s degrees in another area. The department partners with a large number of community colleges throughout the state to ensure a seamless transition from one school to the next. Full-time students can graduate in just one year, and interested students can view online information sessions throughout the year.

The school also provides an online Master of Science in Clinical Informatics and Patient-Centered Technologies, a PhD, and several DNP tracks that include adult gerontology, nurse-midwifery, pediatrics, population health, psychiatric mental health, and women’s health.

Seattle Pacific University’s School of Health Sciences provides a traditional four-year BSN for first-time college students looking to become registered nurses. The program’s NCLEX-RN first-attempt pass rate of 93% is notable as is its reputation for developing competence and character. For students on tight budgets, the department offers several scholarships based on both merit and financial need.

The university also offers a DNP for nurses with MSNs. Students choose from the specialty areas of clinical nurse specialist, adult/gerontology nurse practitioner, and family nurse practitioner. Through small class sizes and flexible scheduling, the school’s faith-based commitment promotes health of the body, mind, and spirit.

The college’s nursing student activities include the Nursing Cadre, Men in Nursing lunches, and NAPS, the Nursing and Pre-Nursing Student Club.

Seattle University’s College of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the Jesuit tradition. Accepting both first-time and transfer students, this BSN consists of 137 credits and offers the opportunity to complete a population health practicum for focused study. The college hosts both the Seattle University Student Nurses Association and a Sigma Theta Tau International chapter for nursing students with 3.5 or higher GPAs. Students can also take advantage of several global education opportunities.

The nursing department also provides a 3-year DNP program for students with bachelor’s degrees and a two-and-a-half-year program for those with master’s level nursing qualifications. A separate program that takes four years is available for non-nurses. Students choose from specializations in acute or primary care nurse practitioner.

Bellevue College offers an RN to BSN program online or as a hybrid option. In addition to holding CCNE accreditation, the program is also approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. Students choose from full-time and part-time learning options. Applicants must have active and unrestricted RN licenses for entrance along with 2.0 or higher GPAs and at least one year of clinical experience as a nurse.

The RN to BSN program at Bellevue does not require any clinicals or practicums, but students do spend the last two quarters of the program completing a scholarly project focused on building leadership and management skills. Program coursework teaches scholarly inquiry, management, leadership, health information, and community and public health.

The University of Washington’s Bothell campus provides an RN to BSN program available in person or through a hybrid approach that students can complete in a few as four quarters when studying full time. There’s also a part-time route for students who need more flexibility. The program requires 45 quarter credits and maintains a 95% on-time graduation rate.

Critical thinking abilities are developed as classes cover topics like population-based health in community practice, health policy and the organization of healthcare, translating scholarly knowledge to nursing practice, and team leadership and care coordination. Students must maintain 2.0 or higher GPAs in each course to graduate. New students can begin their studies during the winter, spring, summer, or autumn quarters.

North Seattle College offers a hybrid Pre-nursing for Transfer to BSN program for students looking to earn ADNs before moving on to their bachelor’s degrees. Admitted students choose from three pathways. The pre-nursing Associate of Applied Science prepares students to move directly into RN positions after graduating and passing the NCLEX-RN while the pre-nursing Associate of Arts allows students to complete all the required courses needed to seamlessly move into a BSN program at one of several approved Seattle colleges.

The pre-nursing Associate of Science program functions similarly to the AA degree. The first program requires eight quarters of study and 90 quarter credits while the remaining options comprise 90-104 quarter credits and take seven quarters to finish.