In the newly released 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges,” the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program ranked No. 10 in the nation, out of 694 accredited nursing schools surveyed. Among public schools of nursing, UMSON ranked No. 4 in the nation. UMSON’s BSN program is the top-ranked such program in Maryland.

UMSON’s BSN program, which encompasses an entry-into-nursing program in addition to an RN-to-BSN program for already licensed practicing nurses, prepares students to excel in nursing careers across a broad spectrum of acute, chronic, and community-based settings. National data indicates that employers increasingly prefer and, in some cases, require, a baccalaureate degree.

Before beginning studies at UMSON, students must complete two years of undergraduate education at another accredited college or university, to fulfill the necessary prerequisites. 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. 

“It is extremely gratifying to be recognized as one of the top baccalaureate programs in the nation,” said Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “We are proud to play an important role in efforts within Maryland and throughout the country to increase the number of nurses educated at the baccalaureate level. With the increasing complexity of care and the variety of settings in which it is delivered, our graduates are extraordinarily well prepared to meet the current and future needs of our health care system and serve as a critical resource for individuals across the lifespan. The pandemic has brought new attention to the vital role that nurses play in every community and to increased interest in the nursing profession.”

Rankings are based solely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty members of nursing schools and departments at institutions nationwide that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and that are regionally accredited and awarded at least 35 BSN degrees in 2018-19.