Indiana Nursing Schools And Programs

Indiana is a practical place to train as a nurse. Tuition runs below what neighboring states charge, the cost of living is low, and state schools post strong NCLEX-RN pass rates, with 87.7% of first-time test-takers passing. This guide covers the licensing steps, the salary and job picture, and the programs worth a close look.

The Best Nursing Schools in Indiana

Purdue University runs one of the oldest nursing programs in the state, started in 1863, now spanning 12 undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates. For nurses who already hold an MSN, Purdue offers four post-master's certificates: adult-gerontology primary care, family healthcare, primary care pediatrics, and psychiatric and mental health. Coursework blends asynchronous and synchronous formats. Fulltime students finish in two years; certificates can take as few as eight months.

• Program: BSN; MSN; DNP; PhD in nursing
• Campus: West Lafayette, Indiana
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $347 per credit (Indiana residents); $948 per credit (out of state)
• Admission: Varies by degree; post-master's certificate candidates need an MSN, current RN license, minimum 3.0 GPA
• Minimum Time: 32 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 93.4%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $58,015 (bachelor's), $98,638 (graduate), per College Scorecard

Huntington University offers a CCNE-accredited BSN built around Christian principles. Students cover pharmacology, pathophysiology, health assessment, leadership, and interprofessional research, and every student takes a five-week role-transition course with mentorship from a licensed nurse. Admission is based on academic record and TEAS scores in the first year.

• Program: BSN
• Campus: Huntington, Indiana
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $38,430 per year
• Admission: 58 undergraduate credits, minimum 3.0 GPA; TEAS scores; interview; background check
• Minimum Time: 48 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 90%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $48,432 (bachelor's), per College Scorecard

The University of Evansville builds its BSN around six semesters of clinical experience, with simulation, lab work, and courses in physical assessment, medical-surgical nursing, mental health, research, and management. Clinical placements run at nearby hospitals and community agencies, and students can study abroad in England, China, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, or Guatemala.

• Program: BSN; DNP
• Campus: Evansville, Indiana
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• Tuition: $325 per credit (RN-to-BSN); $14,100 per term (DNP)
• Admission: Varies by degree; first-year students need ACT 22 or SAT 1100, four years of English, three of math, three of science with minimum C; transfer students need minimum 2.75 GPA
• Minimum Time: 48 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 85.7%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $55,964 (bachelor's), per College Scorecard

Marian University offers three BSN tracks: traditional, accelerated, and RN-to-BSN. The accelerated track runs fully online or onsite and takes 16 months for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's. The traditional track spans four years with clinical rotations across six semesters. The RN-to-BSN track is fully online for nurses with an ADN or diploma.

• Program: BSN; DNP
• Campus: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $335 per credit (RN-to-BSN); $775 per credit (DNP)
• Admission: Varies by degree; direct admission needs minimum 3.50 high school GPA and SAT 1170 or ACT 24; transfer applicants need at least 2.80 GPA
• Minimum Time: 16 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $59,320 (bachelor's), $104,510 (graduate), per College Scorecard

Saint Mary's College, a Catholic institution for women, runs labs in psychiatric and mental health nursing and courses in nursing leadership, community health, and research. Juniors and seniors work in clinical groups of eight at Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Hospital, the Center for the Homeless, Hope Ministries, and local schools. Sophomores can study abroad in Uganda through the intercultural nursing practicum.

• Program: BSN; DNP
• Campus: Notre Dame, Indiana
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $48,880 per year
• Admission: Completed prerequisites; minimum 2.5 GPA
• Minimum Time: 48 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 92.1%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $59,599 (bachelor's), per College Scorecard

Anderson University is one of the few Indiana programs with a cadaver lab. Students who hold a bachelor's in another field can take a 122-credit accelerated BSN in 15 months, or choose the traditional 120-credit, four-year track. The Center for Medical Simulation's cadaver lab and simulation center let students study disease through dissection. Faith-based study-abroad options run in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

• Program: BSN; MSN; DNP
• Campus: Anderson, Indiana
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $700 per credit (undergraduate)
• Admission: Traditional BSN students need SAT 1100 (500 math) or ACT 21
• Minimum Time: 15 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 97%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $56,035 (bachelor's), per College Scorecard

Indiana University East offers three pathways to a BSN in 12 to 24 months: a fully online BSN with tracks in community health education and health administration, a traditional onsite BSN, and an RN-to-BSN for working nurses that meets once a week. Students complete a 30-hour residency and 120 credits in health policy, research, informatics, and management, and can study abroad in Belize.

• Program: BSN; MSN
• Campus: Richmond, Indiana
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $7,827 per year (in state); $20,934 per year (out of state)
• Admission: Varies by degree; RN-to-BSN candidates need a current RN license and an ADN
• Minimum Time: 12 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 85.9%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $57,154 (bachelor's), per College Scorecard

Ball State University runs fully online undergraduate and graduate nursing programs with fulltime and parttime options. The RN-to-BSN track is traditional or fully online with asynchronous assignments, focused on care for women and children in community settings, and includes 180 clinical hours that students can complete at their current workplace. RNs finish in three to six semesters; students with a non-nursing bachelor's can earn an onsite BSN in as few as 19 months.

• Program: BSN
• Campus: Muncie, Indiana
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $455 per credit (in-state undergraduate); $670 (out-of-state undergraduate); $566 (in-state graduate); $781 (out-of-state graduate)
• Admission: Varies by degree; RN-to-BSN candidates need an accredited ADN or diploma, current RN license, minimum 2.75 GPA
• Minimum Time: 19 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 93.3%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $56,505 (bachelor's), $92,124 (graduate), per College Scorecard

Ivy Tech Community College is a direct pathway into RN-to-BSN programs at partner schools like Ball State, which accepts up to 65 transfer credits. Students earn an ADN in under two years, with clinical work and lab simulation, and can concurrently earn an LPN certificate. Current military medics, medical assistants, paramedics, and LPNs can use transitional tracks.

• Program: ADN
• Campus: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• Tuition: $149 per credit (Indiana residents); $292 per credit (out of state)
• Admission: Prerequisites; TEAS scores
• Minimum Time: 24 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 75%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $52,715 (associate), per College Scorecard

The University of Southern Indiana offers six nursing programs across leadership, education, and advanced practice, with online coursework. Students can take the traditional four-year, 120-credit BSN or a 30-credit RN-to-BSN, and USI accepts unlimited transfer credits. Clinical training runs at the simulation center and at St. Mary's Medical Center and Deaconess Hospital.

• Program: BSN; MSN; DNP; graduate certificate
• Campus: Evansville, Indiana
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $274 per credit (in-state undergraduate); $667 (out-of-state undergraduate); $409 (in-state graduate); $802 (out-of-state graduate)
• Admission: Varies by degree; RN-to-BSN candidates need a current RN license and an accredited ADN or diploma, minimum 2.3 GPA
• Minimum Time: 24 months
• Onsite Requirement: Yes
• NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rate: 96.5%
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $56,554 (bachelor's), per College Scorecard

How to Choose a Nursing Program in Indiana

Weigh tuition, program length, and financial aid first, then look at how well a program prepares its graduates. NCLEX pass rates and accreditation are the clearest signals of quality. Match the format, onsite, online, or hybrid, to how you actually study and work.

Why Become a Nurse in Indiana

Indiana pairs a low cost of living with tuition below most neighboring states, and its schools prepare students well, with 87.7% of test-takers passing the NCLEX-RN on the first try.

Indiana also belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which now spans 41 states plus several territories. A multistate license lets you practice in any compact state with minimal extra paperwork, skip separate renewal fees, and provide telehealth across state lines.

Salary and Job Outlook for Nurses in Indiana

Indiana RNs earn below the national RN median of $93,600, and Indiana NPs earn below the national NP median of roughly $129,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). Wages run higher in the more populated metros, with Indianapolis, the north, and the west paying the most. The low cost of living offsets much of the gap.

Nationally, the BLS projects employment for nurse practitioners to grow about 35% from 2024 to 2034, far faster than average, and steady growth for registered nurses over the same period. Indiana shares in that demand.

Steps to Becoming a Nurse in Indiana

Whether you aim for RN or APRN, you must graduate from a program approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing, pass the NCLEX-RN, and apply for a state license. APRNs then carry continuing-education requirements; RNs in Indiana currently do not.

RN Requirements

Enroll in a state-recognized program accredited by ACEN or CCNE and earn an ADN or BSN. Pass the NCLEX-RN, complete a criminal background check, and apply for licensure. RNs in Indiana do not need continuing-education hours to renew. Nurses already licensed in another state can apply by endorsement. Both RNs and APRNs renew on October 31 of every odd-numbered year.

APRN Requirements

Earn an MSN or DNP from a board-accredited program. Nurses who hold a BSN plus national certification and two semesters of pharmacology can qualify without an MSN or DNP. APRNs complete 30 continuing-education hours every two years, eight of them in pharmacology.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing in Indiana

How long does it take to become an RN? A fulltime ADN takes about two years and a fulltime BSN about four. Students with a bachelor's in another field can use an accelerated program that runs under two years.

Where do most nurses work? Per the Indiana Center for Nursing, RNs cluster in hospitals (55.9%), outpatient clinics (14.6%), and long-term care (7%); APRNs concentrate in outpatient clinics (47.9%), hospitals (28.9%), and long-term care (5%).