U.S. News ranks La Salle’s undergrad nursing program among nation’s best

September 13, 2021

St. Benilde Tower

La Salle also earned high scores for social mobility and veteran support and services.

La Salle University is ranked among the nation’s top providers of undergraduate nursing education, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Nearly 700 bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs met U.S. News & World Report’s criteria for inclusion. At No. 288, La Salle placed among the nation’s top-300 programs in U.S. News’ 2022 rankings, which were released Sept. 13. This marked the first time U.S. News has included evaluations of BSN programs in its “Best Colleges” report.

La Salle’s undergraduate nursing program incorporates interprofessional, evidence-based curricula with experiential learning opportunities in a variety of clinical settings, from community clinics to large health systems. BSN students at La Salle achieved a first-time pass rate on their NCLEX licensure exams that exceeded the Pennsylvania and national averages, marking the fourth consecutive testing cycle in which La Salle’s undergraduate nursing students posted a first-time pass rate exceeding 90 percent.

“La Salle’s undergraduate nursing program is one of our hallmark undergraduate degree programs, one of which we are incredibly proud,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, ’85, La Salle University’s Interim President. “Not only does our BSN program cultivate future leaders of the nursing profession, it trains our graduates in the delivery of compassionate care for the most-vulnerable populations.”

La Salle also earned favorable marks in three other areas:

“It’s an honor for our University to be ranked so highly in social mobility. This ranking is the latest demonstration of our commitment to supporting students who come from a wide range of economic and social backgrounds.”
—Interim President Tim O’Shaughnessy, ’85

  • Social mobility: La Salle jumped seven spots in social mobility, climbing to No. 35 among universities in the North Region. This ranking is reserved for the universities that enroll and graduate high percentages of students who qualify for the federal Pell Grant.
  • Veterans: The University is one of the North Region’s top destinations for veterans and active-duty military members, earning a No. 38 ranking. This is the latest acknowledgement of La Salle’s military support services. In February, the University earned national recognition as a military-friendly institution.
  • Catholic universities: For the second consecutive year, U.S. News ranked La Salle as one of Pennsylvania’s top-five Catholic universities.

“It’s an honor for our University to be ranked so highly in social mobility,” O’Shaughnessy said. “This ranking is the latest demonstration of our commitment to supporting students who come from a wide range of economic and social backgrounds. True to our mission, we have been providing exceptional learning experiences and life-changing professional outcomes for historically underserved students for nearly 160 years. We take great pride in guiding students through personalized and individualized attention and pointing them toward success at La Salle University and beyond.”

—Christopher A. Vito