Best Nursing Schools Near Bessemer, AL (2026)

Bessemer, Alabama has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $9,098 to $28,145 per year for indexed programs. Bessemer has a population of about 25,655. Median household income is $37,844 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Birmingham, AL metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $175,850 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Bessemer

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Bessemer, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bessemer city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bessemer. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Herzing University-Birmingham

Birmingham, AL 10.5 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,909
Avg net price $19,651/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Samford University

Birmingham, AL 12.2 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,469
Avg net price $32,622/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, AL 13.6 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,501
Avg net price $18,749/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,098
Out‑of‑state$22,562
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL 35.0 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
69.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,221
Avg net price $22,420/yr
Tuition
In‑state$12,180
Out‑of‑state$34,172
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 115

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville, AL 76.1 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,235
Avg net price $14,279/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery, AL 83.2 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,391
Avg net price $13,224/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,700
Out‑of‑state$20,668
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

South University-Montgomery

Montgomery, AL 83.5 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
18.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 11%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,421
Avg net price $27,807/yr
Tuition
In‑state$18,145
Out‑of‑state$18,145
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 43%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of West Alabama

Livingston, AL 88.8 miles from Bessemer
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,232
Avg net price $12,684/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama nursing page.


Nursing Wages Near Bessemer

Bessemer is part of the Birmingham, AL metro area (BLS area code 13820). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse $78,680 Birmingham, AL $85,895
Licensed Practical Nurse $61,040 Birmingham, AL $66,638
Nurse Anesthetist $175,850 Birmingham, AL $191,976
Nurse Midwife N/A AL statewide
Nurse Practitioner $107,700 Birmingham, AL $117,576
Nursing Assistant $35,470 Birmingham, AL $38,723

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Bessemer at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,655 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $37,844 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 14.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Jefferson County 21,951 workers, 149 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Bessemer-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Bessemer, AL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Bessemer. The closest is Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, AL (7.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Jefferson State Community College (24.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Bessemer?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Bessemer are: Nurse Anesthetist ($175,850), Nurse Practitioner ($107,700), Registered Nurse ($78,680). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hoover instead of Bessemer?

Hoover, AL is 9.5 miles from Bessemer and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bessemer an affordable place to study nursing?

Bessemer’s median household income of $37,844 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bessemer while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Alabama public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Bessemer

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bessemer:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.