Eastern Florida State College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Palm Bay, FL (2026)
Palm Bay, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Palm Bay has a population of about 125,273. Median household income is $67,521 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $210,570 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Palm Bay
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Palm Bay. Distances are calculated from Palm Bay city center.
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 Palm Bay. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Treasure Coast Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Indian River State College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Osceola Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Fortis Institute-Port Saint Lucie
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Palm Bay
Palm Bay is part of the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area (BLS area code 37340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $80,900 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $80,900 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $61,000 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $61,000 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $210,570 | FL statewide | $210,570 |
| Nurse Midwife | $127,460 | FL statewide | $127,460 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $120,870 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $120,870 |
| Nursing Assistant | $37,070 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $37,070 |
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.
Palm Bay at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 125,273 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $67,521 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 100.0 (at U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in Brevard County | 13,941 workers, 198 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Palm Bay-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- West Melbourne, FL – 5.8 mi away (21,293 pop)
- Melbourne, FL – 8.9 mi away (81,185 pop)
- Sebastian, FL – 17.6 mi away (24,772 pop)
- Rockledge, FL – 23.4 mi away (27,068 pop)
- Saint Cloud, FL – 41.5 mi away (47,809 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Palm Bay, FL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Palm Bay. The closest is Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, FL (12.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fortis Institute-Port Saint Lucie (51.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Palm Bay?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Palm Bay are: Nurse Anesthetist ($210,570), Nurse Midwife ($127,460), Nurse Practitioner ($120,870). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in West Melbourne instead of Palm Bay?
West Melbourne, FL is 5.8 miles from Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay an affordable place to study nursing?
Palm Bay’s median household income of $67,521 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Palm Bay while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Florida
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Palm Bay
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Palm Bay:
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Data verified: June 11, 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.