Best Online Nursing Programs in Altoona, PA (2026)

Altoona, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Altoona has a population of about 43,508. Median household income is $50,171 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $221,530 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Altoona

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Altoona, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Altoona 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 Altoona. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center

Altoona, PA 0.2 miles from Altoona BOC Score 55.5
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,008
Avg net price $12,419/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Secondary EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Altoona, PA 2.2 miles from Altoona BOC Score 36.2
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $22,213/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,972
Out‑of‑state$26,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near Altoona

Altoona is part of the Altoona, PA metro area (BLS area code 11020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$82,410Altoona, PA$92,078
Licensed Practical Nurse$59,680Altoona, PA$66,682
Nurse Anesthetist$221,530PA statewide$247,520
Nurse Midwife$119,990PA statewide$134,067
Nurse Practitioner$119,930Altoona, PA$134,000
Nursing Assistant$38,870Altoona, PA$43,430

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.


Altoona at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population43,508Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$50,171Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Blair County5,395 workers, 96 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Altoona-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Altoona, PA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Altoona are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Altoona?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Altoona are: Nurse Anesthetist ($221,530), Nurse Midwife ($119,990), Nurse Practitioner ($119,930). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Johnstown instead of Altoona?

Johnstown, PA is 30.0 miles from Altoona 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 Altoona an affordable place to study nursing?

Altoona’s median household income of $50,171 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Altoona while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Altoona

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.