Best Online Nursing Programs in Chester, PA (2026)

Chester, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Chester has a population of about 33,209. Median household income is $39,809 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 13.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $238,540 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Chester

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

#1

Pennsylvania Institute of Technology

Media, PA 4.4 miles from Chester BOC Score 42.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,703
Avg net price $17,850/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,850
Out‑of‑state$14,850
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 50%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 11.9 miles from Chester BOC Score 83.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $111,371
Avg net price $28,699/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA 14.5 miles from Chester BOC Score 75.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,881
Avg net price $29,689/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA 17.6 miles from Chester BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,416
Avg net price $19,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington

Abington, PA 23.3 miles from Chester BOC Score 43.3
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $18,071/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,268
Out‑of‑state$25,664
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

DeSales University

Center Valley, PA 47.7 miles from Chester BOC Score 56.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,295
Avg net price $31,643/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster

Lancaster, PA 48.7 miles from Chester BOC Score 71.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,881
Avg net price $42,478/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 72.3 miles from Chester BOC Score 66.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,012
Avg net price $18,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,588
Out‑of‑state$25,588
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 45

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 Chester

Chester is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (BLS area code 37980). 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$101,180Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$98,616
Licensed Practical Nurse$70,710Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$68,918
Nurse Anesthetist$238,540Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$232,495
Nurse Midwife$77,620Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$75,653
Nurse Practitioner$135,700Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$132,261
Nursing Assistant$46,220Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$45,049

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.


Chester at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population33,209Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$39,809Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+13.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)102.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Delaware County17,622 workers, 216 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Chester-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Chester, PA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Chester 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 Chester?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Chester are: Nurse Anesthetist ($238,540), Nurse Practitioner ($135,700), Registered Nurse ($101,180). 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 Wilmington instead of Chester?

Wilmington, DE is 11.3 miles from Chester 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 Chester an affordable place to study nursing?

Chester’s median household income of $39,809 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chester 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 Chester

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

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.