Best Online Nursing Programs in State College, PA (2026)

State College, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. State College has a population of about 40,669. Median household income is $47,132 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.7% 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 State College

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

#1

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

University Park, PA 0.8 miles from State College BOC Score 47.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $19,550/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Altoona, PA 33.8 miles from State College 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

#3

Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus

Indiana, PA 67.3 miles from State College BOC Score 52.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,019
Avg net price $16,804/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 83.2 miles from State College 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

#5

Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster

Lancaster, PA 98.5 miles from State College 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

#6

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA 112.6 miles from State College BOC Score 73.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $30,434/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Carlow University

Pittsburgh, PA 113.1 miles from State College BOC Score 52.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,051
Avg net price $20,786/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,874
Out‑of‑state$35,874
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh, PA 114.6 miles from State College BOC Score 71.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 79%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,742
Avg net price $37,730/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near State College

State College is part of the State College, PA metro area (BLS area code 44300). 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$81,480State College, PA$84,174
Licensed Practical Nurse$61,960State College, PA$64,008
Nurse Anesthetist$221,530PA statewide$228,853
Nurse Midwife$119,990PA statewide$123,957
Nurse Practitioner$124,470State College, PA$128,585
Nursing Assistant$39,440State College, PA$40,744

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.


State College at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,669Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,132Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Centre County4,216 workers, 62 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other State College-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near State College, PA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near State College 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 State College?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near State College are: Nurse Anesthetist ($221,530), Nurse Practitioner ($124,470), Nurse Midwife ($119,990). 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 Lewistown instead of State College?

Lewistown, PA is 20.0 miles from State College 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 State College an affordable place to study nursing?

State College’s median household income of $47,132 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in State College 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 State College

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

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.