Best Online Nursing Programs in Salem, VA (2026)

Salem, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $12,286 to $26,681 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $252,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Salem

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

#1

Radford University

Radford, VA 29.1 miles from Salem BOC Score 60.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,739
Avg net price $14,578/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA 48.3 miles from Salem BOC Score 35.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,813
Avg net price $29,357/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Centra College

Lynchburg, VA 49.3 miles from Salem BOC Score 95.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,122
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Bluefield University

Bluefield, VA 65.6 miles from Salem BOC Score 35.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 59%
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,896
Avg net price $25,573/yr
Tuition
In‑state$26,770
Out‑of‑state$26,770
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 28

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

#5

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA 99.5 miles from Salem BOC Score 86.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,863
Avg net price $21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA 144.0 miles from Salem BOC Score 65.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,128
Avg net price $23,433/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Shenandoah University

Winchester, VA 165.7 miles from Salem BOC Score 59.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,433
Avg net price $30,298/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA 183.7 miles from Salem BOC Score 81.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,343
Avg net price $17,915/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$80,090Roanoke, VA$85,566
Licensed Practical Nurse$61,210Roanoke, VA$65,395
Nurse Anesthetist$252,110VA statewide$269,348
Nurse Midwife$135,710VA statewide$144,989
Nurse Practitioner$134,920Roanoke, VA$144,145
Nursing Assistant$38,960Roanoke, VA$41,624

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.


Salem at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,477Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,716Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Salem (city) County377 workers, 14 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Salem-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Salem, VA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Salem 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 Salem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Salem are: Nurse Anesthetist ($252,110), Nurse Midwife ($135,710), Nurse Practitioner ($134,920). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study nursing?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Salem

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

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.