Clover Park Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Lakewood, WA (2026)
Lakewood, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Lakewood has a population of about 63,034. Median household income is $70,524 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $274,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Lakewood
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Lakewood. Distances are calculated from Lakewood 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 Lakewood. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Pacific Lutheran University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Tacoma Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Bates Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Highline College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Washington schools on the Washington nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Lakewood
Lakewood is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $128,260 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $115,446 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $85,690 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $77,129 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $274,390 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $246,976 |
| Nurse Midwife | $162,970 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $146,688 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $160,090 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $144,095 |
| Nursing Assistant | $51,990 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $46,796 |
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.
Lakewood at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,034 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $70,524 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 111.1 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in Pierce County | 20,775 workers, 381 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Lakewood-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- University Place, WA – 3.7 mi away (33,288 pop)
- Tacoma, WA – 6.6 mi away (211,277 pop)
- Puyallup, WA – 11.3 mi away (40,640 pop)
- Federal Way, WA – 13.6 mi away (96,757 pop)
- Lacey, WA – 14.8 mi away (47,688 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Lakewood, WA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Lakewood. The closest is Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, WA (1.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Highline College (18.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Lakewood?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Lakewood are: Nurse Anesthetist ($274,390), Nurse Midwife ($162,970), Nurse Practitioner ($160,090). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in University Place instead of Lakewood?
University Place, WA is 3.7 miles from Lakewood 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 Lakewood an affordable place to study nursing?
Lakewood’s median household income of $70,524 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lakewood while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Washington
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Lakewood
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lakewood:
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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.