Georgia Southwestern nursing school ranked No. 1 in Georgia

Aug. 17—AMERICUS — For the second time, Georgia Southwestern State University has received the top ranking as one of the "Top 10 Nursing Schools in Georgia" by Nurse.org.

GSW's No. 1 rank is based on the nursing program's reputation, NCLEX pass rate, tuition and acceptance rate. These factors were reviewed by a selection panel of five experienced registered nurses.

According to nurse.org, GSW is a "great destination for nursing students." The "affordable" in-state tuition, "impressive" NCLEX pass rate at 96.88%, and "plentiful" programs to choose from is a "huge draw" for nursing students.

Only schools accredited through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education were eligible for placement on the list.

"We are thrilled our CCNE-accredited nursing program was recognized as No. 1 in Georgia for a second time," Sandra Daniel, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, said in a news release. "Our program's success can be attributed to our expert faculty and excellent clinical experiences through our partnerships with southwest Georgia health care organizations such as the Phoebe Putney Health System and Magnolia Manor."

GSW's School of Nursing has a strong tradition of excellence in educating professional nurses by offering baccalaureate, masters and certificate programs designed to prepare nursing graduates to practice in a dynamic and challenging field of health care. They consistently perform above the national average on the nursing licensure exams, and nurse practitioners and nursing educators have a high pass rate on the certification exams.

Aside from a traditional four-year BSN program, GSW offers an ASN, second degree BSN, LPN-BSN, an online RN-BSN and online MSN programs. The addition of an ASN (Associate of Science in Nursing) began in fall 2022, helping to address the critical nursing shortage in the state of Georgia.

"Our faculty work hard to ensure our curriculum is current, and our students receive the level of education needed to prepare them to be successful in their careers," Daniel said. "We set our standards high and are very fortunate to have highly motivated nursing students. As prospective students and their families are considering educational options, this ranking certainly provides them with an assurance that they will receive an excellent nursing education at GSW."

GSW's nursing program also was ranked the No. 1 nursing program in Georgia in 2019 by Nurse.org.

To learn more and apply to GSW's nursing programs, visit www.gsw.edu/nursing.