New York City Nursing Programs
The five boroughs of New York City (NYC) offer approximately 17 nursing universities and colleges, as well as numerous online programs. This exciting city offers a large diverse population with the draw of numerous cultural events, a wide variety of entertainment, excellent restaurants and very good public transportation.
Nursing Schools in NYC
In line with recent changes in how nursing education is delivered, a large number of hospitals in the New York City area partner with nursing schools, affording students easy access to hands on clinical sites. There are several options for nursing school in New York City, with a variety of programs available, making it a great place to enter the profession, or to expand your current nursing practice!
New York University (NYU) College of Nursing offers the following programs:
- A top-ranked accelerated baccalaureate nursing program that is completed in a 15-month period of time where greater than 90 percent of NYU nursing graduates pass their NCLEX on their first try.
- A BSN degree
- RN to BSN program
- Global Public Health/Nursing Combined Major program
- Masters and advanced certificate for preparation as a Nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nursing administrator, education and informatics
- DNP Program – design for nurse practitioners or midwifes to work in clinical leadership roles for private practices or healthcare organizations
- PhD Program – Prepares nursing researchers with their Nursing Research and Theory Development program
Columbia University is a private university with a long history of clinical excellence and leadership. In addition, it is internationally known as a research facility. They offer the following nursing courses:
- Combined BS/MS (ETP) – An accelerated nursing program for college graduates, which allows special study in anesthesia, midwifery, acute care, women’s health, psychiatric mental health, adult–gerontology, family or pediatric primary care.
- Masters Programs in nursing – offers a large variety of specialties and subspecialties
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – This three year program begins with two years of coursework that cover a variety of specialties and the last one or two semesters are a supervised residency experience.
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) – This program has a research–intensive curriculum to train nurse scholars to conduct independent research.
Career and Educational Opportunities in NYC
In the area that includes New York, Northern New Jersey, Long Island, Nassau–Suffolk, New York–White Plains–Wayne there are 153,620 registered nurses and 33,920 licensed practical and vocational nurses (BLS, 2016). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, salaries for Registered Nurses average $88,100 annually and those for Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses average $53,850 annually, resulting in the highest pay in the NYC metro area.
In addition to the large number of jobs for RNs and LPNs, there is also a growing demand for Nurse Practitioners in the area, due to a dearth of primary care providers. A Nurse Practitioner in the NYC metro can expect to approach an annual salary of $121,010, making this career move enticing to many nurses looking to further their earning potential and scope of practice (2016).
A nurse practitioner must have a Master degree in their chosen specialty area to be licensed in New York. There are many opportunities for DNP and PhD nurses as well, from research to teaching in one of the universities. Nurses in NYC can also tap into the resources and support of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), which serves as a labor union for nurses, addressing issues pertinent to the nursing profession.
New York City has several Magnet hospitals, such as Hospital for Special Surgery and The Mount Sinai Hospital. There are also several other areas outside the hospital setting, in which nurses can practice. These include clinics, home health adn public health agencies, private clinics, and nurse managed care centers. The employment opportunities for nurses make New York City an enticing location to enter this rewarding career.
New York City Hospitals
Curriculum, Costs and Financial Aid for NYC Nursing Schools
The curriculum for BSN or MSN programs is fairly consistent from one nursing college in New York to another. A BSN program begins with a strong foundation of science and liberal arts. The most common nursing courses include health assessment, leadership and management, acute care psychiatric nursing, adult and elder nursing, community health, research, maternity and pediatric nursing, pathophysiology and professional nursing.
The clinical programs at the baccalaureate, masters or doctoral levels are always designed to develop nursing competencies related to their student’s area of study. Most of these clinical experiences take place in the top hospitals of NYC. In addition, many of the universities have a Clinical Simulation Learning Center, which is a virtual hospital, allowing for extensive clinical preparation without any patient safety risks.
Cost varies between universities and programs in New York City, with graduate degrees generally costing more than entry level nursing programs. For instance, at Columbia University two 12 credit hours semesters for bachelor’s degree will likely cost around $30,000. Columbia University offers undergraduate scholarships for students that remain in good academic standing and are eligible for federal student aid for the PLUS Scholarship.
The Yellow Ribbon Program authorized by the Veterans Educational Assistant Act of 2008 provides eligible student veterans with a tuition waiver or grant matched by the U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs. There is also a loan forgiveness program for nurses who wish to become nursing faculty after completing their doctoral program, offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
At NYU a full-time student pays about $21,000 for two terms. NYU applicants can call the U. S. Department of Education to obtain a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application for tuition assistance. Additionally, scholarships are awarded by many universities in NYC, including NYU. Scholarships can range anywhere from $500-$25,000. At NYU, most students are automatically considered for academic (merit-based) and financial (need-based) scholarships once they apply for admission and submit their FAFSA.
Additional scholarships are available from a variety of sources, and can be used in the BS, MS, DNP and PhD programs. Other available scholarships include the Edna A. Lauterbach Scholarship Fund, which accepts applications for NY state nurses to assist RNs and LPNs with training or education to enhance the nurse’s skills in either the clinical or business area. The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website is worth checking as they have a wealth of information for New York State higher education. Additionally, if you are a working RN returning to school for your BSN or MSN, some hospitals offer tuition reimbursement programs, such as NYU Langone and New York Methodist.
