UW–Madison School of Nursing’s Undergraduate Program Ascends to No. 8 in U.S. News & World Report Rankings
2026 rankings place School of Nursing’s BSN program in top one percent of programs nationwide
The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program made a significant jump in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, ascending 18 spots to No. 8 among all institutions nationwide. Announced on September 23, 2025, the School of Nursing sits eighth overall and is ranked even higher among public institutions at fifth. These mark the highest rankings yet for the UW–Madison School of Nursing in both categories.
The national rankings place the School of Nursing in the top tier of undergraduate nursing programs nationwide, sitting in the top one percent of all eligible BSN programs in the country. Additionally, the School continues to lead the way in Wisconsin, earning the nod once again as the top program in the state.
“The entire School of Nursing community should be proud of how we bring our mission to life and embody the Wisconsin Idea. Together, we improve health and change lives across the state and beyond,” said Dean Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN. “This ranking represents that we are recognized by our peers for our dedication to meeting the complex health needs changing and aging populations.”
This marks the fifth consecutive year that U.S. News & World Report has released undergraduate nursing program rankings, with the first rankings released for 2022 on September 13, 2021.
The undergraduate program rankings are based on peer assessments from accredited U.S. institutions. The rankings, which uniquely include both first-year bachelor’s and degree-completion programs, are determined by U.S. News & World Report based on a weighted average of indicators, including quality of assessment, student selectivity, class size, faculty resources, academic expert rankings, and research activity.
Surveys are completed by deans and senior faculty members at each of the 686 eligible undergraduate BSN degree-granting nursing programs nationwide. To be included, programs must have bachelor’s-level accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), or the National League for Nursing’s Commission for Education in Nursing (CNEA). In addition, the program must be a regionally accredited institution that has recently granted at least 50 BSN degrees. Programs are rated by their overall quality on a 1-5 scale, with average peer assessment scores for each nursing program determined by computing a trimmed mean that eliminates the two highest and two lowest scores given by respondents. A detailed explanation of ranking methodologies can be found on the U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate ranking methodologies page.
As an institution, the University of Wisconsin–Madison rose to 36th overall and 12th among public universities in the country. In a University statement highlighting the latest rankings, Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin stated, “Rankings are just one of many measures of any school’s success, including ours, but I am gratified to see our excellence recognized. This university is dedicated both to meeting the highest standards of educational excellence across a tremendous array of academic disciplines and to advancing the kinds of fresh ideas and innovations in teaching and learning that will shape the future of education.”