Rush University
CCNE AccreditedRush University offers a comprehensive nursing education with a strong focus on clinical excellence and research. Accredited by the CCNE, the nursing programs are designed to prepare you for a successful career in healthcare. With options for both on-campus and hybrid learning, you can choose a format that fits your lifestyle and career goals.
Rush University at a glance
- Rush University's most recent NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate is 90% on 134 candidates (2025) — down 7 pts since 2021.
- Across 5 reported years (2021–2025), the candidate-weighted average is 94.9% over 700 total candidates.
- Opportunity Score: 68/100 — our weighted composite of NCLEX outcomes, tuition, clinical partnerships, and state job-market strength. Strongest components: Graduation rate and Clinical partnerships.
- Clinical placement access scores 88/100, based on the hospital systems this school places students into.
- Listed program tuition ranges from $55,200 to $130,000 total across 5 programs.
- 7 nursing programs listed — BSN, DNP, MSN, PhD offered on campus / hybrid.
- Programmatic accreditation: CCNE.
90%
NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (2025, 134 candidates)
Source: State board of nursing
94.9%
Candidate-weighted average, 2021–2025
Source: State board of nursing
68/100
Opportunity Score
Source: MyNursingSchools methodology
88/100
Clinical placement access
Source: School-published clinical partners
- Programs Offered
- 7
- NCLEX Pass Rate
- 90%
- Clinical Access
- 88/100
Sources: NCSBN, school-reported data. Methodology.
NCLEX-RN pass rates by year
Board-reported first-time pass rates for Rush University, each shown with the cohort size it was calculated from. Candidate-weighted average across 5 years: 94.9% over 700 candidates.
Rush University's latest reported year is 2025, and that 90% — from a cohort of 134 first-time candidates — is 3.3 points above the 86.7% national first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate NCSBN reported for 2025.
| Exam year | First-time pass rate | Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 90% | 134 |
| 2024 | 96% | 148 |
| 2023 | 96% | 138 |
| 2022 | 95% | 136 |
| 2021 | 97% | 144 |
Source: state board of nursing publications, transcribed per cohort. Cohorts under 10 candidates are suppressed rather than shown. Full NCLEX detail for Rush University.
Nursing Programs at Rush University(7)
Sponsored · Disclosure
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Rush Universityoverall score
Strengths
- Graduation rate
- Clinical partnerships
- NCLEX pass rate
Watch-outs
- Tuition affordability
- Online flexibility
Score breakdown
- NCLEX pass rate85
- Job market strength76
- Graduation rate93
- Online flexibility44
- Tuition affordability25
- Clinical partnerships88
The Opportunity Score blends NCLEX pass rate, tuition affordability, graduation outcomes, schedule flexibility, hospital clinical partnerships, and state job-market strength. Missing inputs are excluded and remaining weights are redistributed proportionally. How we calculate this.
Rush Universityclinical access
- The GEM MSN program uses Rush University Medical Center and other Chicago-area clinical sites; placements are coordinated by the school.
- Graduates work at a range of prominent local institutions such as Advocate Christ Medical Center and Lurie Children’s.
- The College operates a robust simulation center (RCCSS) with high-fidelity manikins and accredited simulation programming.
- No explicit programs were found for residency pipelines or guaranteed interviews with clinical partners.
Named hospital & health-system partners
- Rush University Medical CenterAMC
- Advocate Christ Medical Center
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital
- Rush Oak Park Hospital
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
- Swedish Hospital
- UChicago Medicine
Sources: rushu.rush.edu, rushu.rush.edu, rushu.rush.edu. How we score this
Admissions at Rush University
- •Acceptance/Admission Rate (College of Nursing, DNP)
- •– The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program had an acceptance rate of 68% for AY 2017–2018 (Acceptance = Admitted ÷ Completed applications).
- •Acceptance/Admission Rate (College of Nursing, all programs)
- •– A PDF titled “Admissions Data by College and Program” (AY 2018–19 through AY 2022–23) likely contains granular acceptance rates for various nursing programs, but specific rates were not visible in the summary.
- •– Therefore: No verified overall acceptance rate for all College of Nursing programs could be confirmed from accessible content.
- •Minimum GPA and GPA statistics for Nurse Anesthesia DNP
- •– Minimum GPA to apply: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- •– Average cumulative GPA for admitted students: 3.56.
- •– Average pre-licensure nursing GPA for admitted students: 3.6.
- •– Average science GPA for admitted students: 3.37.
- •TEAS/HESI thresholds
- •– No official information on minimum TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) or HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) scores was found on the Rush College of Nursing sit
Based on publicly available information. Source
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Schedule & Format Flexibility at Rush University
- •Advanced Public Health Nursing DNP program: offered in online format, with options to study full‑time or part‑time (program length: ~2–2½ years full‑time; ~3–3½ years part‑time for bachelor’s entrants; ~3 years part‑time for master’s entrants). On‑campus attendance is required for two days for the DNP project proposal (third term) and two days for the final project presentation (last term) Source: turn0search4
- •Nursing Science PhD program: delivered online with both full‑time (approx. 4 years) and part‑time (approx. 5 years) options. Requires initial on‑campus orientation and annual on‑campus intensive learning sessions each summer for the next three years Source: turn0search10
- •Generalist Entry Master’s (GEM) Clinical Nurse Leader (MSN) program: employs a hybrid delivery model. As of early 2023, over half of classes were offered online or in hybrid format, allowing students to take courses online, in person, or mixed depending on the specific course Source: turn0search11
- •Online Learning Platform and Formats: Rush University uses Canvas for many online courses. Courses across the College of Nursing may be asynchronous (accessible anytime with due dates, no set meeting times) or synchronous (scheduled virtual meetings at predetermined times)—as defined by their instructors Source: turn0search0
- •Transfer Credit / Advanced‑Standing: Previous graduate credit from accredited institutions may be transferred subject to evaluation and approval by the student’s advisor, Assistant Dean/Program Director, and relevant faculty. A petition must be submitted before taking the course. Transferred courses must have a grade of B or better and no more than one‑third of total required degree credits may be granted via transfer. Credit by proficiency is not allowed Source: turn0search12; also see repetition in turn
Based on publicly available information. Source
Program-Specific Details
DNP
Minimum GPA: 3.0
Acceptance rate: ~68%
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program had an acceptance rate of 68% for AY 2017–2018.
Courses across the College of Nursing may be asynchronous (accessible anytime with due dates, no set meeting times) or synchronous (scheduled virtual meetings at predetermined times)—as defined by their instructors.
DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Acceptance rate: ~68%
Acceptance rate for DNP that year: 68% (applicants offered admission).
Rush University policy allows transfer of credit for courses completed at accredited institutions.
MSN — Family Nurse Practitioner
Courses across the College of Nursing may be asynchronous (accessible anytime with due dates, no set meeting times) or synchronous (scheduled virtual meetings at predetermined times)—as defined by their instructors.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN); CCNE; ACEN.