About University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham is an accredited institution offering nursing education programs designed to prepare graduates for licensure and professional practice. The nursing profession continues to experience significant demand nationwide. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that approximately 3.1 million registered nurses were employed across the United States as of 2022, with the field projected to add roughly 193,100 openings per year through 2032 due to retirements, population growth, and an aging patient population requiring increasingly complex care.
Choosing a nursing school is one of the most consequential decisions in a healthcare career. Factors such as programmatic accreditation, NCLEX-RN examination pass rates, clinical partnership networks, faculty expertise, and total cost of attendance all play a role in program quality and student outcomes. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) reports that the national average first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is approximately 87–89 percent — a useful benchmark when comparing schools.
University of Alabama at Birmingham holds accreditation from CCNE. Programmatic accreditation from agencies such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) ensures that the curriculum meets nationally recognized standards, that graduates are eligible for professional licensure, and that credits are transferable to graduate programs. Employers — particularly hospitals pursuing Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) — strongly prefer graduates from accredited programs.
The median annual wage for registered nurses was $93,600 as of May 2024 (BLS), with salaries varying by specialization, experience level, and geographic location. Nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) typically earn 10–20 percent more than those with an associate degree, and the BSN is the required foundation for advanced practice roles such as nurse practitioner (median salary $126,260), clinical nurse specialist, and nurse anesthetist (median salary $212,650). The National Academy of Medicine has recommended that 80 percent of the nursing workforce hold a BSN or higher to improve patient outcomes and strengthen the healthcare system.
