Nevada has one of the most acute nursing shortages in the United States. Las Vegas – home to roughly three-quarters of Nevada’s population – is a young, fast-growing city with a healthcare system that has struggled for years to keep pace with population growth. Major systems including CommonSpirit Health’s Dignity Health, HCA Healthcare (which operates the largest private hospital network in Las Vegas), and the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System all operate in the Las Vegas Valley and employ thousands of RNs. Demand consistently outstrips local supply, which creates strong hiring conditions for graduates of Nevada nursing programs.
Nevada is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Legislation to enact the compact has been introduced repeatedly – most recently as Assembly Bill 108 in the 2023 session, which died in committee after opposition from nursing labor unions. That was the third consecutive session in which the measure failed. A Nevada RN license therefore authorizes practice in Nevada only, and Nevada nurses who want to work in one of the 40 states where the NLC is implemented must apply for licensure by endorsement in each of them. Plan for this if you intend to travel nurse or to work across the Arizona or Utah borders, both of which are compact states.
Nevada’s nursing school landscape is smaller than its healthcare market needs, which is precisely why nursing graduates from Nevada programs face favorable employment conditions.
Types of nursing programs in Nevada
Nevada offers core nursing pathways from CNA through graduate-level preparation, though the program density is lower than many larger states.
CNA programs (4–8 weeks) CNA certification programs are available at Nevada colleges and some hospital systems. Nevada State Board of Nursing approval is required for CNA programs.
LPN programs (12 months) LPN programs prepare students for the NCLEX-PN and direct patient care roles. Several private career colleges in Las Vegas offer LPN tracks. Tuition ranges from $12,000–$20,000.
ADN programs (2 years post-prerequisites) Community college ADN programs are the most common entry path to RN licensure in Nevada. The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) in Las Vegas and Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) in Reno are the primary public options. In-state community college tuition typically runs $4,000–$8,000 per year.
BSN programs (4 years) Four-year BSN programs are available at University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), University of Nevada Reno (UNR), and Nevada State University. In-state tuition at Nevada System of Higher Education schools runs approximately $8,000–$12,000 per year.
Accelerated BSN (12–18 months) UNLV’s School of Nursing and Roseman University of Health Sciences (in Henderson) both offer accelerated BSN programs for career changers. Roseman is a private health sciences university with an intensive cohort-based model. Total accelerated BSN costs at private schools run $55,000–$80,000.
RN-to-BSN and MSN UNLV and UNR offer online-accessible RN-to-BSN tracks. MSN programs are available for specialty and advanced practice pathways.
Top nursing schools in Nevada
Nevada’s nursing program landscape is concentrated in Las Vegas (Clark County) and Reno (Washoe County), reflecting the state’s population distribution.
| School | Location | Program types | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNLV School of Nursing | Las Vegas | BSN, ABSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) | Reno | BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| Nevada State University | Henderson | BSN, RN-to-BSN | CCNE |
| Roseman University of Health Sciences | Henderson / South Jordan, UT | BSN, ABSN, MSN | ACEN |
| College of Southern Nevada (CSN) | Las Vegas / Henderson / North Las Vegas | ADN, LPN | ACEN |
| Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) | Reno | ADN | ACEN |
| Great Basin College | Elko | ADN, BSN | ACEN |
UNLV School of Nursing is the flagship baccalaureate and graduate nursing program in Las Vegas. The school offers a traditional BSN, an accelerated BSN for career changers, and an MSN/DNP track. UNLV’s clinical partnerships span HCA hospitals, Dignity Health, University Medical Center (the region’s Level I trauma center), and the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System, giving students access to high-acuity clinical environments.
University of Nevada, Reno serves northern Nevada with BSN and graduate programs. UNR’s nursing school has a strong rural health focus, which is relevant given Nevada’s vast rural areas where nurse shortages are especially acute.
Nevada State University (formerly Nevada State College) is a newer university in Henderson that offers an affordable BSN. The school focuses on first-generation college students and has grown its nursing program substantially.
Roseman University of Health Sciences is a private health sciences university with a cohort-based, accelerated model. The university operates across Henderson, NV and South Jordan, UT. Roseman’s nursing program is intensive and full-time – designed for students who can commit fully to the program without outside employment. NCLEX pass rates have been strong.
College of Southern Nevada is the largest community college in Nevada and the primary ADN entry point for Las Vegas-area students. The nursing program is competitive for admissions, with a waiting list common in prior years. CSN graduates are well-positioned for employment at nearby Las Vegas hospital systems.
Admission requirements
Nevada nursing programs follow standard prerequisite requirements, with competitive programs having effective GPA benchmarks above minimum thresholds.
Standard prerequisites:
| Course | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Anatomy & Physiology I & II | With lab; grade of C or better |
| Microbiology | With lab |
| Chemistry | Introductory or general chemistry |
| English Composition | Grade of C or better |
| Psychology | General psychology |
| Statistics or math | Required by BSN programs |
| Nutrition | Required by some programs |
GPA requirements: Most Nevada programs set minimums at 2.75–3.0, but competitive programs such as UNLV’s BSN typically admit students with cumulative GPAs of 3.2 or above.
Entrance exams: ATI TEAS is required by most Nevada ADN programs. UNLV and Roseman have their own application requirements – check each school’s current admissions page.
See ATI TEAS vs. HESI: which should you take? for a comparison of the two major nursing entrance exams. Students who don’t meet GPA minimums should review low GPA nursing schools for alternative entry pathways.
NCLEX pass rates in Nevada
The Nevada State Board of Nursing tracks first-attempt NCLEX-RN pass rates for all approved programs, and NCSBN publishes a statewide figure each year. In 2025, 2,052 first-time, US-educated candidates tested for Nevada licensure and 1,811 passed – a statewide rate of 88.3%, above the national figure of 86.7% for the same group. Nevada’s baccalaureate graduates passed at 88.9% and its associate-degree graduates at 86.7%, a gap of just over two points.
Read that national number carefully when you compare programs. The widely quoted “roughly 73%” and “69%” NCLEX figures blend in repeat test-takers and internationally educated candidates, which pulls the average down by close to twenty points. The 86.7% national benchmark is the one that describes a US-educated student sitting the exam for the first time, which is the situation almost every reader of this page will be in. Note also that the national rate fell 4.5 points between 2024 and 2025, so a program whose reported rate slipped slightly may simply be tracking a nationwide movement.
When evaluating Nevada programs, pay close attention to multi-year trends rather than a single year’s data. First-attempt pass rates are publicly available and should be requested directly from any program you are seriously considering.
The nursing shortage in Nevada means that even graduates who require more than one attempt to pass NCLEX will find employment – but first-attempt pass rate remains the best available proxy for program quality and student preparation. For a deeper look at how to read pass rate data, see NCLEX pass rates by nursing school.
Nursing salaries in Nevada
Nevada pays registered nurses well above the national midpoint, a direct consequence of a healthcare system that has never been able to recruit enough staff locally.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025 put the median annual RN wage in Nevada at $103,670, against a national median of $97,550. The statewide percentile spread runs from $79,500 at the 10th percentile to $133,270 at the 90th.
| Percentile | Nevada RN annual wage | Who typically sits here |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $79,500 | New graduates, outpatient and clinic roles |
| 25th | $86,850 | First one to two years, med-surg |
| Median | $103,670 | Established staff RNs |
| 75th | $120,270 | Experienced RNs, ICU/OR/ED |
| 90th | $133,270 | Senior specialty, charge, and per-diem premium roles |
Highest-paying areas:
- Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas – median $103,940, 90th percentile $133,270. HCA hospitals (MountainView, Sunrise, Desert Springs), University Medical Center, and Dignity Health Siena Medical Center are the primary large employers.
- Reno – median $107,520, the highest metro median in the state, with a 90th percentile of $132,520. Renown Health dominates the market and the cost of living sits below Las Vegas.
- Carson City – median $101,370, slightly below the statewide figure.
- Rural Nevada – Rural facilities often offer incentive pay, housing stipends, and loan forgiveness to attract nurses to underserved communities, which can lift total compensation above the base wage percentiles above.
Nationally, BLS projects RN employment to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034, with about 189,100 openings per year once retirements and career changes are counted. Nevada’s growth runs ahead of that, driven by population growth in the Las Vegas Valley and a persistent supply gap.
RN licensing in Nevada
State board: Nevada State Board of Nursing (NSBN) Website: nevadanursingboard.org
To become a licensed RN in Nevada:
- Graduate from a Nevada State Board of Nursing-approved program
- Apply to the NSBN for an Authorization to Test
- Pass the NCLEX-RN
- Complete a fingerprint-based background check
- Receive your Nevada RN license
NLC compact status: not a member. Nevada has not joined the Nurse Licensure Compact. AB 108, the 2023 bill that would have enacted it, failed to clear committee, marking the third consecutive legislative session in which the compact stalled in Carson City. The Nevada State Board of Nursing supports joining and has continued to lobby for it, so the position may change in a future session – confirm the current status on the board’s website before you make plans that depend on it.
The practical consequence is that a Nevada RN license is a single-state license. Practicing in any of the 40 states where the compact is implemented requires a separate license by endorsement in that state, each with its own fee and processing time. If travel nursing is part of your plan, budget several weeks per state and check whether the agency you are working with will reimburse endorsement costs.
Neither of Nevada’s most significant neighboring markets helps here in the way a compact would. California is also a non-compact state, so a separate California RN license is required either way. Arizona and Utah are compact states, but because Nevada is not, a Nevada-resident nurse cannot obtain a multistate license and must endorse into them individually.
Endorsement: Out-of-state nurses can apply for a Nevada license by endorsement through the NSBN. Nevada participates in the Nursys license verification system. A background check is required for all applicants.
For complete state-by-state licensing details, see nursing license by state.
How to choose a nursing school in Nevada
Nevada’s smaller program landscape simplifies the decision in some ways but also means your options are more geographically constrained.
Accreditation: CCNE and ACEN are both legitimate accrediting bodies. Confirm any program you consider holds current accreditation – the NSBN website lists all approved programs.
Las Vegas vs. Reno: If you are based in Las Vegas, UNLV, Nevada State, CSN, and Roseman all offer viable pathways depending on your timeline, GPA, and budget. If you are in northern Nevada, UNR and TMCC are the primary options.
Cost: CSN’s ADN is the lowest-cost path to RN in Nevada. UNLV’s BSN is more expensive but provides a direct path to BSN-level roles without an additional RN-to-BSN step. Roseman’s accelerated program is expensive but fast.
Employment connection: Programs with established clinical partnerships to the major Las Vegas health systems (HCA, Dignity, UMC) tend to produce stronger hiring outcomes. Ask each program where clinical rotations are placed.
Long-term mobility: Because Nevada sits outside the Nurse Licensure Compact, a Nevada primary license does not carry multistate privileges. If travel nursing or frequent cross-border work is central to your plans, factor in the cost and lead time of endorsing into each state you want to work in, and check whether Nevada has joined the compact by the time you graduate.
For a comprehensive framework to evaluate any nursing school, see how to choose a nursing school.
Find accredited schools in Nevada
Ready to compare specific programs? See our directory of accredited nursing schools in Nevada with locations, program types, and accreditation status.
References
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics,” NCSBN Research Brief Vol. 96, June 2026 (Table 8: first-time, US-educated candidates by jurisdiction and degree type: Nevada 88.3%, national 86.7%).
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025,” SOC 29-1141 Registered Nurses, state and metropolitan area estimates for Nevada, released 2026.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses,” employment projections 2024–2034, 2025.
- Nevada State Board of Nursing, “Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC),” nevadanursingboard.org, accessed 2026.
- Nevada State Board of Nursing, “Enacting the Nurse Licensure Compact in Nevada: Addressing Concerns Raised,” February 2025.
- Nevada Legislature, Assembly Bill 108, 82nd Session (2023), “Enacts the Nurse Licensure Compact” (BDR 54-522).
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “Nurse Licensure Compact: implementation status by jurisdiction,” nursecompact.com, accessed 2026.
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, “Directory of CCNE-Accredited Programs,” American Association of Colleges of Nursing, accessed 2026.
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, “Search ACEN Accredited Nursing Programs,” accessed 2026.
- Nevada State Board of Nursing, “Approved Nursing Programs in Nevada” and “Licensure by Examination and by Endorsement,” accessed 2026.