Nursing schools in Oregon: top programs, costs, and licensing

Oregon is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). This matters before anything else. If you hold a nursing license from another state, you cannot practice in Oregon using a multistate compact license – you must apply for an Oregon RN license before working in the state. Nurses relocating to Oregon or travel nurses considering an Oregon contract need to factor in that separate application and the associated processing time.

With that established: Oregon is a strong state to study and work in nursing. The state’s healthcare market is anchored by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, a major academic medical center that serves as the primary teaching hospital for the region and a significant clinical training site for nursing programs statewide. Providence Health and PeaceHealth operate extensive networks across the state, and rural and tribal health organizations create demand for generalist RNs and advanced practice nurses beyond the Portland metro. Oregon’s nursing school landscape is well-developed, with OHSU’s nursing program consistently ranked among the top in the Pacific Northwest.

Types of nursing programs in Oregon

Oregon supports the full range of nursing pathways from entry-level to doctoral.

CNA programs (4–8 weeks) CNA programs are offered at community colleges and vocational schools. Oregon requires state-approved training and competency evaluation for CNA certification. CNA experience helps nursing school applicants, particularly for competitive BSN programs.

LPN programs (12 months) Licensed Practical Nurse programs at community colleges and career schools prepare students for the NCLEX-PN. Tuition typically runs $8,000–$15,000 total. LPN-to-RN bridge programs are available for licensed LPNs who want to advance.

ADN programs (2 years post-prerequisites) Associate Degree in Nursing programs at Oregon’s community colleges are the most common entry pathway to RN licensure. Most programs require 2 years of nursing coursework following prerequisite completion. Community college tuition runs approximately $4,000–$8,000 per year for in-state students.

BSN programs (4 years) Four-year BSN programs are available at OHSU, Oregon State University, and several regional universities. Annual tuition varies from $10,000–$14,000 at public universities to $35,000+ at private schools.

Accelerated BSN (12–18 months) ABSN programs are available for career changers with a prior bachelor’s degree. OHSU offers an intensive accelerated track. Tuition for accelerated programs typically runs $40,000–$65,000 total.

RN-to-BSN and MSN completion OHSU and Oregon State University offer online and hybrid RN-to-BSN tracks. MSN and DNP programs are available for nurses pursuing advanced practice roles in nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia, and nursing education.

Top nursing schools in Oregon

Oregon’s nursing school landscape is smaller than some states but well-concentrated in the Portland metro, with strong community college options in the Willamette Valley and on the coast.

OHSU School of Nursing is Oregon’s preeminent nursing program. The school is integrated with a major academic medical center and Level I trauma center, giving BSN and graduate students access to complex clinical environments that smaller programs cannot replicate. OHSU’s accelerated BSN draws career-changing applicants from across the region, and its DNP and PhD programs support advanced practice and research specializations.

Oregon State University offers a hybrid and online-accessible nursing program with BSN completion for current RNs and a pre-licensure BSN track at the Corvallis campus. OSU’s nursing program benefits from the university’s research infrastructure and partnerships with rural health systems in the Willamette Valley.

University of Portland is a private Catholic university with a CCNE-accredited School of Nursing known for strong clinical preparation and community health emphasis. Clinical placements include Providence Health affiliations.

Linfield University (formerly Linfield College) offers a BSN and graduate nursing programs. The school’s nursing faculty have a strong track record in primary care and community health specialties.

Portland Community College, Lane Community College, and Chemeketa Community College are the most accessible ADN pathways in western Oregon. These programs are competitive for admissions but offer the lowest-cost route to RN licensure in the state.

Admission requirements

Oregon nursing programs follow a standard prerequisite framework, with competitive ADN and BSN programs often more selective than their minimum requirements suggest.

Standard prerequisites:

Most Oregon programs require science prerequisites completed within the past 7 years; OHSU sets a 10-year window for some courses.

GPA benchmarks: Minimum GPA for most programs is 2.75–3.0. Competitive BSN programs at OHSU and University of Portland typically admit students with cumulative GPAs above 3.4.

Entrance exams: ADN programs commonly require the ATI TEAS. OHSU’s BSN and ABSN programs have their own application components including written statements and healthcare experience documentation. For guidance on which entrance exam to prepare for, see ATI TEAS vs. HESI: which should you take?

Healthcare experience: OHSU’s accelerated program requires documented direct patient care experience. ADN programs vary – some programs award preference points for healthcare work history. Students concerned about GPA requirements should review low GPA nursing schools for programs with alternative pathways.

NCLEX pass rates in Oregon

The Oregon State Board of Nursing tracks first-attempt NCLEX-RN pass rates by approved program, and NCSBN publishes statewide figures annually.

In 2025, Oregon’s 1,888 first-time, US-educated NCLEX-RN candidates passed at 88.8%, above the national rate of 86.7%. That national figure fell sharply from 91.2% in 2024 – the first decline since the Next Generation NCLEX launched – so Oregon holding above the national line is a reasonable signal, though the state’s own rate moved with the same downward pressure.

One Oregon-specific detail is worth flagging because it contradicts the assumption most applicants carry into this decision. Oregon’s associate-degree candidates passed at 90.2% in 2025, ahead of the state’s baccalaureate candidates at 87.9%. Nationally the ordering runs the other way (87.6% baccalaureate against 86.1% associate), and even there the gap is only 1.5 points. Anyone choosing an Oregon community college ADN over a BSN should not treat NCLEX performance as a reason to hesitate.

First-attempt pass rates are the most reliable public quality signal available for nursing programs. When evaluating Oregon schools, request the program’s first-attempt pass rate across at least three years. A single year with an unusually low rate may reflect a difficult cohort; a sustained downward trend is a more serious warning.

Pass rates should be read alongside graduation rates – a program that graduates only 60% of admitted students and then posts a 90% NCLEX rate is selecting a self-selecting survivor pool, not producing strong outcomes across its full cohort. For a full framework on reading NCLEX data, see NCLEX pass rates by nursing school.

Nursing salaries in Oregon

Oregon RNs earn well above the national median, driven by the Portland metro’s strong healthcare economy, high union density in the state’s hospital systems, and a workforce shortage that keeps wages elevated statewide.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (SOC 29-1141, May 2025) put the median annual RN wage in Oregon at $129,010, against a national median of $97,550. Oregon is one of the highest-paying states in the country for registered nurses, roughly 32% above the national median.

The percentile spread gives a more useful picture than a single number:

Note that Oregon’s 10th percentile ($95,280) sits close to the national median. Even entry-level Oregon RN wages are competitive nationally, though Oregon’s cost of living – particularly Portland-area housing – absorbs a meaningful share of that advantage.

Advanced practice pays considerably more: Oregon nurse practitioners (SOC 29-1171) post a median of $155,680, against a national NP median of $132,300. Oregon LPNs (SOC 29-2061) earn a median of $80,470, well above the $64,400 national LPN median.

Highest-paying areas (May 2025 OEWS metro-area medians, SOC 29-1141):

• Bend – $135,010. The highest metro median in Oregon, ahead of Portland. St. Charles Health System serves a large and growing central Oregon catchment with limited competing supply of nurses
• Salem – $131,750. Also above Portland. Salem Health is the dominant employer in a market close enough to the Portland metro to compete for the same labor pool
• Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro – $130,310. OHSU, Providence, Legacy Health, and Kaiser Permanente all operate large facilities here, with the deepest volume of specialty and high-acuity roles in the state, particularly ICU, OR, and ED
• Medford – $127,030 and the central Oregon nonmetropolitan area – $123,350. Both clear the state’s 25th percentile comfortably
• Eugene-Springfield – $113,720. PeaceHealth Sacred Heart anchors this market, but it pays well below the state median despite its size
• Grants Pass ($106,710) and Albany ($111,920) sit at the bottom of the Oregon range – though both still exceed the national RN median of $97,550. Rural and tribal health facilities across these areas often add incentive packages including loan forgiveness and housing allowances

Every metro and nonmetropolitan area in Oregon pays above the national median, which is unusual and reflects how broadly the state’s wage premium is distributed rather than concentrating in one city.

Job growth in Oregon tracks the national trend. BLS projects RN employment to grow 5–6% nationally over 2024–2034, with roughly 189,100 annual openings once replacement demand is counted. Rural Oregon experiences more acute shortages than the Portland metro.

RN licensing in Oregon

State board: Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) Website: oregon.gov/OSBN

To become a licensed RN in Oregon:

1. Graduate from an OSBN-approved nursing program
2. Apply to the OSBN and receive an Authorization to Test
3. Pass the NCLEX-RN
4. Complete a criminal background check
5. Receive your Oregon RN license

NLC compact status: Oregon is NOT a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. This is the most important licensing fact for anyone moving to or working in Oregon. Oregon has not joined the NLC as of 2026 – it remains outside the 40 states where the compact is implemented – and nurses holding multistate compact licenses from other states cannot use those licenses to practice in Oregon. If you are a travel nurse or a nurse relocating from a compact state, you must apply for an individual Oregon RN license before beginning work. Processing times at the OSBN vary – plan ahead if you are timing an Oregon contract or relocation.

Endorsement: Nurses licensed in other states apply for an Oregon license by endorsement. The OSBN requires verification of your current license via Nursys, official transcripts, and a criminal background check. Oregon does not issue a temporary license pending NCLEX results – you need an active RN license from another state to endorse in.

For state-by-state licensing details including compact status, see nursing license by state.

How to choose a nursing school in Oregon

Oregon’s nursing school market is smaller than large coastal states, which simplifies the decision for many applicants. A few key factors:

CCNE or ACEN accreditation is non-negotiable. All programs listed above hold one of these designations. Avoid any program that cannot confirm current accreditation status.

OHSU vs. community college ADN: If you can get into OHSU, the clinical training environment is exceptional and the network effects for employment are real. If OHSU is out of reach on GPA or prerequisites, Portland Community College, Lane, or Chemeketa offer solid ADN pathways at a fraction of the cost, and Portland’s hospital employers hire ADN-prepared nurses.

Non-compact state planning: Because Oregon is not a compact member, if there’s any chance you’ll want to work in other states, plan for the additional licensing step. It adds cost and lead time but is not a major barrier for anyone willing to plan ahead.

Rural vs. urban: Oregon’s rural healthcare systems have real staffing needs. If you are open to rural practice, some programs have partnerships with rural clinical sites that translate to job offers upon graduation.

For a comprehensive decision framework, see how to choose a nursing school.

References

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), Oregon state and national estimates,” May 2025 (released 2026). Accessed via O*NET OnLine local wages, https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/29-1141.00?st=OR
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Nurse Practitioners (SOC 29-1171), Oregon state estimates,” May 2025. Accessed via O*NET OnLine, https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/29-1171.00?st=OR
3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061), Oregon state estimates,” May 2025. Accessed via O*NET OnLine, https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/29-2061.00?st=OR
4. National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics,” Vol. 96, Table 8: First-time, U.S.-educated Candidates Taking the NCLEX-RN by Degree Type (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2025), NCSBN, 2026. https://www.ncsbn.org/public-files/2025_NCLEXExamStats_Final.pdf
5. National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member states,” NCSBN, 2026. https://www.nursecompact.com/
6. Oregon Center for Nursing, “Nurse License Compact: Oregon status and legislative background,” 2025. https://www.oregoncenterfornursing.org/research/nurse-license-compact/
7. Oregon State Board of Nursing, “Licensure by examination and by endorsement requirements,” OSBN, 2026. https://www.oregon.gov/OSBN
8. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment Projections: Registered Nurses, 2024–2034,” accessed via O*NET OnLine summary report, https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1141.00
9. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), “Directory of CCNE-accredited nursing programs,” American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2026. https://www.aacnnursing.org/ccne-accreditation
10. Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), “Search accredited nursing programs,” ACEN, 2026. https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs/