2027 Rankings Place School of Nursing’s BSN program in top three percent of eligible programs nationwide

By Sam Rizzo

The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing’s bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program continues to lead Wisconsin in undergraduate nursing education in the latest U.S. News & World Report best nursing school rankings.

Nationally, the School ranks No. 19 in a seven-way tie among 670 eligible undergraduate nursing programs, placing it in the top three percent of programs nationwide.

The ranking reflects the School of Nursing’s continued commitment to academic excellence and developing nurse leaders, innovators, and advocates to meet the evolving needs of patients, communities, and health systems. Academic excellence is one of the School’s core strategic pillars and encompasses quality of teaching, curriculum, student achievement, and mentoring.

Released on September 22, 2026, U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate nursing rankings are based on peer assessments of accredited bachelor’s nursing programs at institutions across the United States. Deans and senior faculty members are asked to assess the academic quality of peer programs, with program scores used to determine the national rankings.

To be eligible for consideration, nursing programs must offer an accredited bachelor’s-level nursing degree and meet U.S. News & World Report’s eligibility requirements. The rankings include both traditional first-degree bachelor’s programs and degree-completion programs.

As an institution, the University of Wisconsin–Madison rose to No. 34 overall and No. 8 among public universities, marking its highest placements in nearly two decades.