Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s online nursing program has been ranked as a top-five program in Pennsylvania by EduMed.
This year’s ranking focused on value, recognizing institutions that blend affordability and academic quality with the flexibility and student support services necessary to foster success both during school and after graduation.
EduMed, a national, independent company, produces the annual rankings in consultation with professionals in the healthcare industry.
The rankings recognized IUP’s program for providing immersive clinical exposure across diverse real-world settings throughout three of four academic years, enhancing hands-on nursing experience; the IUP’s nursing simulation lab, which features state-of-the-art home health, birthing, and critical care suites equipped with computerized mannequins for experiential learning; and its curriculum integrating foundational sciences with clinical experiences in acute, long-term, and community care settings.
It also recognized the program’s accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and preparation for IUP program graduates to successfully complete the registered nurse licensure exam and find positions in diverse healthcare environments.
“IUP is very proud of its role in educating generations of nursing professionals,” IUP Department of Nursing Chairperson Theresa Gropelli said. “There is a growing need for nurses and for nurse educators, and IUP’s program offers high-quality education and training for students and professionals throughout their careers,” she said.
IUP’s online master’s in nursing program offers an administration track or an education track. The PhD programs are Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) to PhD, and PhD in Nursing. IUP also offers a Nursing Simulation and Technology Certificate.
IUP’s master’s and doctoral programs are designed for working professionals, with online options for all of these programs. Graduates of IUP’s Master of Nursing program, which was accredited in 1992, are qualified to teach nursing students. IUP’s nursing students at all levels are routinely recognized nationally for excellence.
IUP’s nursing graduates currently hold a 97 percent first-time passing rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. IUP’s rate reflects testing results from 2010 through 2020. IUP nursing graduates’ first-time passing rate exceeds the national rate of 88.56 percent (calculated for 2023 first-time test takers by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing) and the average Pennsylvania first-time pass rate for 2020 of 91 percent.
Annually, more than 125 nursing students graduate from IUP’s nursing program, which holds accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025 and through the Impact 150 comprehensive campaign, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking to its next 150 years of student success, innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.