The number of students enrolling in most nursing undergraduate and graduate programs has increased, reversing a several-year-long downward trend, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing found.
The AACN’s 44th annual survey compiled data from baccalaureate and higher degree nursing programs on enrollment and graduation, applications received, qualified applications turned away, student and faculty demographics, faculty and deans’ salaries, and more. Data was collected in partnership with the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and compiled into three annual reports.
The 2024-2025 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing report was conducted in fall 2024 and contains data from 964 nursing schools, according to a June 17 AACN news release.
Here are seven findings:
1. Enrollment in Bachelor of Science in nursing programs increased by 4.9%, or 12,434 students, last year. This marks the second year of increased enrollment following a dip in 2022. Currently, 267,889 students are enrolled in entry-level BSN programs.
2. The number of students in RN to BSN degree programs has also increased by 1.6%, or 1,409 students, after five years of consecutive decline. Currently, 90,369 students are in these programs, still lower than the previous high point of 139,587 enrolled students in 2018.
3. The number of students in master’s-level nursing programs has increased by 4.8%, or 6,308 students, last year. This is the first enrollment increase since 2021. Currently, 655 nursing schools nationwide offer master’s programs with 136,656 enrolled students.
4. PhD nursing programs saw a continued decline in enrollment for the 11th consecutive year. Last year, enrollment declined by 0.5%, or 21 students, compared to the 2023-2024 academic year. Since 2013, enrollment in PhD programs has decreased by 17.9%, from 5,145 to 4,223 students.
5. The number of students in Doctor of Nursing Practice programs grew by 2%, or 936 students, marking 21 years of growth in these programs. DNP programs are offered at 439 schools of nursing across the nation and have grown from 70 students in 2003 to 42,767 students in 2024.
6. In 2024, the total number of applications to nursing programs of all levels reached 728,819, an increase of 46,272 applications since 2023. By program, the applications increased by 8.5% for BSN, 4.5% for master’s, 7.2% for PhD, and 18.5% for DNP programs. Only RN to BSN programs saw a slight decrease in applications, at -0.7%.
7. In 2024, 80,162 qualified applications were not accepted to nursing schools across the nation. Within that total, 65,398 applications from entry-level baccalaureate were turned away, 1,530 from RN-to-BSN, 7,603 from master’s, 5,366 from DNP, and 265 from PhD nursing programs.
“Given the persistent shortage of nurse faculty, AACN remains concerned that more than 13,000 applications were turned away from graduate programs, which limits the pool of potential nurse educators, given that most full-time teaching roles require a master’s or doctoral degree,” the AACN said. “The primary barriers to accepting all qualified students at nursing schools continue to be insufficient clinical placement sites, faculty, preceptors, and classroom space, as well as budget cuts.”
