Ohio Community Colleges
Nursing Programs
Compare nursing programs across community colleges in this state. ADN, LPN, and pre-nursing pathways with section counts and transfer details.
4 colleges · 533 sections · 76 unique courses · Fall 2026
Ohio community colleges are the most popular launchpad into nursing in the state — 4 OACC institutions offer the coursework and clinical hours required for the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN exam, and many graduates step directly into staff-nurse roles at local hospitals without ever attending a four-year school. The associate degree in nursing (ADN) typically takes two years full-time; LPN programs run 12–18 months.
This term, the 533 sections across these 4 colleges span the full nursing pipeline: pre-nursing prerequisites like anatomy and microbiology, the clinical ADN sequence, and bridge-to-BSN pathways for nurses planning to continue toward a bachelor's. Programs vary in clinical site partnerships, NCLEX pass rates, and waitlist length, so it pays to compare each college's awards-per-year and graduate earnings below before choosing where to apply.
Earnings & outcomes for Nursing graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 5138 — Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Nursing
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga Community College District | 354 | 10 | 40 | 380 | $69,021 |
| Stark State College | 111 | 29 | 36 | 241 | $73,663 |
| Terra State Community College | 45 | 20 | 26 | 45 | $62,541 |
| James A. Rhodes State College | 23 | 17 | 1 | 219 | $39,977 |
Nursing Availability Snapshot
How nursing sections are being offered across 4 colleges in Ohio this term (533 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person428 (80%)
- online103 (19%)
- hybrid2 (0%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)300
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)102
- Evening (5 PM and after)67
- Asynchronous / TBA64
Start dates
Sections begin on 29 distinct dates. 186 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 67 distinct instructors across 4 colleges.
Common Nursing courses
- NURS 1230Concepts of Nursing Care of Childbearing Families and Children(58 sections)
- NURS 1201Fundamentals of Nursing Concepts(51 sections)
- NURS 1210Concepts of Nursing Care for Patients in Community and Behavioral Health Settings(51 sections)
- NURS 2010Concepts of Nursing Care for Patients with Complex Conditions(50 sections)
- NURS 2000Concepts of Nursing Care for Patients with Acute Unstable and Chronic Conditions II(42 sections)
- NURS 1010Introduction to Patient Care Concepts(40 sections)
- NURS 1220Concepts of Nursing Care for patients with Acute and Chronic Conditions I(37 sections)
- NURS 1000Introduction to Healthcare Concepts(16 sections)
- NSG 221LConcepts of Nursing Practice in the Care of the Reproducing and Developing Family (lab)(10 sections)
- NSG 241LConcepts of Nursing Practice in the Care of Adult Patients with Stable & Unstable Acute Cond (lab)(10 sections)
- NSG 100LFundamental Concepts of Nursing Practice Across the Lifespan (lab)(8 sections)
- NSG 101Clinical Reasoning in Current Nursing Practice(8 sections)
Career outlook for Nursing graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Ohio’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Ohio's typical pay is about 5% below the typical state — common for lower cost-of-living states, but worth weighing against tuition savings.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I become a registered nurse from a community college?
- Yes. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) from any accredited Ohio community college qualifies you to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam — the same exam BSN graduates take. ADN-prepared RNs work in the same hospitals and earn the same starting wage as BSN-prepared RNs at most Ohio employers, though some larger health systems prefer or require a BSN within 5 years of hire.
- How long does the nursing program take?
- The ADN is typically a 2-year full-time program (4 semesters of core nursing courses after prerequisites). Most Ohio community colleges expect students to complete 1–2 semesters of prerequisites — anatomy, physiology, microbiology, English, statistics — before applying to the competitive nursing cohort, so the total time from first enrollment is often 3 years.
- Do nursing credits transfer to a bachelor's program?
- Yes. Every OACC ADN program has at least one RN-to-BSN bridge partnership with a four-year university — usually the closest state university. ADN graduates can typically complete the BSN online in 12–18 months while continuing to work as an RN, often with their employer covering tuition.
- What's the demand for nurses in Ohio?
- Strong and growing. BLS projects RN employment to grow 6% nationally through 2032 — faster than the average occupation — and Ohio faces the same aging-population pressure driving demand. Most Ohio ADN graduates have job offers before completing the program; rural hospitals and long-term care facilities offer signing bonuses and tuition forgiveness to recruit RNs.
Compare Nursing programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Ohio’s nursing programs stack up.
Other programs in Ohio
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.