Washington 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.
22 colleges · 624 sections · 145 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Washington community colleges are the most popular launchpad into nursing in the state — 22 SBCTC 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 624 sections across these 22 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.
Colleges offering Nursing
Pick a college to see its full plan — every required course, which ones transfer to the school you want, and what’s open now.
Nursing is a transfer program — community colleges offer the coursework; you earn the degree, and its earnings, at a four-year university. See where it transfers →
Nursing Availability Snapshot
How nursing sections are being offered across 22 colleges in Washington this term (624 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person512 (82%)
- hybrid97 (16%)
- online15 (2%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)177
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)86
- Evening (5 PM and after)19
- Asynchronous / TBA342
Start dates
Sections begin on 8 distinct dates. 16 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 130 distinct instructors across 22 colleges.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Bellevue College3 programs
Bellingham Technical College7 programs
Cascadia College1 program
Communication
Social Sciences Distribution Requirement
Natural Sciences Distribution Requirement
- BIOL& 211Majors Cellular(6 cr)10 sections+ plan
- BIOL& 241Human Anatomy and Physiology 1(6 cr)4 sections+ plan
- BIOL& 242Human Anatomy and Physiology 2(6 cr)not offered+ plan
- BIOL& 260Microbiology(5 cr)2 sections+ plan
- CHEM& 121Introduction to Chemistry(5 cr)4 sections+ plan
- CHEM& 131Introduction to Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry(5 cr)not offered+ plan
- NUTR& 101Nutrition(5 cr)4 sections+ plan
Source: College catalog
Centralia College3 programs
Clark College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
135 credits- NURS 110Foundations of Nursing Concepts(2 cr)1 section+ plan
- NURS 111Foundations of Clinical Nursing(2 cr)4 sections+ plan
- ENGL 112Ethics and Policy In Healthcare I(2 cr)not offered+ plan
- NURS 113Lifespan Assessment Concepts(3 cr)1 section+ plan
- NURS 114Nursing Skills Application I(1 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 115Nursing Skills Lab I(2 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 122Family-Centered Nursing(2 cr)1 section+ plan
- PSYC 122Psychosocial Issues In Health Care I(1 cr)not offered+ plan
- NURS 123Family-Centered Clinical Nursing(4 cr)4 sections+ plan
- PSYC 124Psychosocial Issues In Health Care II(2 cr)not offered+ plan
- NURS 127Nursing Skills Application II(1 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 128Nursing Skills Lab II(2 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 135Medical Surgical Nursing Concepts 1(3 cr)1 section+ plan
- NURS 136Medical-Surgical Clinical Nursing I(5 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 137Nursing Skills Application III(1 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 138Nursing Skills Lab III(2 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NUTR 139Nutrition In Healthcare I(1 cr)not offered+ plan
- NUTR 240Nutrition In Healthcare II(1 cr)not offered+ plan
- NURS 241Medical-Surgical Nursing Concepts II(3 cr)1 section+ plan
- NURS 242Medical/Surgical Clinical Nursing II(8 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 251Medical-Surgical Nursing Concepts III(2 cr)1 section+ plan
- NURS 252Advanced Holistic Clinical Nursing(8 cr)4 sections+ plan
- PSYC 253Psychosocial Issues In Health Care III(2 cr)not offered+ plan
- NURS 261Professional Leadership Transition to Practice(4 cr)1 section+ plan
- NURS 262Professional Leadership in Practice(4 cr)4 sections+ plan
- NURS 264NCLEX-RN Preparation(1 cr)1 section+ plan
- ENGL 273Ethics and Policy In Healthcare II(3 cr)not offered+ plan
Source: College catalog
Edmonds College7 programs
Grays Harbor College4 programs
Green River College10 programs
Highline College3 programs
Lake Washington Institute of Technology5 programs
Olympic College11 programs
Pierce College District5 programs
Renton Technical College3 programs
Shoreline Community College13 programs
Skagit Valley College4 programs
South Puget Sound Community College1 program
Recommended Course Sequence
- ABE 062Applied Math Inot offered+ plan
- ABE 063Applied Math IInot offered+ plan
- ABE 064Contextualized Math Inot offered+ plan
- ESOL 061ESOL Level I (Beginning Literacy)not offered+ plan
- ESOL 062ESOL Level II (Low Beginning)not offered+ plan
- ESOL 063ESOL Level III (High Beginning)not offered+ plan
- ESOL 064ESOL Level IV (Low Intermediate)not offered+ plan
- ESOL 065ESOL Level V (High Intermediate)not offered+ plan
- ESOL 066ESOL Level VI (Advanced)not offered+ plan
- ABE 053ABE Language Arts III (Low Intermediate Language Arts)not offered+ plan
- ABE 054ABE Language Arts IV (High Intermediate Language Arts)not offered+ plan
- ABE 055ABE Language Arts V (Adult Secondary Level Language Arts)not offered+ plan
Source: College catalog
Spokane Community College4 programs
Tacoma Community College3 programs
Walla Walla Community College2 programs
Yakima Valley College2 programs
Common Nursing courses
- NURS 102Common Alterations in Health I(24 sections)
- NURS 121Nursing Fundamentals Clinical(17 sections)
- NURS 100Nursing Assistant Certified(17 sections)
- NURS 101Basic Nursing Care Concepts(16 sections)
- NURS 206Transition to Practice Seminar(16 sections)
- NURS 111Basic Nursing Care Concepts Practicum(13 sections)
- NURS 261Pre-Professional Nursing Preceptorship(12 sections)
- NURS 211Mental Health and Lifespan Practicum(12 sections)
- NURS 123Family-Centered Clinical Nursing(12 sections)
- NURS 252Advanced Holistic Clinical Nursing(12 sections)
- NURS 113PN Introduction to Health Concepts(11 sections)
- NURS 242Medical/Surgical Clinical Nursing II(11 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 Washington’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 SBCTC 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 Washington?
- Strong and growing. BLS projects RN employment to grow 6% nationally through 2032 — faster than the average occupation — and Washington faces the same aging-population pressure driving demand. Most Washington 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 Washington’s nursing programs stack up.
Other programs in Washington
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.