Fayetteville,โ N.C. – Fayetteville โขState University (FSU) โhas earned the No. 1 ranking in โฃNorth Carolina for its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) โprogram, according to RegisteredNursing.org‘s โ2026 rankings released today. This recognition underscores FSU’s commitment to addressing the critical healthcare needs of the โคstate andโ nation through innovative nursing education.
The rankingโข affirms FSU’s mission to deliver excellence,โข advance โขthe profession, and meet the health needs of its communities. FSU’s ABSN track is โan intensive,accelerated pathway designed for individuals holdingโข a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field seeking โa career transition into professional nursing. The program integratesโข rigorous academics,โ immersive clinical rotations, and individualized student support to โprepareโฃ graduates for triumphant licensure and โฃworkforce entry.
FSU’s nursing โprograms have experienced substantial growth,โ bolstered by significant recent investments. In 2024, the university received โa $2 million grant from โฃthe โUniversity of North Carolina System to support healthcare advancement initiatives, alongsideโ a $2โค million gift from Cape Fear valley Health.These funds will increase program capacity, doubling enrollment, and strengthen โclinical partnerships, faculty development, and training opportunities to address statewide workforce demands.
RegisteredNursing.org evaluated programs using publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and state nursingโข boards,โ focusing on program quality, student outcomes, and the structure of accelerated second-degree pathways. The complete methodology is available atโข https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.registerednursing.org%2Frn-ranking-methodology%2F&data=05%7C02%7Clgerron%40uncfsu.edu%7Cb68d817ea1ec4ad9a57d08de22fdabd1%7Cb2e1e6f464f148729da1ca8a9a7c41f7%7C0%7C0%7C638986670084401198%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mnPuk4HCCfEVu98qdI6d2C%2BwWLz3o8rLuOawdddDt0o%3D&reserved=0.
“Fayetteville State University stands out for its innovative curriculum and dedication to student outcomes,” said Sally โขWorthington, outreach coordinator at RegisteredNursing.org.”We โฃcongratulate the program’s faculty and students for earning recognition and setting a high standard for nursing education inโ the state.”
The complete โคrankings canโข be found on the โRegisteredNursing.org website at https://www.registerednursing.org/articles/second-degree-bsn-what-north-carolina-schools-offer-absn-programs/#show.