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How to Choose an Accredited Nursing School

A practical, step-by-step guide to verifying accreditation, state approval, and program fit before you commit to a nursing school.

Reviewed by the Pop Nursing editorial team · Updated June 2026

Key takeaways

Two things matter most: programmatic accreditation (ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA) and your state Board of Nursing approval. State approval is what makes you eligible to sit for the NCLEX; accreditation is what protects financial aid, credit transfer, and future degrees.
CCNE accredits bachelor's and graduate programs; ACEN accredits all levels including practical and associate degrees; CNEA is a newer recognized accreditor. A program accredited by any of the three is properly accredited.
Always verify accreditation directly on the accreditor's own website, not just the school's brochure, because status can change and marketing language can be vague.
Look past the label at NCLEX pass-rate trends, clinical placements, and total cost, all of which vary by school and state.
An unaccredited but state-approved program may still let you take the NCLEX, but it can limit aid eligibility, transfer credits, and admission to graduate programs.

Start With the Two Approvals That Actually Matter

When people say a nursing school is "accredited," they're usually mixing together two very different things. Understanding the difference is the single most useful step you can take, because each one protects something different about your future.

State Board of Nursing approval is permission from your state's regulatory board for a program to operate and to prepare graduates for licensure in that state. This is the approval that typically determines whether you can sit for the NCLEX. If a program is not approved by the relevant state board, its graduates often cannot take the licensure exam in that state, no matter how good the school looks.

Programmatic accreditation is a separate, voluntary review by a national nongovernmental agency that evaluates curriculum, faculty, clinical experiences, and student outcomes against published standards. Accreditation is what tends to protect your access to federal financial aid, your ability to transfer credits, and your eligibility for graduate programs and many employers later on.

A helpful way to think about it: state approval often gets you to the NCLEX, while accreditation protects the rest of your path. Many strong programs hold both, but the requirements vary by school and state, so confirm each one separately.

Know the Accreditors: ACEN, CCNE, and CNEA

For pre-licensure nursing in the U.S., three programmatic accreditors are widely recognized. Knowing what each covers helps you read a school's claims accurately.

ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) accredits nursing programs at all levels, including practical/vocational, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral.
CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) accredits baccalaureate and graduate programs only. If you're looking at an LPN/LVN or associate-degree (ADN) program, CCNE accreditation generally won't apply to it.
CNEA (Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation) is a newer agency that gained U.S. Department of Education recognition more recently and accredits programs across several levels.

A common question is whether one accreditor is "better." For most prospective students, the practical answer is that a program accredited by any of these three is properly accredited; each meets national standards through its own process. What matters more is matching the accreditor to the level of program you want. Don't be reassured by a university's general (institutional) accreditation alone, that's different from the program-specific nursing accreditation described here.

How to Verify Accreditation Yourself

School marketing can be vague, using phrases like "fully accredited" without naming an agency, or listing an accreditation that has lapsed or is only "in candidacy." Verify it yourself in a few minutes:

Check the accreditor's own website. ACEN, CCNE, and CNEA each publish searchable directories of the programs they currently accredit. Confirm the school, the specific program (for example, the BSN versus the MSN), and the current status.
Confirm state Board of Nursing approval. Search your state board's site for its list of approved programs. This is also where you can often see a program's recent NCLEX pass-rate data.
Watch the status language. "Accredited" is different from "candidate" or "applicant" status. A new program in candidacy may be on a legitimate path but isn't fully accredited yet, which can matter for aid and transfer.
Note the expiration or next-review date. Accreditation is granted for a set period and then re-evaluated, so a status can change over time.

If you can't independently confirm both accreditation and state approval, treat that as a reason to ask the school direct questions before paying any deposit.

Look Beyond the Label: Outcomes, Clinicals, and Cost

Accreditation and approval get a program onto your shortlist; these factors help you choose among the ones that qualify. Specifics vary widely by school, state, and program, so ask for current data rather than relying on rankings.

NCLEX pass-rate trends. Since April 2023, candidates have taken the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) format, which emphasizes clinical judgment. Recent first-time pass rates for U.S.-educated test-takers have often fallen in roughly the high-80% range nationally, though figures shift year to year and by program. Look at a school's multi-year trend, not a single year, and remember pass rates reflect many factors and are not a guarantee of any individual's result.
Clinical placements. Ask where students complete clinical rotations, how sites are arranged, and whether you'd need to find your own. Strong, reliable clinical access varies by program and is hard to evaluate from a website.
Total cost and aid. Compare tuition plus fees, and confirm whether the program's accreditation status supports federal financial aid eligibility, which can depend on the school and program.
Time, format, and support. Program length, full- vs. part-time options, online components, and resources like tutoring or NCLEX preparation often differ meaningfully between schools.

This is general educational information, not financial advice; for your specific aid situation, talk with the school's financial aid office.

Putting It Together Before You Enroll

A simple checklist can keep your search grounded. For each program you're seriously considering, confirm: it holds current programmatic accreditation appropriate to its level (ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA); it is approved by the state board where you intend to be licensed; its recent NCLEX outcomes and clinical arrangements are clear; and its full cost and aid picture make sense for you.

If a program is state-approved but not accredited, you may still be able to sit for the NCLEX in that state, but weigh the trade-offs carefully: accreditation can affect financial aid, credit transfer, employer acceptance, and admission to future degrees such as an RN-to-BSN or graduate program. A growing share of state boards are also moving toward requiring accreditation, so an unaccredited program may carry more risk over time. When in doubt, choose the program that satisfies both approvals, and verify everything directly with the accreditor and your state board before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

Is state board approval the same as accreditation?

No. State Board of Nursing approval is government permission for a program to operate and prepare graduates for licensure, and it is typically what makes you eligible to take the NCLEX. Accreditation is a separate, voluntary review by a national agency (ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA) that tends to protect financial aid, credit transfer, and future degree options. Many strong programs hold both, but you should confirm each one separately because requirements vary by school and state.

Can I take the NCLEX if my nursing school isn't accredited?

In many cases, yes, if the program is approved by the relevant state Board of Nursing, since state approval is generally the requirement for NCLEX eligibility rather than accreditation. However, attending an unaccredited program may limit your access to federal financial aid, make credits harder to transfer, and affect admission to graduate programs or acceptance by some employers. A growing number of state boards are also moving toward requiring accreditation, so this can change. Confirm the specifics with your state board.

Which is better, ACEN or CCNE accreditation?

For most prospective students, neither is inherently better; a program accredited by ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA is properly accredited and meets national standards. The more useful question is which accreditor fits your program level. CCNE accredits bachelor's and graduate programs only, while ACEN accredits all levels, including practical and associate-degree programs. CNEA is a newer recognized accreditor. Match the accreditor to the type of program you're pursuing.

How do I verify a nursing program is really accredited?

Don't rely on the school's brochure. Search the accreditor's own website (ACEN, CCNE, or CNEA), where each publishes a directory of currently accredited programs, and confirm the specific program and its current status. Also check your state Board of Nursing's list of approved programs. Watch for "candidate" or "applicant" status, which is not the same as full accreditation, and note the next review date, since status can change.

Does the school I choose affect my NCLEX pass rate?

A program's quality, clinical experiences, and preparation resources can influence how well students do, and many state boards publish each approved program's recent NCLEX results so you can compare trends. That said, pass rates reflect many factors and are not a guarantee of any individual outcome. Since April 2023, the exam has used the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) format, which emphasizes clinical judgment. Review a school's multi-year pass-rate trend rather than a single year, and remember results vary by program and over time.

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not admissions, career, financial, or medical advice. Program length, cost, accreditation, and licensing requirements vary by school and by state — always confirm details with the school and your state board of nursing.