Accredited nursing programs in Ohio
70 schools in Ohio have at least one nursing program accredited by ACEN or CCNE: 45 BSN, 32 ADN, 2 LPN, 22 MSN programs. 5 hold both accreditors across their programs. For the bachelor’s degree, 40 of 45 listings are CCNE and 7 are ACEN.
- Bachelor's programs
- 45
- 7 ACEN, 40 CCNE
- Associate programs
- 32
- 32 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Practical programs
- 2
- 2 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Master's programs
- 22
- 0 ACEN, 22 CCNE
Accredited schools in Ohio
| School | City | Type | BSN | ADN | LPN | MSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland University | Ashland | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Canton | Private | CCNE | ACEN | – | – |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Belmont College | St Clairsville | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Bluffton University | Bluffton | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | Bowling Green | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Parma | Parma | Private | CCNE | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Capital University | Columbus | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Cedarville University | Cedarville | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Central Ohio Technical College | Newark | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | Cincinnati | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Clark State College | Springfield | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Cleveland State University | Cleveland | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Columbus State Community College | Columbus | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Cuyahoga Community College District | Cleveland | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Defiance College | Defiance | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Edison State Community College | Piqua | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Fortis College-Centerville | Centerville | For-profit | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | Steubenville | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Franklin University | Columbus | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati | Cincinnati | For-profit | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science | Cincinnati | Private | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Heidelberg University | Tiffin | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Herzing University-Akron | Akron | Private | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Hiram College | Hiram | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Hocking College | Nelsonville | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| James A. Rhodes State College | Lima | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Kent State University at Kent | Kent | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Kent State University at Tuscarawas | New Philadelphia | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Kettering College | Kettering | Private | ACEN | – | – | – |
| Lakeland Community College | Kirtland | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Lorain County Community College | Elyria | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Malone University | Canton | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Marion Technical College | Marion | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Mercy College of Ohio | Toledo | Private | CCNE | ACEN | – | CCNE |
| Miami University-Hamilton | Hamilton | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Mount Carmel College of Nursing | Columbus | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Mount St. Joseph University | Cincinnati | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Muskingum University | New Concord | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| North Central State College | Mansfield | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Northwest State Community College | Archbold | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Ohio University-Main Campus | Athens | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Otterbein University | Westerville | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Owens Community College | Perrysburg | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Professional Skills Institute | Maumee | For-profit | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Shawnee State University | Portsmouth | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Sinclair Community College | Dayton | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Southern State Community College | Hillsboro | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Stark State College | North Canton | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Terra State Community College | Fremont | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Cincinnati | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| The University of Findlay | Findlay | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| University of Akron Main Campus | Akron | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | Blue Ash | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Cincinnati | Public | ACEN + CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of Dayton | Dayton | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| University of Mount Union | Alliance | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| University of Rio Grande | Rio Grande | Private | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| University of Toledo | Toledo | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Ursuline College | Pepper Pike | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Walsh University | North Canton | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Washington State College of Ohio | Marietta | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Wittenberg University | Springfield | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Wright State University-Main Campus | Dayton | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Youngstown State University | Youngstown | Public | ACEN + CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
Programs listed as accredited in the ACEN directory (opens in a new tab) and the CCNE directory (opens in a new tab), collected November 2026 and matched to schools by name and city. Programs in candidacy are not counted. A dash means no accredited program at that level was matched.
Programs with an ACEN note
ACEN publishes a note beside some listings. The wording below is ACEN’s own; open the listing for what it means for the program.
- Owens Community College, ADN: Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
What accreditation means in Ohio
Two separate approvals apply to a nursing program. The Ohio board of nursing approves programs so their graduates can sit the NCLEX. Programmatic accreditation from ACEN or CCNE is voluntary and is judged by a national peer body.
Bachelor's programs are the most common accredited level here, with 45. For bachelor’s degrees, 45 of 56 schools reporting graduates to the federal government matched an accredited program (80%). Compare Ohio BSN programs by NCLEX pass rate, cost and pay.
Common questions
How many nursing schools in Ohio are accredited?
We matched 70 Ohio schools to at least one accredited nursing program in the ACEN and CCNE directories: 45 BSN, 32 ADN, 2 LPN, 22 MSN. Schools with several programs appear once.
What is the difference between ACEN and CCNE?
ACEN accredits nursing programs at every level, from practical nursing to doctorates. CCNE accredits bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Both are recognized by the US Department of Education.
Do I need an accredited program to become a nurse in Ohio?
Not always. The state board of nursing approves programs for licensure, and that is a separate approval from ACEN or CCNE accreditation. Accreditation still matters for transferring credits, federal and employer tuition benefits, and entry to graduate programs.
Are all Ohio bachelor’s programs accredited?
45 of the 56 Ohio schools that report nursing bachelor’s graduates to the federal government matched an accredited listing. A school that does not match may be new, may be listed under another name, or may lack accreditation, so check the accreditor’s own directory before you apply.