University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing: Programs, Pathways & Outcomes (2026)
Penn Nursing in Philadelphia pairs an Ivy League BSN with a Master of Professional Nursing (MPN) for career changers, deep MSN APRN and midwifery training, three DNP majors (including nurse anesthesia), and a nursing PhD. This guide summarizes official program menus, SRFS cost links, and school-published BSN NCLEX outcomes; confirm every figure with nursing.upenn.edu and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
Contents
Quick Facts
Key Takeaway
Penn Nursing’s undergraduate footprint is intentionally small—about 100 students per class year—yet sits beside the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and CHOP, pairs tightly with Penn’s liberal arts core, and feeds an unusually high share of BSN alumni into advanced study. That combination explains why many applicants view it as a launch pad for leadership, research, or elite clinical practice—not simply another large pre-licensure program.
Overview & Why Students Choose Penn Nursing
Housed in Claire M. Fagin Hall on Penn’s University City campus, the School of Nursing combines a selective four-year BSN with graduate ladders that stretch from a Master of Professional Nursing (for career changers) through multiple MSN APRN specialties, midwifery, three DNP programs (including nurse anesthesia), and a research PhD. Penn markets its undergraduate nursing cohort as the most competitive major on campus, so applicants should expect portfolio-level academics and still check each pathway’s prerequisites in the University Catalog.
Before you budget or compare NCLEX statistics, decide whether you need the BSN, the 15-month-style MPN, or an advanced-practice MSN—the pathways answer different career stages and have separate billing rows on Penn’s Student Registration & Financial Services (SRFS) School of Nursing costs page.
According to Pennsylvania’s 2024–2025 RN NCLEX five-year spreadsheet, the University of Pennsylvania BSN row lists 93.99% first-time (172 of 183) for Oct 1, 2024–Sep 30, 2025 (leftmost column). Separately, the Penn Nursing Accreditation page shows a multi-year school table: 88% (2022), 92% (2023), and 98% (2024). Cohort definitions can differ—confirm both the Board PDF and Penn’s table before comparing schools.
Reasons students choose University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Ivy BSN + liberal arts depth
Penn’s BSN integrates hard sciences with Penn’s undergraduate schools, offering dual degrees (including the coordinated BSN/BS Economics with Wharton via Nursing & Healthcare Management), nutrition science collaboration, and submatriculation into graduate study.
MPN for second-degree entrants
Rather than marketing an accelerated BSN, Penn directs bachelor’s graduates toward the Master of Professional Nursing—an intensive direct-entry master’s that culminates in RN licensure eligibility after roughly 15 months of study per school descriptions.
Broad MSN/APRN footprint
Penn lists multiple nurse practitioner tracks—acute and primary care across adult, pediatric, neonatal, mental health, and women’s health populations—plus nurse-midwifery and a merged Nursing & Healthcare Leadership MSN built from legacy administration and health leadership content.
Three DNP majors
Doctoral nursing includes DNP Systems Leadership (post-master’s), DNP Executive Leadership, and DNP Nurse Anesthesia with COA oversight noted on the Accreditation page.
Research volume & NIH funding
Penn Nursing advertises two NINR T32 training grants and emphasizes NIH funding leadership among private nursing schools—useful context for applicants who want bench-to-bedside exposure or future PhD training.
Nursing Programs Offered
The inventory below reflects Penn Nursing’s public “At a Glance,” undergraduate, MSN, DNP, PhD, certificate, and accreditation pages on nursing.upenn.edu as of this review. Penn also lists a Master of Science in Nutrition Science (MSNS) and post-graduate APRN certificates—confirm whether those credentials match your licensure goals because they are not identical to every MSN/DNP track.
Pre-licensure
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Four-year, fall-start BSN that begins nursing coursework in year one and adds clinical experiences starting sophomore spring, with emphasis on Penn Medicine and CHOP adjacency per the BSN program page.
Master of Professional Nursing (MPN)
Approximately 15-month direct-entry master’s for bachelor’s graduates outside nursing; Penn states the program is Board-approved and pursuing initial CCNE accreditation on the Accreditation page.
Post-licensure AP graduate (MSN & certificates)
MSN pathways span nurse practitioner specialties (acute care, primary care, pediatrics, neonatal, psychiatric mental health, women’s health/gender-related), nurse-midwifery, and Nursing & Healthcare Leadership (an online merger of legacy Nursing & Health Care Administration and Health Leadership programs per the MSN overview). Penn also advertises post-graduate APRN certificates for select adult acute care, neonatal, pediatric acute care, and pediatric oncology concentrations.
Doctoral & research
DNP Systems Leadership (DNP-SL)
Formerly post-master’s systems leadership; prepares nurse leaders while maintaining clinical grounding.
DNP Executive Leadership (DNP-EL)
Targets nurses with existing leadership portfolios who need executive-level organizational skills.
DNP Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA)
COA-approved clinical doctorate meeting anesthesia essentials; see COA/Penn disclosures on the Accreditation page.
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Research doctorate for nurse scientists; confirm admissions cycles and funding with Penn Nursing doctoral faculty.
Penn Nursing’s public marketing emphasizes BSN + MPN + graduate ladders rather than a freestanding online RN-to-BSN completion. If you already hold an RN license and need a completion degree, verify whether Penn still lists that pathway on its live academics pages or whether another Penn school better fits your goals. Always use catalog.upenn.edu for authoritative curricula.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
According to Pennsylvania’s 2024–2025 RN NCLEX five-year spreadsheet, the University of Pennsylvania BSN row shows 93.99% first-time (172 of 183) for the Oct 1, 2024–Sep 30, 2025 testing year (leftmost column). According to the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Accreditation disclosures, Penn’s school table lists first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for the BSN program as 88% (2022), 92% (2023), and 98% (2024). The same Accreditation page publishes first-time certification pass rates for nurse anesthesia, midwifery, and individual MSN NP tracks—read those rows carefully because percentages vary by specialty and cohort size.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (BSN, PA DOS) | 93.99% (172 / 183, Oct 1, 2024–Sep 30, 2025, 2024–2025 workbook leftmost column) |
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (BSN, school table) | 88% (2022), 92% (2023), 98% (2024) — Penn Nursing Accreditation page |
| Source | Board: 2024–2025 RN NCLEX spreadsheet (PDF); hub: nursing education programs. School: Penn Nursing — Accreditation & outcomes. Confirm both schedules before comparing cohorts. |
NCLEX outcomes change by cohort. Always confirm the latest pass rates with the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing and the school.
International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses
Requirements for international students and internationally educated nurses vary by institution and state. Use the points below as a checklist; verify everything with University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing admissions, Penn’s international student offices, and the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing.
- English-language proficiency: TOEFL, IELTS, or other requirements and minimum scores for this school.
- Transcript / credential evaluation: WES, CGFNS, or other evaluators required by the school.
- Pennsylvania Board of Nursing: For RN licensure (with or without a U.S. degree), confirm NCLEX eligibility and document requirements with the Board.
- Immigration & visa: Program eligibility for F-1 or other visa types and impact on clinical placements.
Policies change frequently. Verify with Penn Global or graduate admissions teams, nursing program recruiters, and the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing.
Admissions: A Realistic Look
Undergraduate BSN applicants typically use Penn’s central Undergraduate Admissions process, while MPN, MSN, DNP, PhD, and certificate applicants work through Penn’s graduate divisions with guidance from Penn Nursing recruitment. Because Penn Nursing openly states its undergraduate nursing program is the most selective undergraduate program at the university, treat every statistic as evidence of extreme competition—not a guarantee of similar outcomes for future cycles.
Application timeline
| Entry Term | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Varies by pathway | See admissions.upenn.edu checklists | BSN hopefuls should follow freshman or transfer instructions on admissions.upenn.edu. Graduate applicants should monitor program-specific deadlines on nursing.upenn.edu and the central graduate admissions calendar. |
Admissions snapshot
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate (nursing-specific) | Not publicly disclosed in Penn’s centralized common data set for nursing alone; treat as highly selective per Penn Nursing “At a Glance.” |
| Prerequisites | Use the catalog BSN plan and the MPN/MSN pages for science and statistics expectations; requirements differ between pathways. |
| TEAS / HESI | Not highlighted on the Penn Nursing pages reviewed for this guide; confirm with admissions if a pathway you want now requires standardized testing. |
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
Penn publishes Trustees-approved undergraduate charges each spring and houses School of Nursing–specific graduate tuition on SRFS. Figures below quote widely reported 2025–2026 undergraduate tuition from Penn’s own news channels plus the total undergraduate cost-of-attendance worksheet; graduate nursing requires the dedicated School of Nursing cost tables because rates differ by modality and program.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate tuition (2025–2026) | $63,204 per academic year for university undergraduate charges, as cited in Penn Today’s reporting on Trustees-approved 2025–2026 budgets. |
| Sample total undergraduate COA (2025–2026) | Penn Today summarized a $91,112 undergraduate cost of attendance that bundles tuition, fees, housing, and dining—your nursing-specific travel/clinical costs may adjust this estimate. |
| BSN cost worksheet | Use SRFS Undergraduate Cost of Attendance and the BSN program’s link to university cost pages for the official tables. |
| Graduate & professional nursing | Tuition for MPN, MSN, DNP, PhD, and certificates is listed per program on SRFS — School of Nursing Costs; amounts were not transcribed here because they vary by course unit and entry term. |
| Source | Penn Today — 2025–2026 Trustees charges (May 2025); SRFS Undergraduate Tuition & Fees; SRFS School of Nursing Costs. |
Student Outcomes & Career Prospects
Penn Nursing’s At a Glance page notes that about 90% of BSN graduates continue into MSN study—a marketing statistic that underscores the school’s pipeline into advanced practice but is not a substitute for independently verified employment data.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN pass rate (BSN) | PA DOS: 93.99% (172/183, Oct 2024–Sep 2025 column). School table: 88% (2022), 92% (2023), 98% (2024) per Accreditation page. |
| Advanced certification exams | See nurse anesthesia, midwifery, and NP rows on the same Accreditation table—Class of 2024 rates vary by specialty (for example, pediatric acute care NP lower; several other rows show all candidates passing in that cohort per Penn’s table). Confirm methodology and current cohorts with Penn. |
| Job placement / salary | Not publicly disclosed in the materials consolidated for this guide; ask Penn Nursing career services or institutional research for current placement reports rather than relying on third-party aggregators. |
| Source | Penn Nursing Accreditation & outcomes; Penn Nursing At a Glance. |
Is University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing the Right Fit for You?
Penn Nursing rewards applicants who thrive in Penn’s fast-paced campus culture, can handle the cost profile of a private Ivy, and want direct access to one of the densest academic hospital corridors in the United States.
✓ Good fit for students who—
- Want a tightly curated BSN cohort inside an Ivy research ecosystem with built-in pathways to MSN/DNP study.
- Plan to leverage Philadelphia’s academic medical centers for complex clinical rotations and long-term networking.
✗ May not be ideal for students who—
- Need a low published public tuition and cannot rely on Penn’s need-based aid or outside scholarships.
- Expect a generic “accelerated BSN” label—Penn’s career-changer route is the MPN, with its own accreditation status and pricing.
Local Healthcare Ecosystem
Claire M. Fagin Hall sits in Penn’s University City campus, minutes from Penn Medicine anchors and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Penn Nursing’s practice pages outline additional community affiliates for population-health immersion; always confirm your cohort’s contracts because hospital privileges can change.
| Facility / system | Details |
|---|---|
| Penn Medicine (HUP, Penn Presbyterian, etc.) | Flagship quaternary network for adult specialty care and research—core to Penn Nursing undergraduate and graduate immersion. |
| Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) | Pediatric quaternary partner aligned with Penn pediatric NP and acute-care programs. |
| Jefferson Health / Temple University Hospital | Additional large-volume systems within a short transit ride for med-surg, behavioral health, or trauma exposure when faculty assign those sites. |
| Neighborhood federally qualified health centers | Used for community-embedded rotations consistent with Penn Nursing’s West Philadelphia outreach mission. |
Student Experience & Campus Life
Claire M. Fagin Hall pairs simulation studios, team-based learning rooms, and student-group suites with Penn’s broader University City amenities—residential colleges, recreation centers, and student organizations spanning the whole university. Penn Nursing promotes more than ten nursing-centered organizations (per At a Glance) alongside the larger Penn student-life ecosystem.
Resources & Next Steps
Contact & location
- Campus location
- Philadelphia, PA
- Address
- Claire M. Fagin Hall, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, US
- Telephone
- (215) 898-4271 (admissions inquiries)
- Contact email
- admissions@nursing.upenn.edu
- Website
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Official links
Your “Next 7 Days” checklist
- Visit nursing.upenn.edu, bookmark the Accreditation page, and download the BSN/MPN handbooks.
- Review the catalog BSN plan and your pathway’s admissions PDFs, then map prerequisites to your transcripts.
- Ask Penn admissions whether your pathway requires any entrance exam (TEAS/HESI were not emphasized on the pages reviewed for this guide).
- Draft questions for admissions@nursing.upenn.edu or university admissions about interviews, prerequisites, and financial aid.
- Reach out to current nursing students or alumni (e.g. via LinkedIn) to ask about clinical experiences and satisfaction.
- Begin outlining your personal statement (graduate programs) or prepare interview talking points (pre-licensure applicants).
- Check the application deadline for your target term and set reminders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Penn Nursing BSN first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in the school’s published outcomes?
Pennsylvania’s 2024–2025 RN NCLEX spreadsheet lists Penn BSN at 93.99% first-time (172/183) for Oct 1, 2024–Sep 30, 2025. Penn’s Accreditation table separately shows 88% (2022), 92% (2023), and 98% (2024)—see nursing.upenn.edu/about/accreditation/.
Does Penn offer an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) for career changers?
Penn’s public materials describe a Master of Professional Nursing (MPN)—about 15 months—for applicants who already hold a bachelor’s in another discipline, rather than marketing a traditional Accelerated BSN. Review the MPN page on nursing.upenn.edu and the Accreditation disclosures for CCNE pursuit status.
How much is undergraduate tuition at the University of Pennsylvania for 2025–2026?
University communications for 2025–2026 cite undergraduate tuition of $63,204 per year (Trustees-approved charges summarized via Penn Today/Almanac). SRFS publishes undergraduate cost-of-attendance worksheets that include fees, housing, and dining—confirm your school line (including Nursing) on srfs.upenn.edu/costs-budgeting.
Where are Penn Nursing’s MSN nurse practitioner and midwifery programs listed?
The Master of Science in Nursing overview at nursing.upenn.edu/academics/master-of-science-in-nursing-msn/ enumerates Adult-Gerontology Acute and Primary Care NP, Neonatal NP, Pediatric acute and primary care NP tracks, PMHNP, Women’s Health/Gender-Related NP, and Nurse-Midwifery, plus Nursing & Healthcare Leadership. Verify which concentrations accept applications for your entry term.
What DNP majors does Penn Nursing offer?
The Doctor of Nursing Practice page lists DNP Systems Leadership (DNP-SL), DNP Executive Leadership (DNP-EL), and DNP Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA), each with separate marketing pages linked from nursing.upenn.edu/academics/doctor-of-nursing-practice-dnp/.
Is the Master of Professional Nursing (MPN) CCNE-accredited?
Penn Nursing states on its Accreditation page that the MPN program is pursuing initial CCNE accreditation and explains that applying for accreditation does not guarantee it will be granted. Confirm status with Penn Nursing, CCNE, and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
What should international students check before applying to Penn Nursing?
Work with Penn’s graduate or undergraduate admissions teams and international student services on English proficiency, transcript evaluation, visa eligibility for clinical courses, and Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing licensure steps. Policies change; this guide is not legal advice.
How competitive is admission to Penn Nursing’s BSN program?
Penn Nursing describes its undergraduate nursing major as the most selective undergraduate program at Penn (see At a Glance). A specific nursing acceptance percentage is not publicly disclosed in the sources used for this guide—treat admissions as highly selective and confirm details via admissions.upenn.edu and nursing admissions staff.
Which Philadelphia hospitals are near Penn Nursing clinical education?
Penn Nursing emphasizes proximity to Penn Medicine’s Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in marketing copy, with broader regional placements described on practice partner pages. Exact cohort sites vary—confirm with the school.
References
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursingnursing.upenn.edu
- Penn Nursing — Accreditation & outcomes (NCLEX tables)About / Accreditation
- Penn Nursing — At a GlanceAt a Glance
- Penn Nursing — How to applyAdmissions
- Penn Catalog — Nursing BSNcatalog.upenn.edu
- Penn Student Registration & Financial Services — School of Nursing costsSRFS nursing
- Penn SRFS — Undergraduate tuition & cost of attendanceSRFS undergraduate
- Penn Today — 2025–2026 Trustees-approved charges (context for $63,204)Penn Today
- Pennsylvania DOS — State Board of NursingPA Board of Nursing
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)ncsbn.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Registered Nursesbls.gov/ooh
Editorial Standards & Review
About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.
Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for alignment of BSN NCLEX figures with Penn Nursing’s published Accreditation outcomes table, tuition with Penn Today/SRFS 2025–2026 materials, and program listings with nursing.upenn.edu academics pages.
Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with the institution and the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing.
Published: 2026-03-31 · Last reviewed: March 31, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy