Chamberlain University is a legitimate, accredited nursing school, but whether it’s a good fit depends on what you’re weighing. It holds the right accreditations and produces graduates who pass the licensing exam, though its pass rates trail the national average. Its tuition is significantly higher than public university alternatives. Here’s what the numbers actually look like so you can make an informed decision.
Accreditation: The Non-Negotiable Box
Chamberlain checks the two accreditation boxes that matter most. The institution itself is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Its BSN, MSN, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs are all accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the gold standard for nursing program accreditation.
This matters because employers and graduate schools look for CCNE accreditation specifically. A nursing degree from a non-CCNE-accredited program can limit your career options, particularly if you want to pursue an advanced practice role later. Chamberlain’s accreditation is current and covers both its campus-based and online programs, so your degree carries the same professional weight as one from a state university’s nursing program.
NCLEX Pass Rates Fall Below the National Average
The most concrete measure of any nursing school’s quality is how its graduates perform on the NCLEX-RN, the licensing exam every new nurse must pass. The national average for first-time test-takers in 2024 was 91.16%. Chamberlain’s Texas campuses, which are among the school’s largest, came in below that threshold across the board:
- Houston: 82.68% (191 of 231 graduates passed)
- Irving: 77.54% (145 of 187)
- Pearland: 72.52% (161 of 222)
- San Antonio: 80.00% (48 of 60)
These numbers tell you that roughly 1 in 5 Chamberlain graduates in Texas didn’t pass the NCLEX on their first attempt. At the Pearland campus, it was closer to 1 in 4. That doesn’t mean those students never became nurses. Many pass on a second or third try. But the gap between Chamberlain and the national average is real and consistent, and it suggests the academic preparation may not be as rigorous as what you’d get at higher-performing programs. Pass rates vary by campus, so if you’re considering Chamberlain, look up the specific location you’d attend.
Tuition Is on the High Side
Chamberlain is a for-profit institution owned by Adtalem Global Education, and its pricing reflects that. BSN tuition ranges from $735 to $780 per credit hour depending on your campus or whether you study online. A BSN typically requires around 120 to 130 credit hours, which puts the tuition-only cost somewhere in the range of $88,000 to $100,000 before fees.
On top of tuition, you’ll pay a $235 student services charge per session, $150 per session for books and course materials, a one-time $350 NCLEX prep fee, and $200 to $225 for background checks and drug screening. Health screening and immunization costs range from $500 to $1,400. The student health insurance plan alone runs $5,701.
For comparison, in-state tuition at a public university nursing program often falls between $20,000 and $50,000 total for a BSN. Community college ADN programs can cost under $10,000. If you’re paying out of pocket or relying on loans, this cost difference is significant. A Chamberlain BSN and a state university BSN lead to the same RN license and qualify you for the same entry-level jobs.
National Ranking Gives Context
U.S. News & World Report ranks Chamberlain’s nursing program between 624th and 686th nationally. That places it in the bottom tier of ranked nursing programs. Rankings aren’t everything, and they weigh factors like research output that don’t directly affect your education as a BSN student. But they do reflect metrics like faculty credentials, student selectivity, and outcomes data. A mid-tier or lower ranking at this price point is worth factoring into your decision.
Clinical Placements Require Your Effort
Chamberlain offers what it calls a “Practicum Commitment,” which sounds like a guarantee but works more like a support system. For graduate-level students especially, you’re expected to network with peers and professors, reach out to potential sites (including cold-calling), and explore your own workplace as a placement option. If you’re unable to secure a site on your own, you can request assistance through the student portal, but only after documenting three formal denials from sites or preceptors, and you need to submit that request at least three sessions before your practicum course begins.
This is a meaningful difference from programs where the school handles all clinical placements directly. If you’re in a competitive metropolitan area where clinical spots are scarce, finding your own placement can be stressful and time-consuming.
Job Prospects After Graduation
The nursing job market remains strong regardless of where you earn your degree. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 96% of entry-level BSN graduates and 95% of MSN graduates receive job offers within four to six months of completing their programs. That’s an industry-wide figure, not specific to Chamberlain, but it reflects the reality that nursing demand is high enough that most BSN holders find work quickly.
Where your school’s reputation matters more is in competitive hiring situations. Large academic medical centers and specialized units like ICUs or labor and delivery sometimes prefer candidates from well-known local programs with strong NCLEX records. A Chamberlain degree won’t disqualify you, but it may not give you an edge against graduates from a respected state university program in your area.
Who Chamberlain Works Best For
Chamberlain’s biggest draw is flexibility. It operates campuses in multiple states and offers online coursework, which appeals to working adults, career changers, and people who can’t get into competitive public nursing programs with limited seats. Many public BSN programs accept only a fraction of applicants each cycle, and waitlists can stretch for years. Chamberlain’s admissions are less selective, which means faster entry into a program.
That accessibility comes with trade-offs: higher cost, lower average NCLEX performance, and a ranking that reflects those realities. If you’ve been waitlisted at public programs and need to start your nursing career sooner, Chamberlain gets you there. If you have time and can gain admission to a public university program, you’ll likely pay less and attend a school with stronger outcome data.
One practical note on transfer credits: science prerequisites must have been completed within five years of your enrollment date and must include a lab component. If your anatomy or microbiology courses are older than that, you’ll need to retake them before enrolling, which adds time and cost to your plan.