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Lindsey Wilson University Nursing Program No. 1 Among Kentucky's Independent Colleges and Universities

Bolstered by 100% pass rate on 2024 national nursing test, NursingExplorer.com places Lindsey Wilson in top 4 among all Kentucky nursing programs.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (02/18/2026) — Lindsey Wilson University has the top nursing program among the state's independent colleges and universities.

That's according to the 2025 nursing school ranking by NursingExplorer.com, an independent website operated by nurses that provides prospective and current nursing students with education and career resources.

Overall, Lindsey Wilson was ranked No. 4 among Kentucky's 56 nursing programs and No. 1 among the nursing programs offered at the state's independent colleges and universities.

Lindsey Wilson's nursing program scored 94.67% out of a possible 100% in NursingExplorer.com's weighted average NCLEX-RN pass rate. NCLEX -- the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nursing -- is the nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the United States.

NursingExplorer.com based its rankings on a weighted average of NCLEX-RN pass rates from the past three years. The rankings weighted results by the number of students tested and then applied a recency factor so that newer outcomes counted more. Lindsey Wilson's nursing students in the Class of 2024 -- the last year data was available for the rankings -- had a 100% pass rate of the NCLEX-RN. The NCLEX-RN pass rate of the Class of 2025 will be released later this spring.

"We're very excited to be among the top five programs in the state and the top program among Kentucky's independent colleges and universities," said Lindsey Wilson Director of Nursing Dr. Emiley Button. "It is always good to receive an affirmation from an outside organization."

A big reason for Lindsey Wilson's success is because of the close working relationships students enjoy with the university's nursing faculty.

"Our small classes, combined with a low student-to-faculty ratio, is a major reason our students are so successful," said Button. "Our students benefit so much from the one-on-one relationships they develop with our outstanding faculty. Our students know their professors, and they talk with their professors almost daily -- and that makes a big difference when our students take the NCLEX-RN.

"When students are asked to evaluate our program, they cite the quality of our faculty and the small class sizes as two of our greatest assets."

Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university's 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.

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Lindsey Wilson University Director of Nursing Dr. Emiley Button said a big reason the university’s nursing program was rated No. 1 by NursingExplorer.com is because of the program’s low student-to-faculty ratio.

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