EDsmart Ranks Sherry Lesar School of Nursing Among Best BSN Programs in the Nation

Montana Tech’s reputation as a top choice for nursing students continues to grow, as EDsmart, a nationally recognized publisher of college resources and independent rankings, recently ranked the program among the best BSN programs in the nation for 2022.

The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing is the only university in Montana to appear on the list, and comes in at #19.

“I am excited and grateful to be ranked among the best BSN programs in the nation,” said Director of Nursing Karen Vandaveer. “The success of our program is directly related to the hard work of our nursing faculty, staff, and students. The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing is committed to providing quality education and contributing to the health and well-being of our community, state and beyond.”

The rankings were determined by equally weighting the following five factors: NCLEX pass rate, salary after attending, average net price, retention rate, and graduation rate.

“It is important to recognize the colleges and universities that go above and beyond,” said Tyson Stevens, managing editor of EDsmart. “Our goal is to highlight these schools and their commitment to higher education.”


Director of Nursing Simulation Janet Coe said the rankings are a reflection of dedicated staff, faculty, and students.
“It is such an honor to receive this ranking,” Coe said. “The success of this program is attributed to the commitment of our experienced faculty and staff in student success and our student’s ‘determined doer’ attitudes. The Sherry Lesar School of Nursing is dedicated to quality and innovation in nursing education.”


In fall of 2021 the school of nursing received a historic gift of $7 million from Dave and Sherry Lesar. The funds will help grow and sustain the nursing program's quality and impact the students, faculty, and curriculum. Funds from the endowed gift will be used to provide student scholarships, professional development opportunities for faculty, leadership training, and advanced degrees including a plan to offer a master's degree in nursing education in the next five to seven years.