Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

What Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing does

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is the nursing and health-professions school of Emory University, a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1905 as the Wesley Memorial Hospital and Training School for Nurses, the school evolved into a degree-granting institution in 1944 and was renamed in 1967 in honor of Nell Hodgson Woodruff. It delivers the full nursing credentialing ladder — Traditional BSN, BSN Transfer, accelerated Master of Nursing (MN), eight MSN specialty tracks including Family, Adult-Gerontology, Neonatal, Pediatric, Psychiatric Mental Health, and Women's Health/Gender-Related NPs, DNP, PhD, and post-graduate certificates — plus non-nursing health-professions programs (MS in Clinical Nutrition, MS in Health Care Analytics, Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Science) and dual-degree pathways with Emory's Rollins School of Public Health and Center for Bioethics.

The school's technical infrastructure centers on the $20.6 million, 70,000-square-foot Emory Nursing Learning Center (ENLC) simulation facility in Decatur, which opened in 2022 and houses high-fidelity manikins, operating and trauma rooms, and hospital-style labs. Research is anchored by signature areas including AI and Data Science, Aging Studies and Caregiving, Cardiovascular/Brain/Biomarkers, Oncology, Pediatrics, and Violence/Injury Prevention, supported by dedicated centers: the Center for Data Science (with access to 2.7 billion de-identified health records), Lillian Carter Center for Global Health & Social Responsibility, Center for Palliative Care, Roybal Center for Dementia Caregiving Mastery, and Georgia Nursing Workforce Center. A proprietary four-pillar Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, authored by senior faculty and published as a textbook, is integrated across all courses.

The operating model is nonprofit academic: revenue is generated through tuition and program fees (undergraduate scholarships totaled $7.1M across 751 awards in 2024-2025, with 96% of undergraduates receiving aid), research grants ($40.2M in FY25 including $16.9M from NIH, ranking #3 nationally among nursing schools), philanthropic gifts and endowed chairs (Helene Fuld Health Trust $5M in 2002 among others), and limited clinical-practice income. Programmatic distribution is direct-to-student via application-based admissions, delivered across in-person, hybrid, and fully online modalities. The student base of ~1,450 (Fall 2024) is served by ~400 faculty, ~170 staff, and ~15 post-doctoral fellows, with the top employer mix split across the Atlanta healthcare ecosystem (Emory Healthcare, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Northside, Piedmont, Wellstar, Grady, Atlanta VA) and national systems including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Duke, Vanderbilt, MSK, and UCLA Health. U.S. News & World Report 2025 ranks the school #1 for Graduate Nursing, #2 for Undergraduate Nursing, and #2 for DNP, and the operating budget is approximately $100M including a $27M research enterprise.

Name

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Legal name

Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

Website

https://nursing.emory.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is Emory University's private nursing school in Atlanta, offering BSN, MN, MSN, DNP, PhD, and health-professions degrees to ~1,450 students and ranked #1 nationally for graduate nursing by U.S. News & World Report 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nursing Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Nursing (EDAHAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Healthcare & Nursing Universities (Allied Health, RN-to-BSN, etc.) (EDAHALAF), Health Sciences & Nursing (EDAGABAF), Healthcare & Life Sciences (EDAAAPAA)

Keywords

• Nursing education programs
• Undergraduate nursing degrees
• Graduate nursing programs
• Nursing research training
• Advanced practice nursing

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, and professional nursing programs. Financial aid and scholarships awarded totaled $7.1M in 2024-2025 with 751 scholarships and 96% of undergraduates receiving scholarships.
2. Research Grants and Funding: Total research funding of $40.2M in FY25, including $16.9M in NIH funding. Major grants include R25 grant from National Institute of Nursing Research for SDOH research training.
3. Donations and Endowments: Gifts and donations including $5M from The Helene Fuld Health Trust in 2002, $1 million Edith F. Honeycutt Chair endowment, Independence Foundation chair endowment, and Charles Howard Candler professorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing delivers accredited nursing education across undergraduate (BSN), accelerated (MN), graduate (MSN specialties), doctoral (DNP, PhD), and post-graduate certificate levels, with clinical training at the 70,000-square-foot Emory Nursing Learning Center simulation facility and Atlanta-area healthcare partners. It also offers health professions degrees in Clinical Nutrition, Healthcare Analytics, and Cardiovascular Perfusion Science, supported by AI and data science research capabilities and a Social Determinants of Health curriculum framework.

Product overview

Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing offers a comprehensive portfolio of nursing and health professions educational programs. The core offerings include undergraduate BSN programs (Traditional and Transfer), accelerated Master of Nursing (MN), multiple MSN specialty tracks (Adult Gerontology Acute/Primary Care, Family, Family/Emergency, Neonatal, Pediatric, Psychiatric Mental Health, Women's Health), dual degrees (MSN-MA Bioethics, MSN-MPH), doctoral programs (DNP, PhD), and post-graduate certificates. Health professions programs include Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition, Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Science, and the new Master of Science in Health Care Analytics launching Spring 2027. Supporting infrastructure includes the Emory Nursing Learning Center (ENLC) simulation facility and Center for Data Science research hub. Programs are delivered through on-campus, hybrid, and fully online formats with student support through the NEST program and career services via Handshake integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Entry-level undergraduate nursing program ranked No. 1 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, designed for students beginning their nursing career.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing Transfer Option BSN pathway for transfer students seeking to begin a career in nursing at Emory's top-ranked program.
• Master of Nursing (MN) Accelerated program designed for those with prior degrees not in the nursing field.
• Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner MSN specialty preparing nurses to lead in high-acuity settings with advanced training in care of acutely and complex chronically ill adults.
• Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner MSN specialty preparing nurses for advanced primary care practice with focus on chronic disease prevention and management across adult lifespan.
• Family Nurse Practitioner Program preparing graduates to assess and manage broad range of health needs of individuals and families across the life span.
• Family/Emergency Nurse Practitioner Program preparing nurses to provide health care across lifespan in emergency and primary care settings, built on FNP preparation.
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Prepares nurses for advanced practice roles in specialized care of neonates in various healthcare settings including NICUs. Only program in Georgia.
• Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty preparing nurses for leadership in care of children with well-child problems as well as acute and chronic conditions.
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program helping students meet needs of vulnerable populations and close gap in access to mental health care.
• Women's Health/Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner Prepares advanced practice nurses for sexual and reproductive health care needs and primary/specialized care for women throughout lifespan.
• MSN-MA in Bioethics Dual Degree Dual degree with Emory's Center for Ethics preparing advance practice nurses to identify, address, and assess ethical issues in clinical practice and health care administration.
• MSN-MPH Dual Degree Dual degree with Rollins School of Public Health combining advanced nursing knowledge with public health knowledge for leadership roles.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Prepares nurses to transform clinical leadership and positively impact patient outcomes and improve health care delivery systems.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA) DNP program educating students for full scope of nurse anesthesia practice with foundation of business, leadership, and practice skills.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) Program committed to improving human health through discovery of new knowledge and its translation into practice, designed to prepare researchers.
• Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition Program cultivating next generation of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) integrating advanced education, research, and supervised practice.
• Master of Science in Health Care Analytics Interdisciplinary program combining healthcare knowledge, data science, and advanced analytical techniques to improve healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and organizational efficiency.
• Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Science Prepares perfusionists to operate cardiopulmonary bypass and other life sustaining mechanical devices for surgical and medical conditions.
• Distance ABSN Program Accelerated BSN program offered in distance format for career changers with prior non-nursing degrees.
• InEmory Accelerated Master of Nursing Accelerated Master of Nursing program providing seamless education-to-practice pathway for students transitioning from nursing program into practice at Magnet-designated hospital.
• Blake Scholars Program Tuition support program for nurse practitioners in post-graduate certificate psychiatric mental health nursing with focus on child and adolescent behavioral and mental health, including fellowship opportunity at CHOA.
• Center for Data Science Global hub for nurse-led AI and data research innovation, providing students access to 2.7 billion de-identified health records and faculty research collaboration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of undergraduates employed within 3 months of graduation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lillian Carter Center for Global Health & Social ResponsibilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Extends healthcare to vulnerable populations through effective nursing leadership and practice worldwide; students participate in service-learning projects and global research; visited 12 countries since 2016
• Agnes Scott CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Dual-degree partnership with Agnes Scott College to attract students with strong liberal arts backgrounds and interest in nursing
• Emory, Crawford Long, and Other Hospitals (NEAT Program)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987NEAT (Nursing Employment and Tuition) program initiated with Emory, Crawford Long and other hospitals where students defrayed part of tuition by working for one of the hospitals after graduation
• Rollins School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on MSN-MPH dual degree program combining advanced nursing knowledge with public health to prepare nurses for leadership roles in healthcare delivery to at-risk individuals and communities
• Children's Healthcare of AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical training site for Blake Scholars PMHNP program with focus on child and adolescent behavioral and mental health; Blake Scholars complete final clinical training at CHOA during their advanced integrative clinical practice immersion
• Emory HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary clinical training partner and top employer of graduates; hosts employer information sessions and career fairs; InEmory program provides education-to-practice pathway for students transitioning to practice at Magnet designated hospital in Atlanta
• Atlanta VA Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVANAP (Veterans Affairs Nursing Academic Partnership) provides clinical experiences working with Atlanta veterans; students receive HPSP scholarship and externship opportunities through VA-STEP
• Emory University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical school collaboration for integrated curriculum; anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, and pharmacology taught by School of Medicine faculty in nursing programs

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Johns Hopkins School of Nursing: Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is a top-ranked research-intensive nursing school offering BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs with major NIH research funding. It is one of the most direct competitors to Emory's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in the same U.S. News top tier.
• University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing: Penn Nursing is consistently a top-3 nationally ranked nursing school with BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs and a large research enterprise. It directly competes with Emory for faculty, research funding, and graduate nursing applicants.
• Duke University School of Nursing: Duke School of Nursing is a leading research-focused nursing school with DNP, MSN, PhD, and ABSN programs. It competes with Emory in the same top-10 U.S. News cohort for graduate nursing talent and research dollars.
• Vanderbilt University School of Nursing: Vanderbilt School of Nursing is a top-ranked Nashville-based nursing school offering BSN, MSN (including a 3-year MSN bridge), DNP, and PhD programs, including the DNP program Paula Tucker attended. It competes with Emory for graduate nursing applicants and faculty.
• Columbia University School of Nursing: Columbia School of Nursing is a top-ranked New York City nursing school with a strong research portfolio and direct-entry MSN program. It directly competes with Emory in the same U.S. News top tier and recruits from a comparable applicant pool.
• NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing: NYU Rory Meyers is a top-ranked nursing school from which incoming Dean Sean Clarke is joining. It offers BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs and is a direct competitor in the same top-10 U.S. News cohort.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing: UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing is a research-intensive nursing school with BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs and a strong NIH-funded research portfolio. It competes with Emory for southeastern students and research funding.
• University of Michigan School of Nursing: University of Michigan School of Nursing is a top-ranked research nursing school with substantial NIH funding and BSN-to-PhD programs. It competes with Emory in the same national cohort for graduate applicants and faculty.
• Yale School of Nursing: Yale School of Nursing is a research-focused nursing school offering direct-entry MSN, DNP, and PhD programs. It overlaps with Emory in scope, rankings, and candidate profile, including advanced practice preparation.
• University of Washington School of Nursing: University of Washington School of Nursing is a top research-intensive nursing school with significant NIH funding and BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs. It is a comparable peer in the same top-10 cohort for research and graduate placement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EmoryNursing
• Facebookfacebook.com/emorynursing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emory-university

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing