When a Greater Cincinnati health system decides whether to hire a newly licensed nurse, the type of school on the diploma may matter less than many job seekers assume.

Among health care executives with an opinion on the topic, about 85% say whether a degree came from a for-profit or non-profit institution makes no difference in their hiring decisions, according to the 2026 Covista Care Capacity Monitor. The survey was fielded by Gallup. Workers saw it the same way: nearly 90% of clinicians who expressed an opinion say their school's status had no impact on whether they were hired. Covista, which owns Chamberlain University, produces the research.

Hiring managers in the region have plenty of openings to fill. Employers across the Cincinnati metro posted nearly 50,000 health care job openings last year, and there are six open health care jobs for every health care graduate in the region, according to the Monitor.

Nationally, the report found that 76% of clinicians and 73% of health care executives report that staffing shortages affect their ability to deliver high-quality care, and half of executives say that shortages have reduced their capacity to serve patients. Executives also rated talent partnerships with schools highly: nearly 70% rate them as effective for meeting their workforce needs, more than hiring bonuses. Finding nearby candidates is harder outside cities. About 85% of rural health care executives reported difficulty finding local talent, compared with 45% in metro areas.

Locally, Jack Miner, vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Cincinnati, told the Cincinnati Business Courier that "in the Cincinnati area alone, nearly 15% of the nursing roles are going unfilled due to the shortage of nursing graduates in the area."

One credential is non-negotiable for any employer: a new graduate must pass the NCLEX, the national licensing exam, before working as a registered nurse. In 2025, the first-time pass rate for U.S.-educated baccalaureate candidates was 87.6%, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

The supply of new graduates is limited by how many students schools can take. In 2025, nursing schools nationwide did not accept a total of 93,176 qualified applications, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The association notes these are applications, not applicants, so some students may have enrolled elsewhere.

A new local source of nurses

One new source of nurses for the region is Chamberlain University's Cincinnati campus, which opened Aug. 20. The campus occupies a 32,000-square-foot space on the third floor of Kenwood Collection, a mixed-use development at 5901 E. Galbraith Road in Sycamore Township, and is set to enroll around 450 students, the Business Courier reported.

The first cohort began classes Aug. 31. Students practice clinical skills in a high-tech simulation center before moving into clinical rotations with local partners. The campus offers a three-year path to a BSN with flexible scheduling, no application fee, and no prerequisite courses, a structure aimed partly at adult learners and career changers.

"The biggest myth is that you have to be a fresh high school graduate with a straight-A science background and no major outside responsibilities," Priya Shastri, Chamberlain Cincinnati's executive campus director, said in a statement provided by Covista. "In reality, life experience, empathy, and adaptability are just as critical as academic prep, and adult learners often make some of the most extraordinary nurses."

Chamberlain University's 2025 national average NCLEX first-time pass rate for its BSN program was 79.75%, according to the university's consumer disclosures. That's below the national baccalaureate rate. Its baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

At the opening, County Commissioner Denise Driehaus declared Aug. 20 as "Chamberlain University Day" in Hamilton County. Chamberlain and Covista also announced a three-year partnership with The Health Collaborative, backed by a $150,000 donation. It will fund health care career exploration programs for Cincinnati middle and high school students.

The next Chamberlain Cincinnati start date is Oct. 26.