A national nursing school will begin accepting students this fall at a new Sandy campus less than a mile from the Draper border, targeting working adults who want a nursing degree without quitting their jobs.
Chamberlain University, a Chicago-based for-profit institution that says it is the largest nursing school in the country by enrollment, announced Monday, July 21, that applications are open for its first Utah location. The campus will occupy the third floor of an existing office building at 9490 S. 300 West in Sandy, near Salt Lake Community College's Miller campus. Classes start Monday, October 26.
Utah ranks last among all 50 states in nurses per capita, with 1,399 per 100,000 residents, according to 2025 data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The state has held that position for two consecutive years.
Amelia Manning, president of Chamberlain University, said the school wants to "make it easier for the next generation of Utah nurses to train here, stay here" in the state.
What the program offers
Enrolled students will earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing on an accelerated three-year timeline. The Sandy campus will offer night, weekend and online classes so students can keep working while they pursue a degree.
That flexibility comes at a price. Chamberlain's three-year program runs about $100,000 at full cost, according to the school's own calculator. A comparable four-year degree at the University of Utah costs about $44,000 at sticker price without scholarships, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
Students will complete clinical rotations with local partners including DaVita, which provides dialysis services, and Odyssey House of Utah, a residential treatment program for substance use disorder.
Why it matters locally
A shortage of clinical training partners has limited how many nursing students Utah's public universities can graduate. Weber State University, the University of Utah and Utah Tech University run some of the state's largest nursing programs, but seats often fall short of demand.
A 2024 state audit found that between 2007 and 2014, 35% of qualified applicants for public bachelor's nursing programs in Utah were turned away. Between 2016 and 2022, the Utah System of Higher Education lost 14% of its market share of nursing students while nontraditional schools gained 24%.
Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz said in September 2025, when lawmakers declined Utah State University's proposal to expand nursing enrollment, that "other institutions can pick that up" and that USU should focus on its land-grant mission.
Private schools have responded. Galen College of Nursing, which has a campus in Draper, announced Tuesday, July 15, that it will add a BSN program; previously it offered only an associate degree. Chamberlain's entry adds another option for Draper-area residents weighing a career change.
What's next
Chamberlain operates 25 other campuses across 17 states and serves about 40,000 students. The school, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, says more than 200 of its alumni already work nursing jobs in Utah. Its parent company, Covista, also oversees Walden University and Ross University School of Medicine.
Applications are open at chamberlain.edu. The first cohort begins classes Monday, October 26. The school has not publicly announced how many seats are available in its inaugural class.
