
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay is the St. Petersburg campus of Galen College of Nursing, a nursing-focused institution founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1989. The campus should be understood as part of that college, rather than as a separate university with a broad range of majors.
Galen has expanded beyond its original location to serve nursing students at multiple campuses and online. HCA Healthcare acquired a majority stake in the college in 2020. That relationship is relevant to the institution's history, but applicants should evaluate the Tampa Bay campus's programs, clinical arrangements, costs, and outcomes on their own terms.
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay specializes in nursing; it is not organized around separate liberal arts, business, or engineering schools. Its academic offerings center on preparation for nursing practice and, where applicable, pathways for students who already hold a nursing credential.
Applicants should check the current Tampa Bay program catalog for the precise credentials and entry routes offered in their intended start term. An associate degree in nursing, a bachelor's degree in nursing, and a bridge pathway can have different prerequisites, clinical schedules, and requirements for progression. General education courses support the nursing curriculum, but they do not make Galen a general-purpose college with a wide selection of majors.
The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to 1. That institution-wide measure is not a promise about the size of any particular laboratory, clinical group, or class.
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay is in St. Petersburg, Florida, within the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Its location may suit students seeking to study nursing while living in or commuting across the region, but clinical assignments can involve travel beyond the classroom campus.
Students planning a commute should compare their class and clinical schedules with actual travel times, parking arrangements, and any early-morning or evening reporting requirements. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus. Tampa International Airport is a regional air-travel option, though routine transportation to class and clinical sites is the more important consideration for most students.
Galen College of Nursing states that its purpose is to provide nursing education and prepare students for professional nursing practice. Its nursing-only focus distinguishes its educational mission from that of a college offering many unrelated fields of study.
For an applicant, that focus has practical implications: coursework, skills instruction, and clinical preparation are central to the experience. The college's stated aims should not be confused with a guarantee of licensure, employment, or a particular clinical placement. Nursing graduates must still satisfy the requirements of the licensing jurisdiction in which they seek to practice.
Name of the institution
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa BayLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, not primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999School type
Four-year collegeMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
QuartersFoundation year
1989Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degreeData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.