Catholic university in Miami plans major expansion to fill Florida’s nursing gap

Amid Florida’s nursing shortage, a Catholic university in the Archdiocese of Miami is expanding its nursing department following top test scores by its students.

St. Thomas University announced on Feb. 27 its plans for a 99,000-square-foot nursing college building. The archdiocesan-run university is seeking $3.5 million from the Florida Legislature to jump-start the project, which would eventually accommodate the 2,000 nursing students STU expects to have in 2026.

The university is expanding its nursing program amid Florida’s nursing gap. In 2024, Florida had the lowest scores in the nation on the National Council Licensure Examination — but in the same year, 100% of St. Thomas University’s nurses passed the exam. This was the second year in a row that the nursing program had a 100% pass rate.

The building will be home to the university’s newly created College of Nursing and College of Health Sciences and Technology, all part of an effort to close Florida’s widening nursing gap.

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