PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare nursing students' attitudes toward death, self-esteem and life satisfaction according to clinical experience. METHODS: We surveyed 1,030 nursing students from two different universities with a questionnaire consisting of items regarding attitudes toward death, self-esteem and life satisfaction. The data were analyzed using a PASW program. RESULTS: Students with clinical experience scored 2.85 on the attitude toward death, while those without clinical experience scored 2.79 (t=2.775, P=0.006). Students with clinical experience had significantly higher self-esteem (t=4.541, P<0.001) and life satisfaction (t=4.050, P<0.001) than those without it. Students with clinical experience showed correlations between attitude toward death and self-esteem (r=0.159, P<0.001) and life satisfaction (r=0.090, P=0.025), while those without it did not (r=0.106, P=0.014). CONCLUSION: These results provide guidance for developing educational strategies such as educational program to help students build positive attitude toward death through their experience in clinical practice.