Background: Today's nursing students and future nurses make up the backbone of the health care forces in every country, whose attitudes are influential on other health care providers. Aim of this study: was to investigate the relationship between the attitude toward nursing profession, achievement motivation and academic performance of baccalaureate nursing students. Methodology: A descriptive correlational research design was utilized in the study. Setting: The study was conducted at Faculty of nursing, Minia University. A stratified random sampling procedures were employed for selection of 50% from the students in each of the four academic years enrolled in Faculty of Nursing, Minia University during the academic year 2012\2013 with total number (n=385). Tools of the study: 1st tool was attitude toward nursing profession scale to assess students' attitude toward nursing profession. 2nd tool was achievement motivation scale prepared by Khalefa (2006). 3rd tool was an auditing checklist for students' academic performance at the end of the academic year. Results: indicated that the majority of the subjects had positive attitude toward the nursing profession and more than two thirds of them had high achievement motivation. There was statistically significant positive correlation between students' attitude toward nursing profession and their achievement motivation. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between students' attitude toward nursing profession or achievement motivation and their academic performance. Conclusions: Nursing students' attitude tended to be positive towards their future profession. First year students appeared to have more positive attitude and higher level of achievement motivation than other academic years. Recommendations: Nursing educators should strengthen curriculum reform, enhance their own quality as teachers, try new teaching strategies and allow students to experience appropriate clinical environment. Nursing social status in Media needs to be improved.