Why This Matters
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SOME NURSING POSITIONS REQUIRE A BACHELOR’S DEGREE
According to data from O*NET, some nursing jobs require applicants to at least have a bachelor’s degree.
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OVER 195,400 NURSES NEEDED BY 2031
Nurses are in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6% job growth for this occupation over the next decade.
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EARN $75,000+ PER YEAR
The average salary for registered nurses is $77,600, with the top 10% earning more than $120,250.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online accelerated RN-to-BSN programs at top colleges across the country. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. Many of the schools on our list have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, which assesses the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of nursing-related programs.
We evaluated each school’s program on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for online students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online accelerated RN-to-BSN programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
The Top 50 Online Accelerated RN-to-BSN Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree
ADN and BSN programs may seem similar, but they are actually quite different. In addition to clinical skills, BSN programs cover topics such as critical thinking and research. Also, BSN nurses tend to earn at least $10,000 more per year.
Students must either pass the NCLEX or RN license exam or have an RN license that’s active and in good standing to qualify for these programs. Most workplaces will set these as the basic qualifications needed to apply to any nursing job.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online accelerated RN-to-BSN programs:
- Am I eligible for this program? With the BSN now becoming the minimum education requirement for all nurses, practical experience and an ADN are minimum eligibility requirements. This ensures that students have a practical basis on which to build.
- What licensing or certifications are required? All students need an RN license that’s in good standing. They may also have specialized certifications, such as a CPN (Certified Pediatric Nurse) or OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse).
Make sure to pay attention to deadlines. These accelerated programs are often run on a cohort basis, which means you may have to wait for the next session if you miss the deadlines. Certain employers may offer some tuition assistance, but to make up for the shortfall, it’s a good idea to fill out a FAFSA application to help you locate eligible scholarships and grants.