10 Best Online Schools for Nursing Degrees

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Types of Nursing Degrees to Get Online

One of the best aspects of becoming a nurse is that it is such a flexible and dynamic field. By this we mean that you can earn one degree and work as a nurse for a few years, and then you can earn another degree later, and your employment and salary prospects will widen considerably.

The type of nursing degrees you should consider are as follows:

Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN): This is a two year degree program that you generally need to take at a vocational school or community college in your city or town. After you have earned your degree, you are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN examination. As an LPN, you will be able to earn a good salary, and eventually if you choose, move on to earn the next degree – your BSN.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): This is the four year nursing degree that is generally the minimum standard for most RNs. You can become an LPN to gain experience in the nursing field, but eventually, you will want to earn your BSN. There are many online BSN degrees available so you have plenty of flexibility if you are working full time.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN): For nurses who want to become an advanced nursing practice professional, such as a nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): For nurses who want to enter the research and academic end of nursing.

Below are the best online nursing degree programs that are worth your careful consideration:

Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs

The following section details online BSN degree programs from accredited schools:

#1 Western Governor’s University

Western Governor’s University offers an RN to BSN degree program that is ideal for the experienced nurse with either a nursing diploma or an associate’s degree in nursing. By earning your BSN degree at WGU, you will increase your salary and career potential.

Earning your BSN will greatly expand your skills and knowledge in nursing beyond the clinical knowledge that you gained in your previous education. You will gain more knowledge in these areas:

Evidence based practice
Patient safety
Technology integration with the modern clinical environment
Healthcare systems and policies

This four year BSN program requires you to have at least 90 hours of clinical experience in your area with an experienced mentor or supervisor in a community health setting; many students choose to work in a public health clinic or department.

You will be taking classes online in these general areas:

Care of the Older Adult
Health and Assessment
Health and Wellness Through Nutritional Science
Professional Roles and Values
Community Health and Population Focused Nursing
Evidence Based Practice and Applied Nursing Research
Organizational Systems and Quality Leadership
Leadership and Professional Image

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: For-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $3250 per six month term
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 48 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

#2 Arizona State University

The RN to BSN program at Arizona State University will prepare the nurse with a diploma or ADN for the many demands of the ever changing healthcare landscape with a renowned online curriculum.

Every graduate of this program will learn to use evidence-based practice to facilitate change in their clinical environment. Graduates from ASU posses a holistic and population based perspective and are strong client advocates and critical thinkers. This program could be a good fit for you if you want to:

Be part of a premier nursing school in the US
Learn from nationally and internationally renowned faculty
Learn through innovative online methods
Move into advanced nursing practice areas at a later time
Complete your BSN degree in as little as 18 months

Students with an ADN will be able to transfer up to 64 credits from their community college.

Your required BSN classes will include the following:

Professional Nursing Theory
Nursing Research and Application to Practice
Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
Innovation in Nursing
Community and Public Health Nursing
Nursing Management in Health Care
The Art of Nursing
Public and Global Health in Nursing
Writing for Health Care Management

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: Non-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $435 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 15 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

#3 University of Wyoming

The University of Wyoming Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is well suited for the practicing nurse with an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing. The program is provided 100% online and you do not need to come to campus at all.

Your required courses will include:

Health Assessment in Nursing Practice
Health Promotion
Nursing Leadership
Human Anatomy
Human Systems Physiology
Pathophysiology
Introduction to Baccalaureate Nursing

When you graduate from this programs, you will be able to sit for the NCLEX-RN examination in your state. Program outcomes in this CCNE-accredited program include:

Synthesize nursing knowledge from the arts and sciences in professional nursing practice.
Show leadership in nursing by applying cutting edge quality improvement processes in the practice of safe client care for all ages of clients.
Show your evidence based practice skills as you care for clients.
Collaborate with the entire health care delivery team
Utilize health promotion and disease prevention, as well as risk reduction techniques as you care for your clients.

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: For-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $375 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 48 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

#4 Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University offers an innovative RN to BSN degree that will teach you how to exercise critical nursing thinking skills and to identify and solve complex clinical problems. You also will become better familiar with important nursing areas, including research, critical care and community health; these are not well covered in most associate’s programs.

The Jacksonville RN to BSN program is designed for full time working professionals who want to earn a BSN from a CCNE-accredited university. This program can be completed in three or four years, and has the type of flexibility that working nursing professionals require. It features high quality academics that are taught by full professors and are well trained in teaching online classes.

Your BSN core classes will include these:

Anatomy and Physiology I and II
Nutrition
Microbiology
Introduction to Chemistry
Human Growth and Development
Professional Nursing
Information Management in Healthcare
Evidence Based Nursing
Nursing Assessment for the Practicing Nurse
Nursing Leadership and Health Care Policy
Community Focused Professional Nursing

If you have an associate’s degree, you can transfer up to 33 credit hours into this program.

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: For-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $410 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Online Master of Science in Nursing Programs

The following section details online MSN degree programs from accredited schools:

#5 George Washington University

If you are a working RN and already have your BSN degree, you may want to expand your nursing skills so that you can move into a well-paying, advanced nursing practice field. George Washington University offers several excellent options with its MSN degree program:

Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Leadership and Management
Nurse Midwifery
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

US News and World Report recently ranked this program as the 13th best online nursing program in the US. When you graduate from this two year MSN program, you will be able to practice the following skills:

Demonstrate nursing leadership based on advanced practice nursing knowledge
Promote and boost quality in your health care workplace through using quality improvement practices
Demonstrate strong professional nursing skill development through your ongoing education
Promote positive changes in the nursing field

GWU also offers a unique MSN bridge option, if you are an RN with an ADN and you have a bachelor’s in another field. You may be able to enter right into the MSN program by taking several ‘bridge courses’ before you begin the MSN degree program.

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: Non- Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $410 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing

#6 Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University has an online RN to BSN to MSN option that will allow you to advance your nursing career very quickly. You can get your BSN and MSN together, and make it much more cost effective, and you also can earn both degrees in at least one or two fewer years than if you earned them separately.

In the RN to BSN to MSN option, RN students will complete their BSN degree at this university, and will then apply for admission to the MSN program before they finish their bachelor’s. You will be able to complete your BSN degree as you are enrolled in the master’s program; you will take certain MSN courses instead of the two required BSN courses.

Your required MSN classes include:

Foundational Concepts and Applications
Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice
Leadership and Nursing Practice: Role Development
Advanced Research Methods
Healthcare Policy
Fundamentals of Nursing Informatics

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: Non-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $650 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing

#7 Liberty University

For RNs who want to earn their MSN degree in the specialization of nurse educator or nurse administer, consider the options at Liberty University. This two year nursing degree program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The practicum experience that you will do in your local area will be tailored for your exact learning needs and interests. Your faculty mentors and preceptors in your area will give you additional career guidance in your healthcare setting where you are doing your clinical work.

With this MSN degree upon graduation, you will have the critical nursing skills that you need to succeed in advanced clinical practice, research, teaching and scholarship.

When you graduate as a nurse educator or a nurse administrator, you also can get certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center Nurse Executive program, or the National League of Nurse Education certification. Doing either of these will enhance your career prospects.

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: Non-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $605 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing

#8 Baylor University

Baylor University has an interesting and unusual MSN degree with a specialization in Leadership and Innovation. This program will prepare you to lead and transform modern, complex health care organizations. This is a very convenient online program that will provide you with a great degree of flexibility, and a lot of interaction with your faculty and colleagues.

Nursing professionals who graduate from this program typically enter these types of positions;

Nursing Manager
Nursing Director
Clinic Manager
Chief Nursing Officer
Home Health Manager
Nurse Supervisor

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: Non-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $1583 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing

#9 University of Central Florida

The MSN program at the University of Central Florida is made to build upon your BSN education and experience. The goal of this program is to prepare you to become an advanced practice nurse and to assume a nursing leadership position in any health care setting.

This degree is fully accredited by the CCNE, so you are certain that you are earning an MSN degree of the highest quality and reputation.

There are two major tracks in this two year program:

Nurse Educator
Nursing Leadership and Management

Your required courses include:

NGR 5720: Organizational Dynamics
NGR 5884: Legal and Professional Behaviors in ANP
NGR 5800: Theory for APN
NGR 5871: Health Care Informatics
NGR 6722: Financial Management and Resource Development
NGR 6723: Nursing Leadership and Management I
NGR 6723L: Nursing Leadership Role Specialization Practicum I
NGR 6801: Research Methodology for APN

More information:

Campus: Online
Type: Non-Profit
Accreditation: CCNE
Tuition: $288 per credit hour
GRE/GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
On Campus Requirements: No
Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing

#10 NOVA Southeastern University

NOVA Southeastern University offers an MSN degree that you can earn whether or not you currently hold a BSN degree. If you do not have a BSN, you will first enter the program to earn your BSN, and then you will advance into the MSN program when you are mostly completed with your bachelor’s coursework. This will save you at least a year of time, and several thousand dollars.

Major tracks you can choose from in this CCNE-accredited program are: