2023 Best Online RN to BSN Programs

Mercy College offers an online RN-BSN degree completion program designed for working RNs with an associate degree or diploma in nursing to finish the last two years of a bachelor's degree. Full-time students can finish their BSN in one to two years, whereas part-time students typically finish in two to three years, depending on how many credits they transfer in and how many classes they take per semester. Students also need to complete 135 hours of clinical work in community healthcare, which can often be done at a local facility. The program offers reduced tuition for students who enroll fully online, as well as scholarships and other financial aid opportunities.

Mercy College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution based in New York, with campuses in Manhattan, Bronx, and Dobbs Ferry. The private school serves more than 8,000 students each year, with 16% of undergraduate students enrolled online. Mercy College has an 86% acceptance rate.

The RN-BSN program at California State University - Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is available for current RNs or those close to finishing an ADN program. Current nurses who have a bachelor's in a different field can also use the RN-to-BSN program to prepare for a master's degree. The online RN-BSN curriculum includes 23 credits in areas such as pathophysiology, cultural diversity in healthcare, and nursing research. The program requires students transfer in at least 60 credits and be close to finishing their ADN program to enroll. Unlike other nursing programs, CSUDH does not move students through in cohorts, making it easier for nurses to enroll when it's convenient for them.

CSUDH is a public university in California that serves a diverse student body of more than 16,000 students. The university has an 89% acceptance rate.

Practicing RNs can earn their BSN degree in one year while getting a Catholic education at the University of Providence. Located in Great Falls, Montana, the university serves a small student body of 955 students, with more than a third of undergraduates enrolled online. The university's RN-BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and is designed to help current licensed nurses earn their BSN to take on leadership roles, advance their careers, or prepare for a master's in nursing. Providence Health employees may also be eligible for a scholarship to help cover the cost of their degree. Students move through the program in cohorts, with new cohorts starting every January and August.

Located in Eugene, Oregon, Bushnell University offers a Christian education for RNs looking to advance their career and earn their BSN online. Students take online classes in areas such as evidence-based practice and healthcare policy, leadership in nursing, ethics, research, and information management. Bushnell features eight-week courses and offers three start-dates per year in August, January, and May. Full-time students can finish the program in one year by taking two classes at a time. For part-time students taking one course every eight weeks, the program will take five semesters to finish.

The university offers free tutoring, career services, and other support for online students, and financial aid is available. Bushnell is a small private college serving around 700 students per year, with an acceptance rate of 67%.

Farmingdale State College, located in Farmingdale, New York, is a public university serving just over 9,000 students per year. Farmingdale's online RN-BSN program is designed to prepare current RNs to work with diverse communities and patients impacted by a variety of social, economic, cultural, and political issues. The program includes 60 credits in areas such as patient education, medical microbiology, bioethics, and statistics. Students also need to complete a five-credit senior leadership practicum in order to graduate. Farmingdale is a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) system with an acceptance rate of 73%.

The online RN-BSN program at California State University - San Marcos (CSUSM) is an accelerated option for current nurses who want to earn their bachelor's degree in 14 months. Students take classes in areas such as role transitioning, bioethics, culture and medicine, nursing research, and cancer biology to help prepare them for advanced roles in nursing. The program offers four start dates in August, October, January, and March and cohorts are limited to 44 students to keep class sizes small. Students are not required to have their RN license to apply, but will need an active license to complete clinical hours for the program. Students can often complete leadership clinical hours where they work, but need to also complete community health clinical hours at a public health facility.

CSUSM is a public university in California serving more than 15,000 students each year. The university has a 95% acceptance rate.

The University of Phoenix is a large for-profit university serving nearly 88,000 students each year through its online programs. The university offers an online RN-BSN program accredited by CCNE that allows current RNs with an ADN to earn their BSN in 14 months. Current RNs who don't have an ADN can finish their degree in two and a half years. The university also offers a competency-based program, where students can move through classes at their own pace and test out of courses if they already know the material from work or previous education. Depending on their experience level and how quickly they move through the program, students can earn their BSN in as little as 12 months. There are scholarships available for students, and the university also offers a fixed tuition rate so students will know how much their degree will cost.

Licensed RNs can earn their BSN in 11 months through National University's online RN-BSN program. National University offers four- and eight-week class options which allow students to focus on one subject at a time, with start dates every month. Students take classes in areas such as health informatics, biomedical statistics, leadership and management, and evidence-based practice as part of the core nursing curriculum. The university also offers electives in health education and promotion, legal and ethical issues in healthcare, Spanish for the workplace, healthy aging, and other areas of study. National University is a private school in San Diego with more than 18,500 students. More than half of students are enrolled online, and the university has an open admissions policy.

Kean University offers an RN-BSN program for current RNs with fully online and hybrid options for students who want to attend part-time at the college's New Jersey campus. Kean is a public university based in Union, New Jersey serving more than 12,500 students each year through in-person and online programs. The online RN-BSN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and is available for transfer students to finish their BSN and advance their career in nursing. Students take courses in areas such as nursing leadership, research and evidence-based practice, microbiology, and holistic health. The program allows nursing students to fit classes in around a full-time job, and usually takes about four semesters to complete.

Linfield University's RN-BSN program is a part-time program that takes 12 months to complete. Students take 30 semester credits in 10 week terms in areas such as professional communication in healthcare, community care, and nursing leadership. The Linfield RN-BSN program is CCNE-accredited and requires students transfer at least 33 credits into the program. Students can also earn credits for prior learning experiences and for their RN license. The university also offers a scholarship for RN-BSN students.

Linfield is a private university in McMinnville, Oregon, with around 1,750 students enrolled. The university has an 89% acceptance rate.