29 Most Affordable RN to BSN Online Programs 2024
January 26, 2024 | Admin
Nursing has, and will always be, one of the most essential positions within the health care industry. However, the nursing industry has recently seen a shift. It now requires nursing professionals (even those who have held a Registered Nurse credential) to further their professional education by earning their baccalaureate degree in nursing to enter/remain within the profession. Given this fact, it is important to begin to research the cheapest RN to BSN online degrees that are available.
Nurses are responsible for coordinating and providing care to patients, including emotional support, education, and advocacy to both patients and their families. The reality is, without the support and professionalism, the health care industry would not operate with any efficiency or effectiveness. Nurses find rewarding work in various healthcare environments that include private doctor’s offices, nursing, and skilled facilities, hospitals, and patient’s homes, among others.
As baby-boomer age into retirement, the demand for nurses (and all medical personnel) is expected to outpace the national job growth average nearly 2 to 1. According to the statisticians at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nursing profession’s job growth is expected to be about 7% through the year 2029. With nearly 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States, the economy is expected to add more than 220,000 newly created nursing positions over the next decade. Looking for accelerated BSN programs? We have compiled a list of the fastest BSN programs .
29 Most Affordable RN to BSN Online Programs
1
The College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA)
The College of Coastal Georgia offers one of the most affordable RN to BSN online degree programs in Georgia. Students enrolled in CCGA’s RN to BSN degree program must have a valid, active, and unencumbered RN license in Georgia. This completion program for nurses can be completed in three (full-time) or six (part-time) semesters, which includes summer sessions. Degree candidates enrolled in CCGA’s BSN completion program work with highly trained faculty and are required to complete clinical coursework in addition to coursework.
The State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota (SCF)
The State College of Florida (SCF), Manatee-Sarasota, is one of the region’s largest public institutions of higher education with a student enrollment that exceeds 26,500. SCF’s RN to BSN degree program requires the completion of 120 credit units, of which 38 semester hours must be completed from the RN to BSN curriculum. This program is designed for working learners to provide the education required to become the next generation’s nursing leaders. The program’s topics include classes in informatics, community health, nursing research, and nursing management, among others.
Tuition – $112.08 Per Credit – Upper Division Coursework
Pensacola State College (PSC) is a public institution of higher education located on the shores of the Gulf along the Florida panhandle. Pensacola State College’s RN to BSN degree program is designed for nursing professionals who hold a valid, unencumbered Registered Nurse license, who wish to further their careers in the areas of research, management, and leadership, among others. PSC’s RN to BSN program consistently ranks among the cheapest RN to BSN online programs available. Total credit units for the degree equal to 120 units.
Palm Beach State College (PBSC) was established in 1933 and is a member school of the state’s college system. This completion RN to BSN program requires degree candidates to complete 36 credit units to meet program requirements. The 36 credits are divided among core curriculum, concentration courses, and electives. Applicants who hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited school are given preference over non-accredited grads.
Located on a suburban campus in Gainesville, Florida, the University of Florida’s RN to BSN online degree program is designed for working learners who require flexibility in scheduling to complete their bachelor’s degree in nursing. Students applying for this program must already hold an associate degree from an accredited institution and a valid Florida RN license or an eNLC – an enhanced license from the NLC – the Nurse Licensure Compact. Total credit units for the degree equal to 120 units.
Broward College, located in Fort Lauderdale, offers an RN to BSN degree program that is one of the most affordable programs available. Students enrolled in Broward College’s RN to BSN degree can be completed in only three semesters (about twelve to eighteen months), taking classes that are eight-weeks long. Broward College offers several nursing scholarships, which can definitely help defer the cost of the program. Applicants must hold a valid, unrestricted, and unencumbered Florida Registered Nurse license.
The RN to BSN path at Winston-Salem State University recognizes registered nurses as adult learners with experience in nursing and an active life. If you need a student-friendly program with enough flexibility to meet your specific needs, the WSSU RN to BSN program is for you. The program can be completed in three semesters as a full-time student or in five semesters as a part-time student. WSSU’s RN to BSN degree program was developed by nurses for working nursing professionals to provide the flexibility needed to complete the degree while maintaining full-time employment.
Appalachian State University, established in 1899, offers an RN to BSN online degree program from its Blue Ridge Mountain campus. The BSN degree from ASU requires a total of 120 credit units, of which 30 units must be taken at Appalachian State University. Degree candidates for this RN to BSN program from ASU can complete the degree in only one year and is a great springboard to nursing management and leadership positions.
Tuition – $163 Per Credit (In State Residents)
The University of North Georgia (North Georgia) was established in 2014 when two local schools merged. UNG is considered one of the nation’s senior military colleges. Students applying to UNG’s RN to BSN degree program must have completed a nursing diploma program or their associate degree, but take their NCLEX exam before Nov 1 of the first semester to continue with studies. Students enrolled in UNG’s RN to BSN degree program can complete this BSN completion program in only three semesters.
Bowie State University is a recognized HBCU school that was established in 1865 and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Students enrolled in Bowie State’s RN to BSN online degree program gain practical experience through internships and participating in the school’s cutting-edge nursing labs. This two-year program requires students to hold an RN license in Maryland, but students are considered pending the results from the NCLEX-RN exam.
Tuition – $235.29 Per Credit (In State Residents)
California State University (Cal State) Fullerton
Cal State Fullerton offers an RN to BSN degree completion program that can be completed in two semesters of full-time studies – for a total of 48 credits. Nearly 40,000 students attend classes on Cal State Fullerton’s urban campus in Southern California. This RN to BSN online program from Cal State Fullerton is an upper-level completion program; however, applicants may hold or be eligible for a California RN license.
Tuition – $239.25 Per Credit (In-state)
Accreditation – CCNE & Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME)
Dixie State University offers a 100% online RN to BSN program that requires the completion of a minimum of 30 nursing credits. Applicants must have an Associate RN degree from an accredited program. An active RN license from any state is required. Applicants are eligible to start the program in any of the six annual start dates, but must have an RN license prior to beginning the second semester. The program incorporates flexible, part-time and full-time scheduling options, with most students graduating in 12 months.
Tuition: $255 Per Credit (In State and Out of State, General Fees Waived)
New Mexico Highlands University offers an RN to BSN degree program that offers students an amazing faculty-to-student ratio. NMHU’s RN to BSN completion degree program is designed to accommodate working nurse professionals who are seeking to further their education and careers. Degree candidates explore related topics like leadership, community health, and patient care in this 120-credit unit program, of which 32 credits must be completed from the RN to BSN curriculum.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU)
Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU) offers an RN to BSN online degree completion program that has been created to meet the educational needs of busy working nurse professionals. The core nursing credits totals eight classes for 30 semester credits, which can be completed in only two or three semesters. OPSU offers BSN connection scholarships to eligible RN to BSN nursing students. Students may attend OPSU’s RN to BSN online degree as a part-time or full-time.
The Lake Campus of Wright State University is a public higher learning institution in Dayton that offers an RN to BSN degree program. Wright State was first developed in 1964 as a branch facility of OSU and Miami University but became an independent institution in 1967, which now serves more than 12,100 students. Scholarships are available for RN to BSN online students through the school’s partnership with Premier Health Partners. Wright State is named to honor the airplane inventors, the Wright Brothers.
Tuition – $ 276.72 Per Credit (In State Tuition – up to 18 credits per semester)
Western New Mexico University‘s RN to BSN online degree program has been designed to accommodate working nurse professionals who want to further their education and career. Students can complete this BSN completion program in as little as two years, even with the 96-hour required practicum (in the student’s community). This program requires a minimum of 42 credit hours to be completed at WNMU in upper-level nursing classes.
Kentucky Christian University offers a top ranked Kentucky RN to BSN online program that is recognized by a number of educational ranking agencies. Students must earn a total of 120 semester hours to graduate, 36 credit hours of which are included in KCU’s RN to BSN online program. Clinical requirements can be coordinated in the student’s home community. Students complete this program on average, in 1.5 years.
The University of North Alabama offers two RN completion programs with its RN to BSN online degree and its RN to MSN degree option. UNA is designed for working nurse professionals who require the flexibility of an online program where they can set their own study schedule. Full-time students enrolled in the University of North Alabama’s RN to BSN degree program can complete their studies and degree in about twelve months.
Northeastern State University, the 4th largest of all Oklahoma’s four institutions of higher education, offers an RN to BSN degree that permits students to pay as they go. Students applying to NSU’s cheapest RN to BSN online degree program must already possess an associate degree (or related degree) and complete a minimum of 30 semester credits that equal nine total BSN nursing upper-level classes. Degree candidates can complete this RN to BSN online degree in only ten months.
Tuition: $305.50 Per Credit (In state), $306.50 (Out-of-State)
The University of Houston (UH Clear Lake)
Founded in 1974, the University of Houston – Clear Lake offers an RN to BSN completion program that can be completed in only two semesters as a full-time RN to BSN student or six semesters as a part-time student. Students applying must hold a diploma in nursing or a nursing degree – AND or AAS. The degree requires 120 total credit units, of which 30 must be completed as upper-level coursework at the University of Houston.
Eastern New Mexico University offers an RN to BSN degree program that can be completed in only sixteen months for full-time students. Established in 1927, ENMU holds the distinction of being the state’s largest regional institution of higher education. Students enrolled in Eastern New Mexico University’s RN to BSN degree program generally take 2 to 4 classes each semester, and classes generally run for eight weeks. The school’s student to faculty ratios is an impressive 17 to 1.
Tuition – $307.14 Per Credit (In State or Out-of-State)
Bluefield State College (Bluefield State)
Bluefield State College offers an RN to BSN online degree program developed for working nursing professionals to complete as full-time or part-time students. Bluefield State’s RN to BSN online program is a “2 + 2” nursing program that allows those who hold an associate degree to complete the BSN degree in only 3 or 4 semesters. The school operates on two campuses.
Tuition – $312 Per Credit (In State Residents)
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana (UL Lafayette) was established in 1898 as a public higher learning institution. UL Lafayette offers an RN to BSN degree program that requires the completion of 30 credit hours. Students can complete UL Lafayette’s RN to BSN degree program in only one year. Applicants to UL Lafayette’s RN to BSN completion degree program must hold a valid, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) License.
Founded in 1913, Minot State University offers an RN to BSN online degree that is available as full-time or part-time students. MSU is a small school located in the north and western section of North Dakota for more than a century. Minot State University’s RN to BSN online degree program is designed for working nurses who wish to further their education/career but need the flexibility of an online degree to accommodate their busy schedule. Students can finish this BSN completion degree in 2 – 4 semesters, depending on course load.
Tuition – $328.98 Per Credit (Same for In State and Out-of-State)
The University of Bridgeport offers an RN to BSN degree program that prepares nursing professionals for careers in management, leadership, and research, among others. UB allows up to 90 eligible credits to be transferred towards the RN to BSN’s 120 credit requirement. The University of Bridgeport offers nurses six start dates each year. Classes run for seven-weeks and the time to complete the program will vary based on the student’s previous work history and educational achievements.
Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis offers an RN to BSN degree program that can be completed in only one year for students studying full-time. Part-time nursing students can complete this program in about 24 months. Classes for IUPUI’s RN to BSN degree program are delivered in both six and eight-week modules for easy access. Applicants applying to this program must possess a valid, unencumbered Indiana Nursing License.
Montclair State University offers one of New Jersey’s cheapest RN to BSN online degree programs that require applicants to possess a nursing diploma or associate degree and be eligible for a New Jersey nursing license. RN to BSN nursing students are required to complete 31 semester credits of upper-level nursing classes. Applicants may transfer up to 40 eligible credits for nursing coursework, with approval by the School of Nursing.
Tuition – $351.83 Per Credit (In State Full-time up to 18 credits); $402.73 (In State Part-Time)
Viterbo Univesity offers an RN to BSN online degree program that has been offered for more than one-quarter of a century. Students enrolled in Viterbo’s RN to BSN degree can complete the program in one, two, or three years, depending on their time commitment. Student’s interested in earning a more advanced nursing degree can check out Viterbo’s BSN to DNP program.
Galen College of Nursing offers one of the state’s cheapest RN to BSN online programs that can be completed in only one year. Students can complete their 48-hour practicum in a convenient location near where they live. Although students can apply before taking the NCLEX, acceptance is contingent upon holding a valid RN license. Transfer credits are permitted, and up to six eligible nursing credits may be transferred. Note – students complete the capstone course at no cost – a savings of more than $1,500!
Tuition – $395 Per Credit (In State) – Remains the same as long as continuously
Many RN to BSN online programs are designed to accommodate working nursing professionals. As such, many RN to BSN online program applicants have completed a good portion of the required coursework prior to that is needed to meet a baccalaureate-level degree program.
It is for this reason that the RN to BSN online programs ranked above have been evaluated based on the estimated tuition cost per credit, which often differs for RNs who are on a mission to earn their Bachelor of Science (BSN) degree in Nursing.
Additionally, the cheapest RN to BSN online programs noted above are accredited by one of the two primary nursing oversight accreditation agencies – ACEN or CCNE. Note that additional information was obtained from the most recent edition of the National Center for Education Statistics database.
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