Top 10 RN to BSN Online Degree Programs
With limited jobs in the country more people are looking for jobs in the ever-steady healthcare industry including in the field of nursing. While education expenses can be quite high there are some affordable programs that can help students gain a coveted BSN degree. This advanced degree can open up more opportunities for these students along with a higher pay grade in the future.
Ranked: Cheap Online RN to BSN Degree Programs
Here is a compiled list of some of the most affordable online programs that offer a great education, too. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other in order to advance your nursing career.
Baker College Online
Baker College Online has a BSN program for registered nurses. The program takes four years to complete and is meant for students already working in the nursing field. Students are required to provide proof of their RN license and maintain their RN licensure throughout their enrollment in the program as well The program requires all students to take introductory classes regarding online college success along with general education requirements that will demonstrate their proficiency in English. Once the introductory courses are complete students will take classes to learn clinical experience including practicums in community health and leadership. Other required courses are Physiology, Human Anatomy, and Fundamentals of Professional Nursing Practice. In order to graduate from the program students must pass all classes with at least a B- (2.7). Baker College Online charges students $215 per credit hour.
Walden University
This school offers several levels of nursing degree programs at affordable rates including an RN to BSN program. They also offer a post-master’s nursing certificate, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, and an MS in Nursing. Students have to have work experience in a clinical setting in order to be considered for these graduate programs. Registered nurses may take less than four years to complete their degree. Tuition for the RN to BSN program is $300 per credit hour. Walden University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Western Governors University
Besides their BSN program for registered nurses, Western Governors University also offers BSN classes for pre-licensed students, an MBA program in Healthcare Management, and MS programs in Nursing in Education, Nursing in Leadership and Management, Nursing in Education for Registered Nurses, and Nursing in Leadership and Management for Registered Nurses. Their RN to BSN program required 120 units of study that, depending on previous education, can take about four years ending in a bachelor’s degree. The program is meant to expand knowledge and skills in patient safety, technology integration, healthcare systems and policies, as well as in evidence-based practice. WGU doesn’t charge student per credit, instead they charge $2,890 every six months.
Liberty University Online
The religious university offers a number of nursing programs including their RN to BSN degree program. The program is designed to work with students’ schedules as they are expected to continue working as nurses during the program so they can get their clinical practice skills along with the online classes. Tuition rates are $325 per undergraduate credit. All students must pay an application fee and send over all college and high school transcripts in order to be eligible for the program.
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Chamberlain College’s RN to BSN program is completely online with degree completion possible in as little as three semesters. This unique program also allows students to take graduate courses while earning their undergraduate degree. Classes can be taken at any time and there are no set login times. They are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and charge $30,600 for the total RN to BSN program.
Indiana State University
The University’s College of Nursing, Health and Human Services has several degree programs including their online RN to BSN program and a wide range of graduate degree programs. Prospective students are required to have a high school diploma with a GPA of at least 2.5. They also have to pass both English and math exams which are dependent on their home state. Tuition for the RN to BSN program is about $286 per credit hour for Indiana residents and about $358 per credit hour for out-of-state students.
Drexel University
Drexel offers both an online RN to BSN program and an online RN to MSN bridge program. Prospective students must complete an application and show proof of their RN license. They must also have a 2.5 or higher GPA along with an Associate’s degree in nursing. Thirty houses of courses in nursing, microbiology, physiology, English, and humanities are required. Tuition for the program is $569 per undergraduate credit.
University of Wyoming
The University’s Fay W. Whitney School of nursing offers an online RN to BSN program for candidates with an Associate’s degree or diploma in nursing. The program, which is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate nursing Education, takes about one year for most students and requires no clinical section. Tuition for the degree program costs about $4,400 a year for Wyoming residents and $14,100 a year for out-of-state students.
Brigham Young University
The RN to BSN program is offered to students who already hold an RN license. The classes are offered online as well as in person and there is also a combination of both online and in person program available. In order to qualify for admission students must apply with an ecclesiastical endorsement, official transcripts, and seminary evaluation. An SAT or ACT score along with student essays are also required. This program takes between three and six semesters to complete and costs $4,710 a year.
Colorado Christian University
The RN to BSN program at Colorado Christian University is an online program made for students currently working as registered nurses. Students must take 120 credit hours broken down into 42 general education credits, 12 biological science credits, 28 nursing credits, and 38 for RN licensure credits. Most classes a five weeks long and cost around $380 per credit hour. Classes are taken one at a time. Students have to turn in an application, two essays, all relevant transcripts, and two letters of recommendation to be qualified for admission.
