Compare the best online and hybrid BSN, MSN, ADN, and RN programs. Tuition costs, NCLEX pass rates, accreditation, and program highlights for prospective nursing students.
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Online Nursing Programs
WGU's RN-BSN program is one of the nation's most popular, offering a completely online, competency-based format that allows working nurses to progress at their own pace with flat-rate tuition.
GCU's online nursing programs offer working nurses a faith-integrated, flexible education path. The RN-BSN completion program can be completed in as little as 12 months.
University of Phoenix's RN-BSN program features 5-week course blocks and 24/7 online access, designed specifically for working nurses seeking to complete their BSN.
Chamberlain University is one of the largest nursing schools in the nation, offering a fully accredited online BSN with multiple start dates and comprehensive NCLEX preparation resources.
Walden's online MSN program offers specializations in nurse practitioner, nursing informatics, nursing leadership, and public health nursing, designed for working RNs.
American Sentinel's online RN-BSN features generous transfer credit policies and a streamlined curriculum focused on practical nursing leadership skills.
IWU's online RN-BSN program combines faith-based values with professional nursing education in a completely online format designed for nurses who want to advance while maintaining work-life balance.
Online nursing programs make it possible to earn or advance a nursing credential without relocating or stepping away from a current job — a major draw for working nurses, parents, and career-changers. The most common fully online option is the RN-to-BSN bridge, designed for licensed RNs who already completed an associate degree and want a bachelor's to qualify for Magnet hospitals and leadership roles. Online MSN and post-graduate certificate programs are widely available as well, including Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, and Nursing Informatics tracks.
One thing to understand before you enroll: you cannot become a brand-new RN entirely online. Pre-licensure programs require hands-on clinical hours and skills labs that must be completed in person, so even an "online" entry-level program will arrange local clinical placements. Bridge and graduate programs that build on an existing license are the ones that can run almost entirely online.
When comparing online programs, accreditation matters more than format. Look for CCNE or ACEN accreditation, confirm the school is authorized to operate in your state (most participate in the SARA agreement), and verify how clinical placements are arranged. Your eligibility to sit for the NCLEX and your nursing license are tied to your state of residence and its Board of Nursing — not to where the school is located.