The Best Online BSN Programs
Registered nurses (RNs) provide advanced nursing care to patients in a variety of healthcare settings. RNs perform many different clinical tasks, including administering medications, conducting patient assessments, obtaining vital signs, wound care, patient education, and more.
In order to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), you must have completed either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Choosing to obtain a BSN means that you will have higher income earning potential, more job opportunities, and more career advancement opportunities compared to ADN-prepared nurses.
BSN programs usually last between 3-4 years, depending on program length and if you pursue full-time or part-time study. Most BSN programs are offered at colleges or universities, with many institutions adopting an online hybrid learning format.
BSN curriculums are designed to provide you with a variety of educational experiences, including lectures, skills labs, and clinical rotations. BSN programs also focus heavily on critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based practice. These diverse learning experiences will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to become a safe and competent nursing professional.
When you complete the program, you will receive a BSN degree. However, despite having a nursing degree, you are not legally allowed to practice as a nurse until you have passed the NCLEX-RN exam. Successfully passing the NCLEX-RN exam indicates to the board of nursing that candidates have met the minimally acceptable competency standards for licensure.
After passing the NCLEX-RN exam, you must then apply for licensure with the board of nursing in your practicing state. Nursing licenses must be renewed according to state requirements, usually every two years. Specific renewal requirements, such as number of practicing hours or number of continuing education hours, vary by state.
Can You Complete a BSN Program Online?
Yes, you can, but it will be in a hybrid format. No BSN program is 100% online because nursing is a hands-on profession that requires extensive practice. Hybrid BSN programs allow students to complete their lectures and a large portion of their coursework online. However, skills labs, clinical rotations, and other important aspects of the curriculum must still be completed in person. The amount of hands-on clinical time students are required to have is dictated by the state’s board of nursing.
For those that do not already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field or an Associate Degree in Nursing, most online hybrid BSN programs take around the same time to complete as a traditional program, usually between 3-4 years.
However, some online BSN programs are accelerated, meaning you can complete the program in less time than a traditional program. It is important to keep in mind that accelerated programs are even more rigorous and academically intense than traditional BSN programs.
Online vs. Traditional BSN Programs: Which is Right for You?
Both hybrid and traditional BSN programs can provide you with the education, training, and experience necessary to become a successful RN.
Traditional BSN programs offer more opportunities to interact directly with your instructors and peers, which can be helpful for those who learn best through face-to-face instruction and interaction. Traditional programs also provide a more rigid schedule, which some people need in order to be academically successful.
Hybrid programs offer more flexibility and convenience, which is great for students with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. However, online programs may not be a good fit for those who are unskilled with technology or struggle with self-discipline regarding online learning.
Ultimately, the choice between an online or traditional BSN program comes down to your learning preferences and how much flexibility you need in order to balance nursing school with your other personal obligations.
The following five online BSN programs are considered some of the best in the country, due to achieving NCLEX-RN pass rates higher than the national average of 82.3%:
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 96.2%
Online/Hybrid Option: Yes
Accredited? Yes
Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is consistently ranked one of the best in the country. They offer a distance-based accelerated BSN program that allows students to earn a nursing degree in less time than a traditional program.
The intensive full-time program requires students to enroll for three continuous semesters, completing coursework online and clinical experiences in person. Emory’s accelerated BSN program utilizes a team-based learning model, where students engage in internet-based learning to develop clinical judgment and critical thinking skills. Clinical experiences take place on campus, in local communities, and in optional global sites, providing students with a broad variety of clinical learning opportunities.
Emory University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Location: Arlington, Texas
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 86.9%
Online/Hybrid Option: Yes
Accredited? Yes
The University of Texas at Arlington offers an accelerated BSN program that can be completed in as little as nine months for RNs and 15 months for non-RNs.
The intensive program delivers content via a hybrid learning model, with 100% online coursework and in-person clinical experiences. The nursing curriculum is application-focused, fostering advanced, evidence-based clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Clinical experiences are conducted on campus and in local healthcare facilities. The program does not operate on a traditional semester-based schedule, providing students with greater flexibility and multiple start date options.
The University of Texas at Arlington is accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 84.4%
Online/Hybrid Option: Yes
Accredited? Yes
Wilkes University offers an accelerated BSN program that can be completed in 12 months of full-time study. Coursework is 100% online and each course experience is primarily conducted in asynchronous format. Clinical experiences must be completed in person on campus or in local healthcare facilities.
Wilkes’ faculty provides students with clinical placement support, which allows students to gain hands-on clinical nursing experience with a preceptor or clinical group. Rotations are offered in various specialties and coincide with current courses. Wilkes also offers student support in the form of a Student Success team, which provides students with the resources they need from orientation through graduation.
Wilkes University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Location: Peoria, Illinois
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 87%
Online/Hybrid Option: Yes
Accredited? Yes
Methodist College offers an accelerated BSN program that can be completed in four semesters of full-time study. The rigorous program delivers coursework online, while hands-on clinical experiences are completed in person on campus or at local healthcare facilities. Students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA throughout the accelerated BSN program.
The curriculum includes courses in health assessment, mental health, pediatrics, maternal health, complex health, and more.
Methodist College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Location: Henderson, Nevada
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93.1%
Online/Hybrid Option: Yes
Accredited? Yes
Roseman University offers a hybrid online accelerated BSN program. The hybrid online learning modality offers the classroom coursework component online. Clinical rotations, group assignments, and laboratory assignments must be completed in person either on campus or at local healthcare facilities.
The curriculum is concept-based, following Roseman University’s Six-Point Mastery Learning Model. The curriculum focuses on preparing students for real-life situations, strengthening their clinical judgment and critical thinking skills along the way.
Roseman offers three start dates and rolling admission in June, October, and February for the hybrid online track.
Roseman University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
