RN to BSN Programs

Ranked on published in-state tuition

Cheapest RN to BSN Programs, Ranked (2026)

Written and edited by , Editor B.A. Psychology, University of Washington Seattle · B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State University

Last updated

The cheapest RN to BSN program in this ranking charges $970 a year in published in-state tuition, and the cheapest quarter of the cohort — 73 programs — runs from there to $5,777. That is the resident price. The 3 schools at that floor sit in Massachusetts, and a nurse living anywhere else is quoted a different number: 47 of the 290 ranked programs charge a non-resident less than the $9,221.50 a median resident pays. The list below reorders for out-of-state applicants, and the usual shortcut for finding those — looking for one flat price — points the wrong way.

The 73 Cheapest Ranked RN to BSN Programs

Ordered by published annual in-state tuition, cheapest first. This is not the site's score order — scores weigh cost at 55% and institutional graduation rate at 45%, and are calculated against all 290 ranked programs rather than against this subset. Read the ranking methodology.

  1. 1st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Worcester State University

    Worcester, MA · Public Hybrid $970 annual in-state tuition 61% institutional graduation rate 45 degrees a year 81.1 score
    Worcester State runs its RN-to-BS track as a hybrid three-semester day cohort that meets on campus one weekday, either Tuesday or Thursday from 9am to 4pm, rather than as a self-paced online completion program.

    Track Two is Worcester State's completion route to a Bachelor of Science for nurses who already hold a license. Every applicant must hold a current, unencumbered license to practice as an RN in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Admission calls for official high school and college transcripts and a minimum 2.5 GPA, and the full application has to be complete before May 1 to be considered for that September. Associate degree and diploma graduates earn 29 nursing credits for their NCLEX-RN licensure. Transfer students can bring in up to 72 credits from an accredited associate degree college and a maximum of 90 from four-year colleges and universities, and anyone who already holds a BA or BS in another major needs only the nursing courses plus the nursing prerequisites. Those prerequisites are College Writing I and II, Statistics I, Introduction to Sociology, General Psychology, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and Microbiology or Medical Microbiology; all of them, statistics included, must be finished with a C or higher before a student can enter the nursing sequence.

    The nursing portion itself is 31 credits, taken in sequence, and all Track Two courses are offered in a hybrid format combining in-class and online work. The full-time day program runs three semesters: nine credits in the first (Transition to Baccalaureate Nursing, Nursing Informatics, and Selected Mechanisms of Disease and Related Pharmacology), ten in the second (Health Assessment, Research Seminar in Nursing, and Advanced Nursing Perspectives in Chronic Illness), and twelve in the third, where the six-credit Community/Public Health Nursing course sits alongside Professional Nursing Leadership and Organization and Health Policy, the last of which the catalog lists as online. Students are admitted as a cohort and class meets either Tuesday or Thursday, 9am to 4pm. A minimum grade of 80 is required in every nursing course; only one nursing course may be repeated to reach that grade or the required GPA, and it must be repeated within two years. A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.

    • 31 nursing credits
    • Hybrid: in-class and online
    • Massachusetts RN license required
    • Three semesters, full-time day cohort
    • Up to 72 transfer credits from an associate degree
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. Federal accreditation database (DAPIP), . Learn more about Worcester State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  2. 2nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Fitchburg State University

    Fitchburg, MA · Public Online $970 annual in-state tuition 55% institutional graduation rate 137 degrees a year 78.2 score
    Fitchburg State's 32-credit online nursing core runs in seven-week sessions and requires two courses beyond the standard completion subjects: Social Justice and Advocacy, and Caring for Forensic Populations, which teaches forensic health assessment and violence prevention and intervention.

    Fitchburg State's RN to BS in Nursing is a post-licensure completion program, and a valid RN license is required for admission. The nursing portion is 10 courses covering 32 credit hours, delivered online in an accelerated format with seven-week course sessions and multiple start dates each year. Students who need only the nursing courses and carry two courses per seven-week session can finish in as few as 12 months; completion runs longer for anyone taking one course per session or still owing additional credits. The degree as a whole takes 120 credit hours, the 32 nursing credits plus another 88 including general education, which an applicant can satisfy by transferring credits earned in an associate program. Tuition is billed by the course at $311 per credit hour and $933 per course, $9,952 for the nursing program, at the same rate for in-state and out-of-state students with all fees included.

    The curriculum covers health and physical assessment, evidence-based practice, health care policy and finance, genomics for nursing practice, and nursing in a global community, and it carries an emphasis on social justice and advocacy plus an introduction to caring for forensic populations, each a required course. Of the 32 credits, 24 are nursing core courses and two are clinical practicum courses: the four-credit Community Based Nursing applies the nursing process to vulnerable populations across distributive care settings, with a clinical practice experience that lets students apply practice to theory, and the four-credit RN to BS Capstone has students examine nursing trends in their practicum placement. Admission requires a nursing license in good standing, a minimum 2.5 GPA in prior coursework, a statement of purpose, and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. The baccalaureate degree in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    • 32 credits, 10 courses
    • As few as 12 months
    • Seven-week online sessions
    • Valid RN license required
    • $311 per credit, in- or out-of-state
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Fitchburg State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  3. 3rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Westfield State University

    Westfield, MA · Public Online $970 annual in-state tuition 54% institutional graduation rate 36 degrees a year 77.7 score
    Westfield State lets RN to BSN students choose a 12-month or 24-month pace, and the same full-time faculty who teach in the day nursing program teach the completion courses.

    Westfield State University's RN to BSN program is designed for licensed registered nurses building on an associate degree in nursing. Admission requires an associate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on college coursework completed before admission, an unencumbered Massachusetts license to practice as a registered nurse in the United States by the start of the program, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and one academic or professional recommendation. The program starts in September with a June 1 application deadline, and the university accepts up to 90 credits from regionally accredited colleges and universities.

    Coursework is online, and students choose to finish in 12 or 24 months. The nursing major carries 30 credits of nursing courses (Global Health, Advanced Health Assessment, Quality Improvement and Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare, Healthcare Research for Professionals, Business of Healthcare, Community Health Nursing (RN-BSN), Healthcare Leadership, and the Nursing Capstone and Clinical Internship) plus 28 credits of foundational requirements in microbiology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, statistics, psychology, and sociology. Nursing and science lab courses require a grade of C or better to stay in good standing, and a student may repeat only one clinical course with a grade below C over the whole program. The program opens with a student-focused orientation to the online platform, and students apply program concepts to their current practice environments before completing a capstone project addressing real problems in care delivery. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    • 12 or 24 months
    • Online coursework
    • Massachusetts RN license required
    • 2.75 minimum GPA
    • CCNE accredited
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Westfield State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  4. 4th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Trinity Valley Community College

    Athens, TX · Public $1,170 annual in-state tuition 27% institutional graduation rate 36 degrees a year 64.5 score
    Trinity Valley's 30-credit upper-division plan divides completion coursework across two semesters, including separate community-health and leadership clinical courses.

    Trinity Valley's catalog places 30 upper-division credits after 90 lower-division credits in a 120-credit BSN. The upper-division completion plan spans two semesters in eight-week blocks. Its courses include health assessment for RNs, research, policy and a nursing elective.

    Community/public health and leadership/management each have a separate clinical course. The clinical requirements belong to the RN completion sequence, not just the earlier associate nursing education.

    • 30 upper-division nursing credits
    • Two-semester upper-division plan
    • Eight-week course blocks
    • Community-health clinical course
    • Leadership and management clinical
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Trinity Valley Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  5. 5th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Navarro College

    Corsicana, TX · Public $1,620 annual in-state tuition 23% institutional graduation rate 14 degrees a year 62 score
    Navarro's RN-to-BSN schedules upper-division coursework across fall, spring and summer, with admission GPA requirements assessed separately for nursing and general academics.

    Navarro's 2026-27 RN-to-BSN catalog arranges upper-division coursework across fall, spring and summer. The complete bachelor's degree totals 120 credits and recognizes up to 36 nursing credits from prior ADN or diploma education and Texas licensure. That recognition contributes to the full degree, rather than representing new upper-division classes.

    Admission assesses the academic record in two groups: prerequisite general academic courses need a minimum 2.0 GPA, while nursing coursework needs a 2.5 GPA. General academic prerequisites must be finished before the first class day. Applicants should therefore calculate the two GPA categories separately and resolve unfinished prerequisites before using the three-semester nursing plan as their start-to-finish schedule.

    • Fall, spring and summer sequence
    • 120 total degree credits
    • Up to 36 prior nursing credits
    • 2.0 GPA in general academic prerequisites
    • 2.5 GPA in nursing coursework
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Navarro College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  6. 6th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Gulf Coast State College

    Panama City, FL · Public $1,750 annual in-state tuition 43% institutional graduation rate 32 degrees a year 71.6 score
    Gulf Coast State's RN-to-BSN degree plan combines 36 credits of advanced nursing courses with prior associate-degree or diploma nursing education.

    Gulf Coast State's RN-to-BSN plan includes 36 credits of advanced nursing within a 120-credit bachelor's degree. It builds on prior associate-degree or diploma nursing education. The course overview also includes statistics, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, humanities and social sciences, making supporting coursework part of the degree as well as the nursing major.

    Practicing RNs with an accredited associate degree or nursing diploma may apply through a competitive admission process. Having the qualifying nursing background establishes an application route, not automatic acceptance. The distinction between the advanced nursing block and supporting requirements is particularly useful when an applicant's prior coursework comes from more than one college.

    • 36 advanced nursing credits
    • 120 total degree credits
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    • Statistics and science requirements
    • Competitive admission
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Gulf Coast State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  7. 7th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Santa Fe College

    Gainesville, FL · Public Online, asynchronous $1,872 annual in-state tuition 53% institutional graduation rate 62 degrees a year 76.3 score
    Santa Fe pairs seven-week asynchronous nursing courses with two 45-hour practice experiences, one in community health and one in the BSN capstone.

    Santa Fe's 30-credit upper-division curriculum uses seven-week asynchronous courses. The full-time plan spans 2.5 semesters, while part-time students follow a five-semester plan. Both sit within a 120-credit degree that also includes general education and foreign-language competence; the upper-division nursing total is not the entire graduation requirement.

    Practice is divided between Community Health Nursing and the BSN Capstone, with 45 hours in each. These two experiences give the program a community-to-capstone progression and create time commitments beyond online assignments. Admission requires at least a 2.5 overall college GPA. The choice of pace changes how the academic work is spread, not the requirement to complete both practice experiences.

    • 30 upper-division credits
    • Seven-week asynchronous courses
    • Two 45-hour practice experiences
    • 2.5-semester full-time plan
    • Five-semester part-time plan
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Santa Fe College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  8. 8th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Pensacola State College

    Pensacola, FL · Public Online $1,884 annual in-state tuition 36% institutional graduation rate 42 degrees a year 68 score
    Pensacola State pairs online coursework with two one-credit practicum courses that involve time at a facility, with three-, four- and five-semester study options.

    Pensacola State offers three-, four- and five-semester RN-to-BSN options for ADN graduates who hold an RN license. The degree requires 120 college credits, including transferred and articulated work. The time remaining depends on those credits as well as the selected study plan.

    Coursework is online, but two one-credit practicum courses involve time at a facility. Their credit value should not be confused with a stated number of clinical hours. These practice experiences remain part of the completion pathway even when the surrounding academic work is remote. Choosing among the study plans involves fitting both the remaining courses and the facility-based experiences into the student's schedule.

    • Online coursework
    • Two one-credit practicum courses
    • Facility-based practice experiences
    • Three-, four- or five-semester options
    • 120 total degree credits
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Pensacola State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  9. 9th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Saint Johns River State College

    Palatka, FL · Public Fully online $1,892 annual in-state tuition 49% institutional graduation rate 47 degrees a year 74.3 score
    St. Johns River State offers full-time and part-time RN-to-BSN study online, with entry points in fall, spring and summer.

    St. Johns River State offers online RN-to-BSN study for graduates of an Associate in Science nursing program who hold a current, valid and unencumbered Florida RN license. Students can enroll full time or part time, with fall, spring and summer entry points.

    The college publishes a separate course-rotation plan for each starting term and study load. A spring part-time entrant should therefore use that particular sequence rather than borrow the fall full-time calendar. The combination of multiple starts and explicit rotations is useful for planning around employment while keeping required courses in order. The Florida license requirement remains part of admission regardless of the online format.

    • 100% online delivery
    • Full-time and part-time plans
    • Fall, spring and summer starts
    • Associate in Science nursing entry
    • Unencumbered Florida RN license required
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Saint Johns River State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  10. 10th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Hillsborough Community College

    Tampa, FL · Public Online $1,926 annual in-state tuition 34% institutional graduation rate 22 degrees a year 67 score
    Hillsborough offers every RN-to-BSN course each fall, spring and summer in eight-week blocks, with student-arranged experiences in community health and leadership.

    Hillsborough offers every RN-to-BSN course in fall, spring and summer, using eight-week online blocks. Up to 11 upper-level nursing credits may transfer after individual review. The leadership and management capstone must be taken in the final eight weeks, so broad course availability does not mean the entire sequence can be rearranged freely.

    Community/public-health and leadership experiences are arranged by the student. That responsibility is an important part of preparation for the practice-bearing courses. Admission requires at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and recent nursing graduates must supply RN licensure before their second course block. The license deadline, transfer review and final-block capstone each create a separate checkpoint in the plan.

    • Eight-week online courses
    • All courses offered every term
    • Community-health experiential learning
    • Final-block leadership capstone
    • Up to 11 upper-level transfer credits
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Hillsborough Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  11. 11th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    St Petersburg College

    St. Petersburg, FL · Public Fully online $1,943 annual in-state tuition 38% institutional graduation rate 155 degrees a year 68.9 score
    St. Petersburg's RN-to-BSN requires 40 upper-division credits: 32 in nursing core courses and eight in electives, with up to 10 eligible transfer credits.

    St. Petersburg requires 40 upper-division credits for its RN-to-BSN: 32 nursing core credits and eight electives. Up to 10 eligible upper-division credits may transfer. All classes are online, and students must earn C grades or better in the upper-division nursing coursework.

    ASN graduates can begin two required courses while completing RN licensure. A clear, unrestricted license is needed for full admission and the remaining coursework. This offers a limited start before licensure rather than unrestricted access to the whole sequence. The transfer allowance and elective block should also be considered separately: accepting prior upper-division work does not remove the requirement to satisfy the nursing core.

    • All classes online
    • 32 nursing core credits
    • Eight elective credits
    • Up to 10 upper-division transfer credits
    • Two-course start while completing RN licensure
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about St Petersburg College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  12. 12th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Broward College

    Fort Lauderdale, FL · Public Hybrid $1,968 annual in-state tuition 39% institutional graduation rate 52 degrees a year 69.4 score
    Broward's RN-to-BSN uses eight- to 12-week courses and three practicums in a blended and online format, with a 12- to 15-month full-time nursing sequence.

    Broward's RN-to-BSN combines blended and online delivery with courses lasting eight to 12 weeks. The full-time nursing sequence takes 12 to 15 months, while part-time study is also available. Three practicums accompany the coursework, making the practice schedule a meaningful part of the program's format.

    The complete degree requires 120 credits and incorporates earlier associate-level study. Applicants need an active, unencumbered Florida RN license, a 2.5 cumulative GPA and completed general education courses with grades of C or better. Broward also offers a direct-admission route for its ADN graduates. That local pathway is distinct from assuming that every transfer applicant has already satisfied the same general education requirements.

    • Eight- to 12-week courses
    • Three practicums
    • Blended and online delivery
    • 12- to 15-month full-time plan
    • Part-time study available
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Broward College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  13. 13th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Miami Dade College

    Miami, FL · Public Online option $1,987 annual in-state tuition 46% institutional graduation rate 214 degrees a year 72.8 score
    Miami Dade's RN-to-BSN offers asynchronous online and blended study, with two clinical courses accompanying the online pathway.

    Miami Dade's RN-to-BSN offers asynchronous online and blended study, with full-time and part-time tracks. The program can be completed in three semesters and builds on associate-degree nursing preparation. The online pathway has two clinical courses, so the delivery choice does not remove all practice commitments.

    The curriculum connects evidence-based care with cultural competency, equitable population-health outcomes, quality and safety, and information technology. That combination gives the completion work an emphasis on how care is delivered across teams and patient groups. Miami Dade also describes a transition route for its own ASN graduates. Applicants comparing the study tracks should distinguish the online class schedule from the arrangements for the two clinical courses.

    • Asynchronous online and blended options
    • Two clinical courses
    • Three-semester completion option
    • Full-time and part-time tracks
    • Information technology and patient safety
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Miami Dade College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  14. 14th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    College of Central Florida

    Ocala, FL · Public $1,987 annual in-state tuition 44% institutional graduation rate 41 degrees a year 71.8 score
    College of Central Florida structures its RN-to-BSN over three semesters full-time or four semesters part-time, with entry in spring, summer and fall.

    College of Central Florida offers a three-semester full-time RN-to-BSN plan and a four-semester part-time plan, with entry in spring, summer and fall. The pathway is intended for ADN-prepared nurses, and dedicated advisors help applicants work through admission and course planning.

    Eligible recent graduates can enter while completing Florida RN licensure requirements. They must have an active, unencumbered license before beginning the Community Health BSN course. That course is the important progression checkpoint for a student entering before licensure. The two study-load options create different schedules, but both need to place the licensure requirement correctly within the nursing sequence.

    • Three-semester full-time plan
    • Four-semester part-time plan
    • Spring, summer and fall entry
    • ADN-prepared nurse pathway
    • RN license required before Community Health
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about College of Central Florida's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  15. 15th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Tallahassee State College

    Tallahassee, FL · Public Online $2,002 annual in-state tuition 38% institutional graduation rate 18 degrees a year 68.9 score
    Tallahassee State's online RN-to-BSN gives students up to four calendar years to finish after starting the 30-credit upper-division nursing core.

    Tallahassee State's RN-to-BSN builds on qualifying associate-degree or diploma nursing education with a 30-credit upper-division nursing core. Classes are online. Applicants need at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and an unrestricted RN license in the state where they will live while completing the coursework.

    Students have up to four calendar years to finish after starting the nursing core. That limit is a maximum completion window, not a claim that the program normally takes four years. For an RN considering a slower course load, the point at which the clock starts is important: it is entry into the nursing core, rather than the date of the student's original nursing degree.

    • Online nursing courses
    • 30-credit upper-division core
    • Four-year completion limit after core entry
    • Associate-degree or diploma pathway
    • 2.0 cumulative admission GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Tallahassee State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  16. 16th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Eastern Florida State College

    Melbourne, FL · Public Fully online $2,048 annual in-state tuition 52% institutional graduation rate 51 degrees a year 75.6 score
    Eastern Florida's online RN-to-BSN includes a capstone practicum built around the student's interests in their local community.

    Eastern Florida describes an 18-month part-time RN-to-BSN pathway for working nurses. Eligible students can receive up to 42 credits for core ADN coursework toward the 120-credit degree. The remaining requirements depend on the transfer record, rather than a promise that every ADN graduate has the same classes left.

    The coursework is online, with a capstone practicum developed around the student's interests in their local community. Final-semester ADN students may apply, creating a route to plan bachelor's study before associate-degree graduation. They must hold the required Florida RN license before starting upper-division nursing courses. That license deadline and the local capstone distinguish the entry process from an entirely remote, open-start course sequence.

    • Fully online coursework
    • Local-community capstone practicum
    • Typical 18-month part-time path
    • Up to 42 credits for core ADN coursework
    • 120 total degree credits
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Eastern Florida State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  17. 17th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Florida State College at Jacksonville

    Jacksonville, FL · Public Fully online $2,095 annual in-state tuition 37% institutional graduation rate 124 degrees a year 68.3 score
    Florida State College at Jacksonville offers an online post-licensure BSN with an optional Global Scholars Distinction built around international coursework and learning activities.

    Florida State College at Jacksonville offers a fully online post-licensure BSN with continual applications throughout the term. The complete degree requires 120 credits, including the preparation brought into the completion pathway. Students must obtain a valid RN license by their second enrollment term.

    The nursing curriculum emphasizes evidence-based care, cultural awareness, collaboration and leadership. An optional Global Scholars Distinction adds an international dimension through designated coursework and learning activities. It is an additional distinction, not a separate nursing license or substitute for the BSN requirements. Students entering before RN licensure need to keep the second-term deadline separate from planning that optional academic work.

    • Fully online post-licensure program
    • 120 total degree credits
    • Continual admissions
    • RN license required by second term
    • Optional Global Scholars Distinction
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Florida State College at Jacksonville's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  18. 18th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Northwest Florida State College

    Niceville, FL · Public $2,151 annual in-state tuition 39% institutional graduation rate 43 degrees a year 69.2 score
    Northwest Florida State's completion plan offers a nursing elective in ethics, critical care, military and veteran care, or Spanish for healthcare providers.

    Northwest Florida State's May 2025 plan gives students a choice among nursing electives in ethics, critical care, military and veteran populations, or Spanish for healthcare providers. Those options allow a focused area of study alongside the required completion sequence rather than changing the core nursing requirements.

    The plan includes a five-credit family and community health course followed by six credits in nursing leadership and management. General education must be finished before the family and community course, and most nursing courses require a clear, active RN license. The larger-credit courses and the general education checkpoint are important features of the sequence when determining which requirements can be taken together.

    • Choice of upper-division nursing elective
    • Military and veteran care option
    • Spanish for healthcare providers option
    • Five-credit family/community health course
    • Six-credit leadership/management course
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Northwest Florida State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  19. 19th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Del Mar College

    Corpus Christi, TX · Public Hybrid $2,250 annual in-state tuition 11% institutional graduation rate 12 degrees a year 55.5 score
    Del Mar's three-semester RN-to-BSN uses a hybrid format with most coursework online, built around a 30-credit, concept-based nursing curriculum.

    Del Mar's RN-to-BSN contains 30 completion credits organized across three semesters. Delivery is hybrid with most coursework online, so this is not an entirely remote course format. The concept-based curriculum builds on the applicant's existing nursing education.

    Entry requires a current RN license, an associate nursing degree from an accredited program and the required general education coursework. Those supporting requirements sit outside the short description of the nursing sequence.

    • 30-credit completion program
    • Three-semester sequence
    • Hybrid delivery, primarily online
    • Concept-based curriculum
    • RN license and nursing associate degree required
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Del Mar College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  20. 20th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    North Florida College

    Madison, FL · Public Online $2,280 annual in-state tuition 59% institutional graduation rate 31 degrees a year 78.7 score
    The entire one-year online program costs about $4,148 for Florida residents, and it meets its end-of-program outcomes through experiential learning activities students may complete in their own workplace or community.

    North Florida College's ADN-RN to BSN bridge program is built for registered nurses who already hold an Associate in Science Degree in Nursing and want to add a baccalaureate credential. Coursework is delivered online and can be completed in as little as one year of full-time study, with part-time options the college says may also be available. Instead of scheduled clinical rotations, the program uses experiential learning activities to accomplish its end-of-program learning outcomes, and those activities may be completed in the student's own workplace or community. Every BSN course is capped at a maximum 30:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The curriculum is aimed at system leadership, evidence-based scholarship, quality and safety, and the use of technology in managing health information across diverse patient populations.

    Total cost of the one-year program is approximately $4,148 in state, based on $112.30 per semester hour; out-of-state tuition is $309.33 per semester hour. That figure covers tuition, a name badge, and the NFC admissions application fee, but not books or course-related resources. Applying begins with an appointment with the Allied Health advisor, followed by the NFC admissions application and its non-refundable $30 fee, high school transcripts or GED, college transcripts, and the program application submitted during the designated window: March 1 to July 1 for an August start, or July 1 to November 1 for a January start. Both the associate and baccalaureate nursing programs at the Madison campus are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, which granted initial accreditation to both in 2018. In its 2024 decision, the ACEN Board of Commissioners listed the baccalaureate program as accredited with a condition requiring a follow-up report in spring 2025.

    • Online delivery
    • One year full-time
    • ADN-RN required
    • $4,148 in-state total
    • ACEN accredited
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about North Florida College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  21. 21st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Delaware Technical Community College-Terry

    Dover, DE · Public $2,287 annual in-state tuition 22% institutional graduation rate 140 degrees a year 60.8 score Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, .
  22. 22nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota

    Bradenton, FL · Public Online $2,365 annual in-state tuition 38% institutional graduation rate 105 degrees a year 68.5 score
    State College of Florida uses accelerated five-week nursing sessions and requires a 45-hour community and public health practicum completed within Florida.

    State College of Florida uses accelerated five-week nursing sessions. Online core coursework is available in fall, spring and summer, and the published nursing sequence spans four semesters with two elective courses included. Classes have participation schedules and assignment deadlines; they are not self-paced.

    The Community and Public Health practicum requires 45 hours completed within Florida. This geographic requirement is separate from the convenience of online coursework. A nurse considering the program from another state should not assume that a local out-of-state placement will satisfy it. The short sessions and fixed practicum location are the main scheduling distinctions to weigh alongside the four-semester academic plan.

    • Five-week nursing sessions
    • Online core coursework
    • 45-hour community/public-health practicum
    • Practicum completed within Florida
    • Four-semester nursing-course sequence
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  23. 23rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Florida Gateway College

    Lake City, FL · Public Fully online $2,369 annual in-state tuition 54% institutional graduation rate 40 degrees a year 76.2 score
    Florida Gateway College lets a nurse begin the RN-BSN without a current license in hand, provided licensure is completed before the end of the first minimester.

    Florida Gateway College runs its BSN as a completion program for nurses who already hold an associate degree in nursing. The degree totals 121 credits counting the associate degree, of which 30 upper-division credits make up the completion work itself. Classes are delivered fully online, and the upper-division core is laid out across three semesters of 12, 12, and 7 credit hours, moving from nursing theory, pathophysiology, research and informatics, and health care policy into pharmacology, ethics and legal issues, and nursing assessment, then closing with community health and leadership and management. The baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Students are admitted twice a year, in fall and spring, and applications are accepted year-round. As with every FGC bachelor's degree, graduation also carries a foreign language requirement and the statewide civic literacy requirement.

    Admission requires an Associate of Science in Nursing from a regionally accredited college and a current, valid, unrestricted, unencumbered Florida RN license, though the college allows a student to start without the license as long as it is completed before the end of the first minimester. Applicants need a C or better in every general education requirement and a 2.5 GPA across their ASDN prerequisites, and they submit two applications, a paragraph on their reasons for pursuing the BSN, one signed professional letter of recommendation, a current American Heart Association Basic Life Support or American Red Cross card, a brief resume, and transcripts from every college other than FGC. A Level II background check, a 10-panel drug screen, and an alcohol test must clear before clinical placement. FGC publishes three tuition rates for the program: $120.33 per credit hour in state, $126.35 for Georgia residents, and $264.44 for non-residents, which come to estimated totals of $5,835, $6,021, and $10,302 once $545 in lab fees and $1,560 in textbooks are added.

    • 121 credits, 30 upper-division
    • 100% online
    • Florida RN license required
    • CCNE accredited
    • $120.33 per credit hour in state
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Florida Gateway College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  24. 24th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Seminole State College of Florida

    Sanford, FL · Public Fully online $2,393 annual in-state tuition 41% institutional graduation rate 70 degrees a year 69.9 score
    Seminole State's online RN-to-BSN includes 30 hours of virtual community-health simulation and another 30 hours of experiential learning in the final capstone.

    Seminole State's RN-to-BSN offers online courses and a completion path as short as 12 months, with a slower pace available. Its practice work has two distinct formats: 30 hours of virtual simulation in community health and 30 hours of experiential learning in the final capstone. The simulation hours should not be described as in-person clinical rotations.

    Admission generally requires at least a 2.5 GPA and a Florida or multistate RN license. Eligible recent graduates of Seminole State's ASN program have a direct route into bachelor's study. The capstone's experiential work remains part of the degree whether the student follows the fastest plan or spreads the courses over a longer period.

    • 100% online courses
    • As few as 12 months
    • 30-hour community-health simulation
    • 30-hour experiential capstone
    • 2.5 admission GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Seminole State College of Florida's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  25. 25th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Laredo College

    Laredo, TX · Public Online $2,400 annual in-state tuition 30% institutional graduation rate 10 degrees a year 64.6 score
    Laredo's RN-to-BSN includes a community capstone and coursework applying nursing research, informatics and leadership to local care needs.

    Laredo's online RN-to-BSN applies nursing research, informatics and leadership to community care, including a community capstone project. The 2025-26 handbook requires an unencumbered RN license, at least a 2.5 overall GPA and grades of C or better in prerequisite and core courses.

    The admission process gives first consideration to Laredo ADN graduates, followed by other nurses who live or work in the college's service area. Those priorities are distinct from the minimum admission requirements: meeting the GPA and license criteria does not remove the order of consideration. The community capstone and local admission priorities give the completion pathway a specific service-area focus.

    • Online BSN completion pathway
    • Community capstone project
    • Nursing informatics coursework
    • 2.5 overall admission GPA
    • Priority for Laredo ADN graduates
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Laredo College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  26. 26th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Georgia Highlands College

    Rome, GA · Public Online $2,424 annual in-state tuition 21% institutional graduation rate 40 degrees a year 60.2 score
    The only hands-on requirement is a single 45-hour Leadership Practicum that students arrange at a site of their own choosing, and full-time students can finish the coursework in two consecutive semesters.

    Georgia Highlands College offers the RN to BSN Completion program as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing delivered through GHC Online. The degree totals 120 credit hours, and the program can be completed in two consecutive semesters full-time or four or more semesters part-time. Courses are scheduled in both 8-week sessions and 16-week terms. The college describes all coursework as self-paced and on the student's own time, with one scheduled obligation for new students: a one-hour virtual live orientation.

    Applicants must hold a current, valid license to practice as a registered nurse in the United States, and need a minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 to be considered. Students may still have up to three general education courses outstanding when they begin the BSN nursing (NURS) major courses. The clinical component is a 45-hour Leadership Practicum, and students choose where they complete it. The page lists hospitals, home health care, nursing homes, doctors' offices, community centers, outpatient care facilities, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment and suppliers, government and military, and educational facilities as settings where nursing careers continue.

    • 120 credit hours
    • 45-hour Leadership Practicum
    • Two semesters full-time
    • U.S. RN license required
    • 2.5 minimum GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Georgia Highlands College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  27. 27th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    South Georgia State College

    Douglas, GA · Public Online $2,424 annual in-state tuition 16% institutional graduation rate 21 degrees a year 57.8 score
    RN-BSN students at SGSC may complete their preceptor learning experiences in the facilities where they are already employed, and the HESI A2 entrance exam is not required.

    South Georgia State College's RN-BSN program is designed for nurses who already hold an RN license and want to finish the baccalaureate degree, with a curriculum built to move students from an Associate of Science in Nursing to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The degree totals 120 semester credit hours: 60 hours of core requirements (Core IMPACTS), 30 hours of credit for previous ASN coursework, and 30 semester credit hours for degree completion. At least 30 program credits must be completed in residency at the school. The School of Nursing delivers the program in an online format, and students are required to complete it within 24 months of entering. Graduation requires a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale with no grade lower than a C, and a minimum grade of C is required in all science and general education courses in the nursing curriculum.

    Applicants must be fully accepted to the college, have three or fewer core classes remaining, earn a C or better in all core classes, exit all credit-level learning support courses, and be licensed in Georgia as a Registered Nurse with no current public or private disciplinary actions by the first day of enrollment, verified against the state roster of RNs. The HESI A2 exam is not required. The early decision deadline is April 15, and additional qualified applicants are reviewed after May 15. Associate degree or diploma graduates from non-NLN-accredited schools outside Georgia who graduated more than four years ago and have fewer than 1,000 clinical practice hours must pass validation testing covering Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Adult Health, and Psychiatric Nursing, plus a psychomotor skills evaluation by BSN faculty, before acceptance. Once admitted, students complete a Clinical Health Information Packet before their first nursing course and complete clinical agency orientation at the facilities where they will do preceptor learning experiences; major clinical facilities require a PSI background check and urine drug screen.

    • Online format
    • 120 semester credits total
    • 30 credits for prior ASN coursework
    • Georgia RN license required
    • Complete within 24 months
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about South Georgia State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  28. 28th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Florida SouthWestern State College

    Fort Myers, FL · Public Fully online $2,436 annual in-state tuition 39% institutional graduation rate 101 degrees a year 68.9 score
    Florida SouthWestern lets RNs enter before finishing every general education course, but requires that work to be complete before the final-semester leadership capstone.

    Florida SouthWestern's 120-credit BSN includes 30 upper-division nursing core credits, with all courses offered online. The curriculum covers assessment, research, informatics and multicultural nursing. Students can enter before finishing every general education requirement, which allows some supporting coursework to be completed during bachelor's study.

    That flexibility has a defined endpoint: general education must be complete before the leadership capstone in the final semester. Admission requires at least a 2.5 cumulative college GPA and an active, unrestricted RN license authorizing practice in Florida. An individual schedule should place unfinished general education before the capstone, rather than assuming it can be deferred until after the nursing sequence.

    • All courses offered online
    • 30 upper-division nursing core credits
    • 120 total degree credits
    • General education may be finished after entry
    • Final-semester leadership capstone
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Florida SouthWestern State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  29. 29th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Valencia College

    Orlando, FL · Public Online $2,467 annual in-state tuition 48% institutional graduation rate 141 degrees a year 73.2 score
    Primarily online study includes 25 total hours of face-to-face practicum.

    Valencia's BSN completion coursework is primarily online, with 25 total hours of face-to-face practicum in community health and the nursing capstone. The practicum is a defined in-person obligation, so the program is better understood as mostly online rather than entirely remote.

    Applicants need an ASN, a Florida address and at least a 2.0 overall college GPA. The college accepts a current Florida RN license or eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN at admission. Prior coursework determines the remaining degree requirements.

    • Primarily online coursework
    • 25 total face-to-face practicum hours
    • Community health and capstone practica
    • 2.0 overall college GPA
    • Florida residency address required

    Additional program sources: valenciacollege.edu source 1 for Valencia College (opens in a new tab)

    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Valencia College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  30. 30th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Indian River State College

    Fort Pierce, FL · Public Online, asynchronous $2,496 annual in-state tuition 45% institutional graduation rate 92 degrees a year 71.7 score
    Ten upper-level nursing courses pair asynchronous lectures with clinical learning in three courses.

    Indian River's RN-BSN handbook identifies 31 upper-level nursing credits across 10 courses within a 121-credit bachelor's degree. Lectures are asynchronous online. Three courses, covering assessment, community health and leadership, have mandatory clinical components, so the lecture format should be distinguished from the practice requirements.

    Admission accepts a nursing diploma, AS or AAS, with an active unencumbered Florida RN license and a 2.5 cumulative GPA. A qualifying core mathematics course requires a grade of C or better.

    • 31 upper-level nursing credits
    • 10 nursing courses
    • Asynchronous online lectures
    • Clinical components in three courses
    • 121 credits for the complete degree
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Indian River State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  31. 31st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Dalton State College

    Dalton, GA · Public Online $2,616 annual in-state tuition 25% institutional graduation rate 37 degrees a year 61.9 score
    Eligibility is pegged to how recently the applicant finished their associate or diploma program: graduates of the past four years qualify directly, while earlier graduates must document 1,000 hours of practice within the last three years.

    Dalton State College offers the RN-BSN as an online degree for nurses who already hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing. Admission turns on the recency of that prior credential. Applicants who graduated from an ASN or diploma program within the past four years are eligible on that basis alone; those who graduated more than four years ago must document 1,000 hours of practice within the last three years. The program is administered by the Department of Nursing in the School of Health Professions.

    The coursework concentrates on ground that associate-level preparation generally does not cover in depth. The college describes the degree as providing foundations for quality improvement and research, nursing informatics, and health care policy, and frames it as a direct step toward advanced practice in nursing. It also points to roles a BSN opens up beyond the bedside, noting that BSN-prepared nurses work as educators and supervisors, may facilitate instruction for nursing assistant and LPN programs, and often serve in hospitals as educators running staff continuing-education seminars.

    • Online degree
    • ASN or diploma in nursing required
    • 1,000 practice hours if ASN is over four years old
    • Covers informatics, health policy, and quality improvement
    • Positioned as preparation for advanced practice
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Dalton State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  32. 32nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Palm Beach State College

    Lake Worth, FL · Public Online $3,030 annual in-state tuition 41% institutional graduation rate 113 degrees a year 69.2 score
    Palm Beach State requires two 48-hour clinical field experiences at approved facilities in Palm Beach County, alongside predominantly online coursework.

    Palm Beach State's RN-to-BSN is predominantly online, but its field experiences are geographically specific. Community Health Nursing and the nursing capstone each require 48 clinical hours at approved facilities in Palm Beach County. Together they account for 96 hours of in-person field work, not a placement students can assume is available anywhere.

    The college offers one-, one-and-a-half- and two-year plans according to course load, with fall, spring and summer starts. Applicants must be Florida residents with an associate nursing degree and Florida RN licensure. For nurses outside the county, the placement location is an important practical distinction even if the academic course schedule fits their work hours.

    • Predominantly online
    • Two 48-hour field experiences
    • Clinical placements in Palm Beach County
    • One- to two-year study plans
    • Fall, spring and summer starts
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Palm Beach State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  33. 33rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Daytona State College

    Daytona Beach, FL · Public $3,072 annual in-state tuition 43% institutional graduation rate 78 degrees a year 70.1 score
    Daytona admits licensed RNs with an associate nursing degree or diploma and a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

    Daytona State's RN-to-BSN offers all nursing courses online for nurses entering with an associate nursing degree or diploma. Admission requires at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and an unencumbered RN license in the applicant's state of residence. MAT1033 and ENC1101 are prerequisites, with admissions advising available to help applicants prepare.

    The application sequence starts with admission to the college and submission of required transcripts and license documentation. An acknowledgement is not the same as an acceptance letter: the college completes the application packet before issuing an acceptance decision. Accepted students then contact Academic Advising for new-student orientation and advising. That staged process gives applicants clear checkpoints before starting the completion coursework.

    • Associate nursing degree or diploma entry
    • 2.5 cumulative GPA requirement
    • Unencumbered RN license in home state
    • MAT1033 and ENC1101 prerequisites
    • Orientation and advising after acceptance
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Daytona State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  34. 34th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    South Florida State College

    Avon Park, FL · Public $3,135 annual in-state tuition 48% institutional graduation rate 13 degrees a year 72.5 score
    South Florida State starts its RN-to-BSN with paired courses in professional nursing practice and evidence appraisal, then ends with a final-term capstone.

    South Florida State starts the RN-to-BSN with professional nursing practice and evidence-appraisal courses taken together. They are prerequisites for subsequent nursing courses and are offered in fall, spring and summer. The degree map then moves through assessment, pathophysiology, gerontology, pharmacology, leadership and community health.

    Students choose a nursing elective in caring science or advanced critical-care concepts, adding a focused area to the broader completion curriculum. The capstone belongs in the final term. All 3000-level RN-to-BSN courses must be successfully completed before it, although remaining 4000-level work may be taken alongside it if necessary. That prerequisite structure makes course order important even when a student has already satisfied some supporting requirements.

    • Paired introductory nursing courses
    • Gerontology coursework
    • Community health and leadership
    • Caring-science or critical-care elective
    • Final-term nursing capstone
    Learn more about South Florida State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  35. 35th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

    Tallahassee, FL · Public Fully online, asynchronous $3,152 annual in-state tuition 53% institutional graduation rate 64 degrees a year 74.9 score
    Florida A&M's online fast-track RN-to-BSN offers a three-semester full-time plan or a five-semester part-time plan, with 30 credits earned through FAMU.

    Florida A&M's fast-track RN-to-BSN is for licensed RNs who graduated from an accredited associate-degree or diploma nursing program. All courses are asynchronous online. Full-time students can follow a three-semester plan; the part-time option extends study to five semesters. Students must earn 30 credits through FAMU, while prior associate or diploma nursing coursework receives credit.

    The program's learning outcomes connect leadership with systems and policy, research critique with patient-care decisions, and informatics with safety. It also emphasizes communication across professional teams and care responsive to patients' cultural and personal needs.

    • Asynchronous online courses
    • Three-semester full-time plan
    • Five-semester part-time plan
    • 30 credits earned through FAMU
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  36. 36th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Lake-Sumter State College

    Leesburg, FL · Public Online, asynchronous $3,292 annual in-state tuition 48% institutional graduation rate 23 degrees a year 72.3 score
    Lake-Sumter offers two-, three- and five-semester RN-to-BSN plans, combining 24 core credits with six electives in an asynchronous format.

    Lake-Sumter's RN-to-BSN combines 24 core credits with six nursing electives. Its asynchronous online format supports two-, three- and five-semester plans. The final capstone integrates leadership, research, ethics, health policy and population health, drawing together several areas of bachelor's-level nursing practice rather than treating them as unrelated subjects.

    Admission requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA and an unencumbered Florida or compact RN license. Eligible ASN graduates may enter conditionally, but are expected to present the license before their first major semester ends. This is a specific early-program deadline, not permission to postpone licensure indefinitely. Applicants choosing the shortest plan should account for that deadline as well as the pace of the core and elective courses.

    • Two-, three- and five-semester plans
    • Asynchronous online courses
    • 24 core credits plus six electives
    • Final integrative capstone
    • 2.5 cumulative admission GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Lake-Sumter State College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  37. 37th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    University of Florida-Online

    Gainesville, FL · Public Fully online $3,358 annual in-state tuition 85% institutional graduation rate 65 degrees a year 90.1 score
    The 90 required clinical hours are split in two halves that work differently: 45 come from virtual simulation in the first semester, and 45 come from a fourth-semester population health project the student builds around a zip code they choose near where they live.

    UF Online's RN to BSN is a part-time completion track for nurses who already hold an associate degree in nursing and are actively practicing. Coursework is 100% online and delivered entirely through UF Online, and admissions are offered every spring and fall. Applicants need an active, unencumbered Florida RN license or enhanced licensure through the Nurse Licensure Compact, an associate degree in nursing from an ACEN-accredited program, and a GPA of 2.8 or higher in all nursing (NUR) coursework. Upper-division and second bachelor's applicants must also show enrollment in or completion of a prerequisite set, each course passed with a C or better: Anatomy & Physiology One and Two at four credits each with labs, Microbiology at four credits with a lab, three credits of statistics, human nutrition, human growth and development or developmental psychology, a psychology, social psychology or sociology course, and a second science course in biology, chemistry or physics.

    The curriculum requires 90 clinical hours, split across two courses. Forty-five are earned in the first semester in NUR 3066C: Health Assessment through virtual simulation. The other 45 come in the fourth semester in NUR 4636C: Population Health, where students choose a zip code near their current location, travel there throughout the semester, and complete a clinical project drawn from their informal observations of that community. Students must also meet State of Florida General Education course requirements; anyone admitted without an AA degree, or who does not meet UF transfer admissions requirements, takes those general education courses in addition to the nursing coursework. Every admitted nursing student completes a background check, immunization verification, fingerprinting and drug screening, and must provide proof of current health insurance. The baccalaureate program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    • 90 clinical hours
    • 100% online
    • Florida RN license or eNLC required
    • 2.8 GPA in nursing coursework
    • Spring and fall admission
    Learn more about University of Florida-Online's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  38. 38th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    College of the Mainland

    Texas City, TX · Public Hybrid $3,450 annual in-state tuition 31% institutional graduation rate 16 degrees a year 63.9 score
    College of the Mainland's online and hybrid RN-to-BSN requires at least one-third of the bachelor's degree credits to be earned at COM.

    College of the Mainland's RN-to-BSN uses online and hybrid delivery for nurses with an unencumbered RN license and an associate nursing degree or diploma. At least one-third of the bachelor's degree credits must be earned at COM. That residency rule remains important even for an applicant bringing substantial prior college work.

    The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based patient and population care, the use of data for quality improvement, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams. Graduation requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the program requirements. This is a graduation standard, not a substitute for checking admission requirements. The mixed delivery format and residency requirement are central considerations when comparing transfer options.

    • Online and hybrid delivery
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    • At least one-third of degree credits at COM
    • 2.0 cumulative GPA required for graduation
    • Data-based quality improvement
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about College of the Mainland's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  39. 39th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Collin County Community College District

    McKinney, TX · Public $3,750 annual in-state tuition 20% institutional graduation rate 57 degrees a year 58.3 score
    Collin's RN-to-BSN requires applicants to be within six credits of finishing the Texas core, nutrition and chemistry requirements before applying.

    Collin's post-licensure BSN builds on an associate nursing degree and totals 120 credits, including the 42-credit Texas core. Applicants must be within six credits of completing the Texas core, nutrition and chemistry requirements before applying. The allowance applies at application, rather than removing those degree requirements.

    Admission requires a 2.5 overall GPA and a Texas or enhanced compact RN license. Graduate nurses can receive conditional admission, but must pass the NCLEX before coursework begins. Admission to Collin College alone does not secure a place in the selective nursing program. The prerequisite-credit allowance, licensure deadline and separate program decision are therefore three different parts of the entry process.

    • 120-credit bachelor's degree
    • 42-credit Texas core required
    • 2.5 overall GPA for admission
    • Texas or enhanced compact RN license
    • Separate, selective program admission
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Collin County Community College District's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  40. 40th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Front Range Community College

    Westminster, CO · Public Online $4,058 annual in-state tuition 35% institutional graduation rate 31 degrees a year 65.2 score
    FRCC admits students who are still enrolled in an associate degree nursing program — after just one completed semester — alongside already-licensed RNs, so BSN coursework can start before the ADN is finished.

    Front Range Community College's RN-to-BSN completion program is an online program with practicum coursework. All BSN nursing courses are offered online and delivered through the MyCourses learning management system, and students complete 68 hours of practicum work attached to the program's leadership and community health nursing courses. FRCC says that during the in-person practicum it offers opportunities to work with nursing experts close to where a student lives or works. The college has been educating nurses in Colorado for more than 50 years.

    Two groups can enroll. The first is students who have finished their first semester of a nationally accredited Associate Degree in Nursing program at a regionally accredited college, hold a minimum 2.0 GPA in nursing courses, and are still enrolled in that ADN program. The second is nurses who have already earned an ADN from a regionally accredited college with the same minimum 2.0 nursing GPA and hold a current unencumbered RN license to practice in Colorado. A student who already has the associate degree can finish in four full-time semesters; students still in FRCC's own ADN program, and those working full time as a registered nurse, are allowed extended time to earn the degree.

    • 68 practicum hours
    • Online courses, in-person practicum
    • Four full-time semesters after an ADN
    • Colorado RN license required for ADN graduates
    • 2.0 minimum nursing GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Front Range Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  41. 41st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Arapahoe Community College

    Littleton, CO · Public Online $4,058 annual in-state tuition 29% institutional graduation rate 18 degrees a year 62.3 score
    Students enrolled in ACC's own Nursing AAS program can dual enroll and begin the BSN coursework online before finishing the associate degree, though they must hold the ADN/AAS and an RN license before starting the final three nursing courses.

    Arapahoe Community College offers its RN-to-BSN completion program through the Littleton campus, and the BSN coursework is delivered online. The degree totals 120 credit hours, of which 48.5 are taken at ACC: 18 credits of general education, 24.5 credits of upper-division nursing, and 6 credits of nursing electives. Registered nurses with an active, unencumbered U.S. license apply directly. Students already enrolled in ACC's Nursing AAS program can dual enroll and start BSN classes online, but they must have completed the ADN/AAS and hold an RN license before beginning NUR 4009 Leadership in the Nursing Profession, NUR 4010 Community Health Nursing and Practicum, and NUR 4011 Senior Seminar. MAT 1260 Introduction to Statistics and ENG 1022 English Composition II must be finished with a C or better before NUR 3003 Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice in Nursing.

    Applications close at noon on June 30 for fall, October 15 for spring, and April 1 for summer. Accepted students submit official college transcripts before the program begins, and immunization records, a background check, and a drug screen before clinical coursework. The practicum requirement sits inside NUR 4010 Community Health Nursing and Practicum, a six-credit course. ACC sets its completion benchmark at four semesters for full-time RN students, six for part-time, and nine for dual-enrolled students. Its published program data show 100 percent of full-time students completing within four semesters in each of the 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025 academic years, and 88 percent of part-time students completing within six semesters in 2024-2025. The program holds Initial Accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

    • 48.5 credits at ACC
    • 120 credit hours total
    • Online BSN coursework
    • Active, unencumbered RN license required
    • ACEN accredited
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Arapahoe Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  42. 42nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus

    Portales, NM · Public $4,194 annual in-state tuition 45% institutional graduation rate 19 degrees a year 69.9 score Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, .
  43. 43rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Bellevue College

    Bellevue, WA · Public Online $4,205 annual in-state tuition 36% institutional graduation rate 35 degrees a year 65.5 score
    Bellevue College runs its RN-to-BSN with classes offered both online and in person rather than as a fully online program, and lets students choose a full-time or part-time schedule.

    Bellevue College's RN to BSN is a degree-completion program for nurses who already hold an associate nursing degree or a diploma from an accredited college or nursing program. The award is a Bachelor of Science. The college lists the program at 90-95 credits, taken in addition to 90 credits of relevant general education and program prerequisites, and directs applicants to the catalog page for the specific prerequisite requirements.

    Coursework builds skills in evidence-based practice, community health, professional communication, and health information technology, and covers healthcare systems, policies, and leadership. Sample courses named on the page include Community and Public Health Nursing, Leadership in Healthcare, Health Information Technology, Management in Healthcare, and Foundations of Scholarly Inquiry. Classes are offered online and in person, and students may enroll full-time or part-time. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.

    • 90-95 credits
    • CCNE accredited
    • Online and in-person classes
    • Full-time or part-time schedules
    • Associate nursing degree or diploma required
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Bellevue College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  44. 44th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    San Jacinto Community College

    Pasadena, TX · Public Online $4,320 annual in-state tuition 30% institutional graduation rate 18 degrees a year 62.5 score
    San Jacinto pairs eight-week online classes with in-person community experiences, including assessments in designated communities.

    San Jacinto's RN-to-BSN upper-division curriculum totals 31 credits and can be completed in one year. Eight-week classes are online, with fall and spring starts. Community hours and assessments are completed in person in designated communities, linking the coursework to actual population-health settings.

    Applicants need an associate nursing degree, an active unencumbered Texas RN license, at least a 2.5 GPA and employment as a professional nurse. Current employment is therefore part of the admission criteria, not merely the audience for the online format. The one-year plan covers upper-division nursing coursework and should be read alongside the student's complete degree requirements.

    • Eight-week online classes
    • 31 upper-division nursing credits
    • One-year upper-division plan
    • Fall and spring starts
    • In-person community experiences
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about San Jacinto Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  45. 45th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    University of North Carolina at Greensboro

    Greensboro, NC · Public Fully online $4,422 annual in-state tuition 56% institutional graduation rate 235 degrees a year 75 score
    UNCG's RN to BSN pathway runs entirely online with no campus visits required, sets no prerequisite courses, and can be finished in as little as 12 to 24 months depending on how many transfer credits are approved.

    UNCG's School of Nursing runs the RN to BSN pathway for nurses who are already licensed. Students must hold a current, active, unrestricted RN license in North Carolina or in a state covered by the multi-state Nurse Licensure Compact before enrolling in the required nursing courses, and must keep that license active the entire time they are enrolled in those courses. University admission asks for a cumulative 2.0 GPA from all previously attended higher education institutions. The program sets no prerequisite courses, though it strongly recommends a college-level statistics course and requires students who have not already taken one to complete it to fulfill their degree requirements. College-level transfer credits are evaluated case by case, and the school offers a transcript review with an RN to BSN specialist before you apply.

    Coursework is 100% online with no campus visits required, though enrolled students can still use campus study areas and the library if they want to. Completion runs as little as 12 to 24 months, depending on how many transfer credits are approved and how many credits remain to graduate, and students balancing other commitments can take longer. Applications are due August 1 for fall entry and December 1 for spring. Online students have access to academic advisors, student success advisors and technical support, and the school holds information sessions for prospective students every Wednesday at 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.

    • 100% online, no campus visits
    • 12-24 months to complete
    • NC or Nurse Licensure Compact RN license required
    • 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA
    • No prerequisite courses
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of North Carolina at Greensboro's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  46. 46th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    University of North Carolina Wilmington

    Wilmington, NC · Public Fully online $4,443 annual in-state tuition 71% institutional graduation rate 775 degrees a year 82.2 score
    Admission is continuous with six start dates a year, and the 30-credit curriculum is delivered as a sequence of seven-week online courses that a full-time student can finish in as few as 12 months.

    UNCW's School of Nursing offers its RN-to-BSN entirely online, with no required campus visits. The curriculum is 30 credit hours built from nine core nursing courses plus one elective, taught in seven-week terms. Coursework covers health assessment for registered nurses, gerontological nursing, community health nursing, pathophysiology and evidence-based practice, and core concepts of leadership and management, and it ends with a two-credit capstone in which students synthesize nursing theory and practice experiences and document their transition to the baccalaureate-prepared RN role. Admission runs continuously across six terms a year (Fall 1 and 2, Spring 1 and 2, and Summer 1 and 2) so a student can start within a couple of months of applying. Students carrying a full-time load can complete the degree in as few as 12 months; the program's own FAQ puts the typical range at 12 to 18 months depending on transfer credits and enrollment pace.

    Applicants need a current, valid and unencumbered RN license, an associate degree in nursing from an accredited institution, a minimum 2.4 cumulative college GPA, and official transcripts from every institution attended. Enrollment is not limited to North Carolina; the program states it is open to nurses in most U.S. states, with in-state tuition reserved for North Carolina residents. Instead of scheduled clinical rotations, the program uses practice experiences: experiential learning in any setting where health care is delivered or health is influenced, spanning both direct and indirect care activities that affect health outcomes. Estimated total tuition and fees at 2026-27 rates, assuming part-time enrollment, are $6,500.40 for in-state residents and $29,874.30 for out-of-state residents. The baccalaureate nursing programs at UNCW are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. UNCW also runs Try Teal, which lets Cape Fear Community College ADN students take two UNCW RN-BSN courses at no cost and earn conditional admission to the program.

    • 30 credit hours
    • 100% online, no campus visits
    • Six start dates per year
    • Unencumbered RN license required
    • 2.4 minimum cumulative GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of North Carolina Wilmington's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  47. 47th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    University of Florida

    Gainesville, FL · Public Fully online $4,477 annual in-state tuition 91% institutional graduation rate 235 degrees a year 91.8 score
    All 90 required clinical hours are built to work around a nurse who is already employed: 45 come through virtual simulation in the first semester, and the other 45 come from a population health project the student carries out in a zip code they choose near where they already live.

    The University of Florida College of Nursing runs its RN to BSN track through UF Online as a part-time, 100% online program for registered nurses who already hold an associate degree in nursing and are actively practicing. Admission requires an ASN from an ACEN-accredited program, a GPA of 2.8 or higher in all nursing (NUR) coursework from the school that awarded that degree, and an active, unencumbered Florida RN license or enhanced licensure through the Nurse Licensure Compact. Upper-division and second bachelor's applicants must also be enrolled in or have finished a set of prerequisites with a grade of C or better, including Anatomy & Physiology One and Two at 4 credits each with labs, Microbiology at 4 credits with a lab, Statistics, Human Growth and Development or Developmental Psychology, and Human Nutrition. Students must satisfy State of Florida General Education requirements as well, and anyone admitted without an AA degree takes those general education courses on top of the nursing coursework. Admissions open every spring and fall.

    The clinical requirement is 90 hours, and the page is specific about how they are earned. Forty-five hours come in the first semester through virtual simulation in NUR 3066C: Health Assessment. The other 45 come in the fourth semester through NUR 4636C: Population Health, where the student picks a zip code near their current location, travels there over the course of the semester, and builds a clinical project out of informal observations of that community. The curriculum is aimed at leadership, evidence-based practice, and information management, and the page positions the degree as a foundation for graduate-level nursing study. The program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing, and the baccalaureate program at the UF College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    • 90 clinical hours
    • 100% online via UF Online
    • Active Florida RN license or eNLC required
    • 2.8 GPA in nursing coursework
    • Spring and fall admission
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of Florida's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  48. 48th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    University of Central Florida

    Orlando, FL · Public Online option $4,478 annual in-state tuition 78% institutional graduation rate 711 degrees a year 85.5 score
    RN to BSN students at UCF may substitute up to nine credit hours of graduate coursework that later transfers toward an MSN or DNP, so the completion degree can double as a head start on graduate school.

    UCF's College of Nursing runs its RN to BSN as a post-licensure completion program for nurses who are already licensed and working. The coursework totals 30 credit hours, and the college validates previous coursework by awarding up to 29 credits for prior learning. Pace is up to the student: the 30 hours can be finished in as quickly as three semesters, or taken as slowly as one course per semester. The program is available online or face-to-face at select regional campuses, runs full- or part-time, and admits three times a year with summer, fall and spring starts.

    Eligibility begins with a Florida RN license, single-state or multistate, on file. Applicants then qualify one of three ways: an AA from a Florida public institution, a bachelor's degree from any regionally accredited institution, or completion, or near-completion, of UCF's general education, Gordon Rule and foreign language requirements. Applicants in that third group may have no more than three of those courses outstanding before starting the BSN program, and must finish them before taking 4000-level courses. Nurses who plan to continue past the bachelor's can substitute up to 9 credit hours, three classes, of UCF graduate coursework toward a later MSN or DNP, billed at graduate tuition rates.

    • 30 credit hours
    • Up to 29 credits for prior learning
    • Florida RN license required
    • As few as three semesters
    • Online or face-to-face at regional campuses
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of Central Florida's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  49. 49th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Georgia Southern University

    Statesboro, GA · Public Fully online $4,488 annual in-state tuition 55% institutional graduation rate 363 degrees a year 74.4 score
    Georgia Southern accepts up to 29 previously earned nursing credits toward the 120 required for the degree, leaving 10 asynchronous courses that can be finished in as few as two semesters.

    Georgia Southern's RN to BSN program is built for nurses who already hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing and a current Georgia RN license or a multistate compact license. The program awards credit for up to 29 previously earned nursing credits toward the 120 credit hours needed for the degree, which leaves 10 courses covering community health, leadership and management, research, ethics, and the influence of social, economic and cultural values on health. Students can finish in as few as two semesters or take as long as five years.

    Coursework is delivered asynchronously so working nurses can complete assignments around their schedules, and the degree can be completed without ever coming to campus. Live sessions may be scheduled for course orientations, presentations by content experts, faculty office hours and student presentations. Admission requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, with provisional admission available between 2.70 and 3.0 for students who earn at least a B in their first six hours of nursing courses; applicants must complete Technology, Mathematics, Sciences and Field of Study courses with a C or better and have no more than 10 core credit hours remaining. Applications to the School of Nursing are preferred by April 1 for fall and Oct. 1 for spring, and Georgia Southern's application carries a $30 fee. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    • 120 credit hours total
    • Up to 29 nursing credits accepted
    • 10 courses
    • Asynchronous online coursework
    • Georgia or compact RN license required
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Georgia Southern University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  50. 50th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Langston University

    Langston, OK · Public $4,653 annual in-state tuition 17% institutional graduation rate 58 degrees a year 55.8 score Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, .
  51. 51st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Fort Hays State University

    Hays, KS · Public $4,704 annual in-state tuition 48% institutional graduation rate 120 degrees a year 70.8 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Some campus attendance
  52. 52nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    East Texas A&M University

    Commerce, TX · Public Fully online $4,790 annual in-state tuition 43% institutional graduation rate 67 degrees a year 68.3 score
    East Texas A&M's competency-based RN-to-BSN lets students work at their own pace within seven-week terms, with a full-time plan spanning five terms.

    East Texas A&M's competency-based RN-to-BSN contains 10 courses totaling 30 credits, organized into seven-week terms. The full-time plan spans five terms, or 10 months, with entry available throughout the year. Students can move through familiar material using their existing nursing knowledge and experience.

    The pace is flexible within a term, but terms still have boundaries. A student who completes a course before the published fourth-Friday cutoff may add another in that term; the added course must be finished by term end and does not carry over. Theory application can take place in the student's community, home or workplace. Texas core and nursing support requirements may be completed before application or after acceptance, so the 30-credit nursing plan should be distinguished from any supporting courses still needed.

    • 100% online
    • Competency-based, self-paced study
    • 10 courses totaling 30 credits
    • Seven-week terms
    • Five-term full-time plan
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about East Texas A&M University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  53. 53rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Tarleton State University

    Stephenville, TX · Public Online $4,798 annual in-state tuition 48% institutional graduation rate 159 degrees a year 70.7 score
    An associate degree nursing graduate who has not yet taken the NCLEX-RN can be admitted conditionally, but may enroll in only one course until the exam is passed and an unencumbered RN license is in hand.

    Tarleton State University's College of Nursing offers the RN to BSN entry to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing for licensed registered nurses who have already completed an associate degree or diploma in nursing. Courses in the track are delivered online with experiential learning components and a leadership practicum. Admission requires 56 general education credits from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and a general education course graded D or below is not accepted even when the cumulative general education GPA clears 2.5. Some of those courses may be taken concurrently with the RN to BSN coursework. The associate degree or diploma must come from a nursing program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, with a minimum 2.5 GPA across the nursing core courses; graduates of programs without that accreditation may request special consideration if the program was approved by the state board of nursing. A basic statistics course with a grade of C or better and a resume are also required.

    Applicants must hold a current unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the United States and be eligible for unencumbered licensure in Texas, with proof of a current unencumbered Texas license demonstrated by the start of coursework. A graduate still waiting to take the NCLEX-RN is admitted conditionally and limited to one course until the exam is passed and the license obtained. Applications are accepted for spring and fall admission cycles. Applying to the nursing program is separate from, and in addition to, applying to the university: students apply to Tarleton State University online, submitting official transcripts and a nonrefundable fee, and apply to the College of Nursing through NursingCAS. Both acceptances are required.

    • Courses delivered online
    • Leadership practicum required
    • 56 general education credits, 2.5 GPA
    • Unencumbered Texas RN license required
    • Spring and fall admission cycles
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Tarleton State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  54. 54th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    New Mexico Highlands University

    Las Vegas, NM · Public Fully online, asynchronous $4,888 annual in-state tuition 26% institutional graduation rate 49 degrees a year 59.9 score
    Highlands combines asynchronous eight-week courses with an in-person clinical requirement.

    The online nursing core comprises 11 courses and 32 credits, with a published 14-month completion plan. Study includes evidence-based health assessment, cultural competencies and community health. The clinical requirement remains in person, so compare placement arrangements separately from the flexibility of online lessons.

    Applicants need an associate degree or diploma in nursing, a valid unencumbered U.S. RN license and at least a 2.0 GPA. Individual faculty advising supports the plan. Before choosing a start, have prior nursing study reviewed against the core courses and confirm where the clinical work can occur. The online pathway described here is distinct from Highlands' separately offered campus option.

    • Asynchronous online lessons
    • Eight-week terms
    • 32 nursing-core credits
    • In-person clinical requirement
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about New Mexico Highlands University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  55. 55th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Nicholls State University

    Thibodaux, LA · Public Online $4,922 annual in-state tuition 54% institutional graduation rate 126 degrees a year 73.4 score
    Nicholls awards the BSN to licensed RNs as an articulation, converting knowledge the nurse already has into credit while holding the track to the same objectives as the university's generic BSN program.

    Nicholls State University treats the BSN for working nurses as an articulation rather than a separate degree. The page describes the RN-BSN Articulation as an opportunity for registered nurses to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing that is "designed to validate and award credit for existing knowledge, while remaining consistent with the objectives of the generic BSN Program." Two things follow from that phrasing: prior nursing knowledge is converted into credit rather than repeated, and the finished degree is measured against the same outcomes the university's traditional BSN students meet. The listing sits in the Nicholls Online degree catalog. Application, registration and scheduling go through the Nicholls Online line at 1-855-NIC-ONLINE, while degree questions go to Colette Robichaux, MSN, RN, CNE, the BSN Program Coordinator, at 348 Ayo Hall.

    The stated coursework focus is on extending what a practicing nurse already does: safe, evidence-based, people-centered care, critical thinking, nursing informatics, interprofessional collaboration, quality improvement, and leadership and professionalism across the roles of provider, manager, and member of the profession. Nicholls makes its case for the degree by citing the American Nurses Association's "BSN-in-10" call and the Institute of Medicine's report The Future of Nursing: Focus on Education, framing the BSN as the step after an associate or diploma license. The page says graduates are prepared to work across hospitals, medical offices, community settings and private industry, and that the degree prepares them to enter the next level of advanced practice education.

    • Post-licensure RN-BSN articulation
    • Credit awarded for existing nursing knowledge
    • Offered through Nicholls Online
    • Held to the generic BSN program's objectives
    • RN license assumed at entry
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Nicholls State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  56. 56th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Louisiana State University-Alexandria

    Alexandria, LA · Public Fully online $4,950 annual in-state tuition 34% institutional graduation rate 91 degrees a year 63.7 score
    LSUA runs its RN to BSN entirely online and states nurses can finish in as little as 10 months, with the program accredited by ACEN and holding Full Approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

    LSUA offers its Bachelor of Science in Nursing as an RN to BSN track delivered 100% online for registered nurses who are already working, and states that nurses can complete it in as little as 10 months. The curriculum centers on leadership, evidence-based practice, and healthcare systems. Its stated end-of-program outcomes have graduates applying nursing leadership theories in practice, using communication principles, incorporating evidence-based research findings to support safe and patient-centered care, integrating professional standards, addressing ethical, legal, and culturally competent practice concepts that touch social determinants of health, and using information literacy to support nursing practice. The program sits in the School of Nursing within the College of Health and Human Services, and enrolled students work from an RN-BSN handbook covering policies, expectations, and guidelines.

    The nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN). ACEN's most recent decision for LSUA's ASN and RN-BSN programs was Continuing Accreditation, and the LSBN's most recent decision for both was Full Approval. LSUA also publishes RN-BSN on-time completion rates and six-month post-graduation employment rates by academic year, and hosts the Epsilon Nu-at-Large chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, the nursing honor society.

    • 100% online
    • Finish in as little as 10 months
    • ACEN accredited
    • Full Approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing
    • Housed in LSUA's School of Nursing
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Louisiana State University-Alexandria's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  57. 57th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Southern University and A & M College

    Baton Rouge, LA · Public Fully online $4,973 annual in-state tuition 27% institutional graduation rate 111 degrees a year 60.3 score
    Southern has affiliation agreements with nine Louisiana associate degree nursing programs, from Baton Rouge Community College to Louisiana Delta Community College, written to transfer academic credit into its BSN.

    Southern University and A&M College runs its RN to BSN entirely online, for nurses who are already licensed and want to add the bachelor's credential. The page describes the program as designed for nurses seeking to advance their career, and eligibility starts from a completed associate degree or diploma in nursing rather than from entry into the field. The baccalaureate nursing program at Southern University A&M College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The School of Nursing dates to 1985, and the school states it has educated more than 2,500 BSN graduates since then.

    Admission turns on four things: an associate degree or diploma from a program accredited by ACEN or NLN CNEA, a permanent, active and unencumbered registered nurse license, a grade of C or better in all nursing and required prerequisite courses, and transcripts from every previous institution. Every prerequisite has to be finished before the program begins, and the school states directly that applicants whose associate degree or diploma came from a non-accredited nursing institution cannot enroll. Southern has built affiliation agreements with nine Louisiana associate degree programs, among them Baton Rouge Community College, Delgado Community College, Bossier Parish Community College and Southern University at Shreveport, to move academic credit into the BSN without gaps. Applicants file through the SUBR application as an Online UG Transfer and select Online RN to BSN as the planned course of study.

    • 100% online
    • Active, unencumbered RN license required
    • ACEN or NLN CNEA accredited ADN or diploma
    • C or better in all prerequisites
    • Articulation agreements with 9 Louisiana colleges
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Southern University and A & M College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  58. 58th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Colorado Mountain College

    Glenwood Springs, CO · Public Online $4,992 annual in-state tuition 27% institutional graduation rate 19 degrees a year 60.3 score
    Colorado Mountain College teaches its RN to BSN online with fieldwork projects each student picks from their own area of practice, but the program page carries a notice that admissions are currently paused.

    Colorado Mountain College's RN to BSN builds on an associate degree in nursing, adding coursework the college describes as weighted toward nursing theory, community health, population-focused care, research and evidence-based practice, and leadership. Coursework runs online, and the college frames it around a working nurse's schedule: assignments can be completed from any location at times that fit a weekly work schedule. Alongside the online classes is a fieldwork component in which students choose projects relevant to their own area of practice and aligned with course outcomes. The program page currently carries a notice of a program pause stating the college is not accepting admissions at this time.

    The baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and has been approved by the Colorado Commission of Higher Education, the Colorado Department of Education, and the Higher Learning Commission. Applicants need to have graduated from an accredited AAS/ADN or diploma nursing program, hold a current and unencumbered Colorado RN license, carry a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, hold current American Heart Association CPR certification, and pass a drug and background check. Anyone applying more than three years after finishing the associate degree also needs 1,000 hours of employer-verified nursing work experience within the last three years, and the associate-level nursing courses count as prerequisites that must be finished with a C or better before BSN courses begin. For 2025-26 the college lists BS Nursing tuition at $184 per credit hour in-district, $291 in-state and $622 out-of-state.

    • Admissions currently paused
    • Colorado RN license required
    • ACEN accredited
    • Online coursework plus fieldwork
    • 2.5 minimum GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Colorado Mountain College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  59. 59th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Montana State University Billings

    Billings, MT · Public Fully online $4,997 annual in-state tuition 30% institutional graduation rate 17 degrees a year 61.8 score
    MSU Billings separates its 49-credit completion plan into 33 nursing credits and 16 corequisite credits.

    The RN-to-BSN plan combines nursing courses with technical writing, statistics, developmental psychology, medical ethics and humanities. Previous coursework is evaluated at entry, so the 49-credit plan is not automatically the number of new credits every transfer student must take. Students must complete at least 30 credits at MSU Billings to graduate. Most courses use eight-week blocks, with a three-semester full-time plan and individualized part-time options.

    All coursework is online, but leadership and community nursing include faculty-led, mentored clinical projects with hours in the student's community. Those courses require an unencumbered RN license. Concurrently enrolled associate-degree nursing students can take corequisites and most nursing courses before licensure; an RN license is required for graduation as well as the clinical-bearing courses. Rolling admission supports fall, spring and summer entry. The transfer review and license-dependent course sequence are useful starting points for building an individual schedule.

    • 33 nursing and 16 corequisite credits
    • Most courses in eight-week blocks
    • Three-semester full-time plan
    • At least 30 MSU Billings credits
    • Local mentored clinical projects
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Montana State University Billings's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  60. 60th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Montana State University-Northern

    Havre, MT · Public Fully online $5,010 annual in-state tuition 41% institutional graduation rate 17 degrees a year 67.1 score
    MSU-Northern pairs online courses with a local two-credit clinical and a choice of study pace.

    The full-time RN-BSN plan takes three semesters; part-time students can spread completion over up to five years. The pathway builds on an ASN and registered-nurse preparation, with coursework addressing leadership, community health, evidence-based practice, policy and informatics. Examples include family nursing, advanced health assessment and nursing ethics.

    The two-credit clinical is completed locally rather than treated as online coursework. Check how that experience fits the semester plan before choosing a pace around work. Northern's longer part-time window offers room to spread study, but the clinical still needs its own place on the calendar. This is a completion pathway for existing RNs, separate from the university's ASN route to initial licensure.

    • Three-semester full-time plan
    • Part-time option
    • Online courses
    • Local clinical experience
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Montana State University-Northern's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  61. 61st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Coppin State University

    Baltimore, MD · Public $5,032 annual in-state tuition 26% institutional graduation rate 48 degrees a year 59.8 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, .
  62. 62nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Universidad del Sagrado Corazon

    Santurce, PR · Private nonprofit $5,040 annual in-state tuition 52% institutional graduation rate 133 degrees a year 72.4 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, .
  63. 63rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Salish Kootenai College

    Pablo, MT · Public $5,076 annual in-state tuition 28% institutional graduation rate 21 degrees a year 60.7 score Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, .
  64. 64th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    McNeese State University

    Lake Charles, LA · Public Fully online $5,147 annual in-state tuition 47% institutional graduation rate 149 degrees a year 69.8 score
    McNeese quotes two tuition rates for the same RN-to-BSN: $233 per credit hour (about $7,000) for nurses from partner health care agencies, and $300 per credit hour (about $9,000) for nurses from non-partner agencies.

    McNeese runs its RN-to-BSN entirely online, on a dedicated online nursing site separate from the main university program listing. The nursing curriculum is 30 credit hours, and all 30 must be completed at McNeese. Classes run in seven-week sessions with a one-week break between them, and the program opens six start dates a year, which McNeese says lets a student finish in as little as 10 months. Admission requires a current unencumbered RN license and an associate degree or diploma from a nationally accredited nursing program at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, along with official transcripts sent directly from every college attended and a $20 application fee.

    Tuition is quoted at two rates. Nurses employed by partner health care agencies pay $233 per credit hour, about $7,000 for the nursing curriculum; nurses from non-partner agencies pay $300 per credit hour, about $9,000. The preferred rate reaches nurses coming from partner health care institutions or associate degree programs, and extends to their spouses and dependents and to United States military members. Those figures cover the nursing curriculum only, and students may need additional courses depending on how much transfer credit they are granted; financial aid is available. Two clinical courses sit inside the 30 hours: NURN 403, a community health nursing clinical practicum, and NURN 405, a leadership and management clinical capstone. The baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Committee on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    • 30 credit hours, 100% online
    • Finish in as little as 10 months
    • Six start dates a year, 7-week terms
    • Unencumbered RN license required
    • $233/credit partner rate, $300 non-partner
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about McNeese State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  65. 65th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    South Texas College

    McAllen, TX · Public Fully online $5,220 annual in-state tuition 27% institutional graduation rate 27 degrees a year 60.1 score
    South Texas College accepts up to 90 transfer credits into its online RN-to-BSN, with new cohorts beginning in spring and fall.

    South Texas College's RN-to-BSN accepts up to 90 transfer credits and begins new cohorts in spring and fall. The program is offered online for nurses with a current, unencumbered Texas RN license or an enhanced compact RN license.

    A BSN academic coach advises students on admission, degree requirements and the available study tracks. That planning role is useful when evaluating a large transfer award: the maximum does not establish which courses a particular student's transcript satisfies.

    • 100% online delivery
    • Up to 90 transfer credits
    • Spring and fall cohorts
    • Texas or enhanced compact RN license
    • BSN academic-coach advising
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about South Texas College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  66. 66th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    West Virginia University at Parkersburg

    Parkersburg, WV · Public Fully online $5,376 annual in-state tuition 9% institutional graduation rate 29 degrees a year 51.2 score
    WVU Parkersburg separates college admission from nursing admission and allows a defined conditional-entry route.

    The online completion program accepts nursing diploma and associate-degree graduates with an unencumbered RN license and a 2.0 cumulative college GPA. You apply to both the college and Nursing and Health Sciences. Applications are reviewed year-round, but enrollment is limited, so college admission alone does not secure a nursing place.

    Recent graduates may receive conditional permission for NURS 311 and NURS 320, with licensure required before completing those courses. The degree requires 120 credits overall and at least 30 at WVU Parkersburg. Nursing coursework must finish within five years, and general education must be completed before or alongside NURS 452. Those checkpoints matter when fitting remaining courses around work.

    • Online nursing coursework
    • Year-round application review
    • Conditional recent-graduate entry
    • Five-year nursing completion limit
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about West Virginia University at Parkersburg's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  67. 67th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    San Antonio College

    San Antonio, TX · Public Online option $5,400 annual in-state tuition 26% institutional graduation rate 39 degrees a year 59.4 score
    San Antonio College offers online, hybrid and part-time RN-to-BSN options, plus an eight-month accelerated track for applicants who have finished every prerequisite.

    San Antonio College offers online, hybrid and part-time RN-to-BSN options. The standard completion route takes one year or less, while an accelerated option takes eight months. Entry conditions differ: accelerated applicants must finish all BSN prerequisites before the application deadline, but part-time students may take remaining prerequisites alongside nursing courses.

    Applications are accepted for fall, spring and summer, although summer has a more limited selection of tracks. The shortest advertised timetable therefore belongs to a specific prerequisite-complete route, not every applicant. A nurse still finishing supporting coursework may find the part-time structure more relevant than the accelerated headline, regardless of whether online or hybrid delivery is preferred.

    • Online and hybrid options
    • Eight-month accelerated option
    • Part-time pathway available
    • Fall, spring and summer admission
    • Accelerated entry requires all prerequisites
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about San Antonio College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  68. 68th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

    Stillwater, OK · Public Fully online $5,417 annual in-state tuition 68% institutional graduation rate 33 degrees a year 79.7 score
    Non-resident transfer students who bring at least 45 earned transfer hours into the RN to BSN qualify for a waiver that reduces their tuition to the in-state rate, one of only three OSU online bachelor's degrees the waiver covers.

    Oklahoma State's RN to BSN is a completion degree open only to transfer students who already hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing and a current, unrestricted RN license. Coursework is delivered 100 percent online through Canvas, OSU's learning platform, in eight-week blocks, with new cohorts starting every fall, spring and summer semester. Students enrolled full time take two to three courses every eight weeks and finish in two to three semesters; part-time students take one course every eight weeks and finish in four to six. The school puts the fastest path at 9 to 12 months. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

    Admission runs as two separate decisions, one to OSU as a transfer student and one to the RN to BSN program. Applicants need a cumulative 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale across all college coursework and must list their RN license number, from Oklahoma or their designated state of residence, on the admissions application. Nurses in the final semester of an associate degree who have not yet completed the RN exam can be admitted conditionally and submit a final official transcript after graduation. Priority deadlines are February 1 for summer and fall and October 15 for spring, and nursing students from OSU-OKC and OSU-IT are granted priority, provisional admission. The RN license plus the associate degree or diploma carries 30 hours of advanced standing credit toward the 120-hour degree. Nursing coursework covers theory, global health, research and community nursing, plus culture, leadership and management principles and current trends and issues in the profession, and the program ends in a capstone course. OSU encourages finishing prerequisites before starting nursing coursework, and warns that beginning nursing courses first can extend time to degree.

    • 100% online through Canvas
    • 9-12 months full time
    • 30 advanced standing credits for RN license
    • 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA
    • CCNE accredited
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Oklahoma State University-Main Campus's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  69. 69th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Northwestern Oklahoma State University

    Alva, OK · Public $5,448 annual in-state tuition 30% institutional graduation rate 36 degrees a year 61.3 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, .
  70. 70th cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Weber State University

    Ogden, UT · Public Online $5,621 annual in-state tuition 46% institutional graduation rate 377 degrees a year 68.8 score
    Admission is restricted to Utah residents who hold or are eligible for a Utah RN license — unless the applicant is moving straight up from Weber State's own ADN program — and when community applicants outnumber seats, admission is decided by a competitive point system.

    Weber State's RN to BSN program is built for nurses who already hold a license or are eligible to sit for the NCLEX; prospective students without licensure are pointed to the university's Department of Associate Degree in Nursing instead. Coursework is delivered strictly online and covers population health, healthcare policy, care coordination, evidence-based practice and leadership. Full-time students finish in two semesters, which the program describes as an intensive senior-level plan of study; part-time students take three to six semesters, must complete at least one course per semester, and have to reapply if they pass the six-semester limit. Graduation requires 25 credits of RN to BSN program courses plus 3 credits of upper-division non-nursing coursework of the student's choice, inside the university's 120-credit bachelor's total. Students entering with fewer than 92 credits make up the difference outside the program. Students pay any costs for travel to community agencies when a course requires it.

    Eligibility is tighter than the online format suggests. Applicants must be Utah residents holding or eligible for RN licensure in Utah, unless they are progressing directly from the WSU ADN program, and anyone who has not passed the NCLEX by the end of the first semester must withdraw until they do. An Associate of Science or Applied Associate of Science in nursing from an accredited nursing program at a regionally accredited institution is required, along with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; RNs with two or more years of documented full-time work experience (or three years part-time) may apply at a 2.5 cumulative GPA if their nursing GPA is 3.0. When more community applicants apply than there are positions, seats are awarded on points that weigh cumulative and science GPA, holding an AS rather than an AAS, years of RN work experience, veteran status, early submission and prior service as an ADN preceptor. Applications open for fall, spring and summer starts, each with a two-month window, and decisions follow roughly four to six weeks after the deadline. The baccalaureate program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

    • Strictly online
    • 2 semesters full-time, 3-6 part-time
    • 25 program credits + 3 upper-division
    • Utah RN license required
    • 3.0 cumulative GPA
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Weber State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  71. 71st cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    University of Arkansas at Monticello

    Monticello, AR · Public $5,685 annual in-state tuition 49% institutional graduation rate 16 degrees a year 70.2 score
    Arkansas at Monticello's RN-to-BSN major combines 24 nursing credits with six upper-level elective credits, including a dedicated course in healthy aging.

    Arkansas at Monticello's RN-to-BSN major contains 24 nursing credits and six upper-level elective credits. It forms a 30-credit major within a 120-credit degree, rather than a separate 30-credit bachelor's qualification. Required courses must be completed with grades of C or better.

    A dedicated healthy-aging course gives gerontology a clear place in the sequence. Other major requirements cover RN role transition, assessment, health promotion, population health, research and leadership. The upper-level electives sit alongside this defined nursing core. Students comparing completion requirements can distinguish that elective flexibility from the nursing subjects every student must complete.

    • 30-credit major including electives
    • 24 nursing credits
    • Six upper-level elective credits
    • Dedicated healthy-aging course
    • 120 total degree credits
    Nursing accreditation on file: CNEA. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of Arkansas at Monticello's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  72. 72nd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Texas Woman's University

    Denton, TX · Public Fully online $5,712 annual in-state tuition 49% institutional graduation rate 456 degrees a year 70.2 score
    Texas Woman's uses seven-week online courses, with clinical components completed through class projects and a preceptor-supported capstone.

    Texas Woman's teaches its RN-to-BSN coursework online in seven-week courses. Clinical components are completed through class projects and a capstone supported by a preceptor. The applied work is built into the completion sequence, rather than being replaced by the online lectures.

    Admission is rolling, but applicants complete two processes: the university application and NursingCAS. They need an unencumbered U.S. RN license and at least a 2.0 GPA in the required prerequisites. That GPA applies to the specified prerequisite set, not an assumed overall-college average. For planning purposes, the preceptor-supported capstone and the separate application steps deserve attention alongside the short course format.

    • 100% online coursework
    • Seven-week courses
    • Preceptor-supported capstone
    • Rolling admissions
    • Separate university and NursingCAS applications
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Texas Woman's University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  73. 73rd cheapest among ranked RN to BSN programs

    Southeastern Louisiana University

    Hammond, LA · Public $5,777 annual in-state tuition 45% institutional graduation rate 157 degrees a year 68.2 score
    Southeastern puts the total cost of its RN to BSN at $9,500 including tuition, books and fees, and runs it in 8-week courses a licensed RN can finish in as few as three semesters.

    Southeastern Louisiana University's RN to BSN track is built for nurses who already hold a license. To be considered, applicants must have graduated from an accredited associate degree or diploma nursing program, possess an unencumbered RN license via the LSBN or the Nurse Licensure Compact, and have earned a C or better in all nursing and required prerequisite courses. The program also expects 59 hours of general education prerequisites, and the university notes those requirements can be met by transferring or substituting previous college credit.

    Coursework runs in 8-week terms with three entry points a year, in January, June and August, and Southeastern says students can complete the program in as few as three semesters. The university lists total cost at $9,500, a figure it states includes tuition, books and fees, and it sets flexible deadlines for students with demanding work and family schedules. Students work under a faculty coaching model the program describes as offering individual guidance and support. Southeastern points graduates toward nurse leadership and case management, training and education, nursing informatics and community nursing, in settings that include hospitals and healthcare systems, managed care organizations, government health agencies and public health. The program is administered from the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building on the Hammond campus.

    • $9,500 total cost
    • Finish in as few as 3 semesters
    • 8-week courses; January, June, August starts
    • Unencumbered RN license required
    • 59 general education prerequisite hours
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Southeastern Louisiana University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)

What Is the Cheapest RN to BSN Program if You Live Out of State?

A different list from the one above. Residency is the largest single lever on what this degree costs, and a ranking built on resident tuition hides it: across the ranked cohort the median resident figure is $9,221.50 and the median non-resident figure is $18,100. Sorted by what a non-resident actually pays, published prices start at $2,365, and only 47 of the 290 ranked programs charge an out-of-state nurse less than a median resident pays anywhere.

There is a shortcut people reach for here, and it points the wrong way. It seems sensible to look for programs that charge one price regardless of residency — no residency penalty, no question to ask. 124 of the ranked programs do price that way, and they are the expensive half: their median non-resident price is $25,975, against $15,810 for the programs that do charge residents less. Only 14 of the 124 are public. One flat price is overwhelmingly what a private college has, because it never had residency tiers to begin with. It is a billing structure, not a discount.

So ask the question directly rather than inferring it from the price structure. The figures here are the two IPEDS publishes, and a handful of institutions report identical resident and non-resident tuition where their in-state peers report a large gap — which may be a real one-rate policy or may be a reporting artifact, and is worth confirming before you rely on it. Online delivery does not by itself mean a school charges you the resident rate either; that is a separate policy, and some programs attach a practicum that has to happen in their state. Compare the online programs.

Does a Cheaper RN to BSN Mean a Worse One?

Not as a credential. Every program in this ranking awards a BSN to nurses who already hold a license, and the license you practice on does not change with the price you paid for the degree.

The honest caveat is in the graduation rates. The cheapest quarter carries a median institutional graduation rate of 41%, against 51% across all 290 ranked programs. That gap is real and this site will not hide it — but it is also the most misread figure in this field. IPEDS measures graduation for first-time, full-time undergraduates at the institution as a whole. An RN returning for a completion track is none of those things, and the cheap end of this list is dominated by community colleges, which enroll a very different student body than a university does. Treat it as a signal about the institution and not as a forecast for you.

What the published tuition figure genuinely cannot tell you is the total. These are annual institutional figures, not quotes for a completion track: they carry no fees, no books, and no account of the general education you may still owe. The number that decides your bill is the per-credit rate times the credits left after your transfer evaluation, and most schools do not publish that rate in a form this site can compare across the cohort. Ask for it, in writing, alongside the transfer evaluation. Whether the degree repays the cost and what the public and private price gap buys both take that question further than a price list can.

Questions About RN to BSN Cost

What is the cheapest RN to BSN program?
3 ranked programs share the lowest published price $970 a year in state — Worcester State University (Worcester, MA), Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg, MA), Westfield State University (Westfield, MA). That is the in-state figure. Their non-resident price is $7,050, so the headline number is only available to Massachusetts residents. If you live elsewhere, the number that matters to you is further down this page.

What is the cheapest RN to BSN program if I am out of state?
A different list from this one. Sorted by what a non-resident actually pays, the cheapest published figures in the ranked cohort run from $2,365, and only 47 of the 290 ranked programs charge a non-resident less than the $9,221.50 a median resident pays. The median non-resident figure across the cohort is $18,100. One thing not to use as a shortcut: a program charging one price regardless of residency is usually a private college that never had residency tiers, not a bargain. 124 programs price that way and only 14 of them are public — their median non-resident price is $25,975, against $15,810 for the programs that do charge residents less.

Does a cheaper RN to BSN mean a worse one?
Not as a credential — every program on this site awards a BSN to nurses who already hold a license to practice, and the license does not change. But the cheapest quarter does carry lower institutional graduation rates: a median of 41% against 51% across all 290 ranked programs. Read that carefully. It is IPEDS's rate for first-time, full-time undergraduates at the whole institution, which an RN completing a BSN is not, and community colleges serve a very different student body than universities do. It is a signal about the institution, not a prediction about you.

Is this the total cost of the degree?
No, and no page that quotes a single number is telling you the whole truth. These are annual published in-state tuition figures from IPEDS, for the institution. They exclude fees, books and the cost of any general education you still owe, and they are not a quote for the completion track. The figure that decides what you actually pay is the per-credit rate multiplied by the credits you have left after transfer — and how much of your ADN transfers varies by school. This site cannot compare per-credit rates across the cohort, because most schools do not publish one in a comparable form. Ask each program for its per-credit rate and its transfer evaluation in writing before you compare two prices.

Compare the full directory of RN to BSN schools by state, the national ranking on cost and graduation rate, or the state rankings.