Best RN to BSN Programs in Ohio, Ranked (2026)

The 14 RN to BSN Programs in Ohio, Ranked

Scored on in-state tuition (55%) and institutional graduation rate (45%). How we rank.

1. 1st in Ohio

   Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

   Bowling Green, OH · Public Fully online $11,405 annual in-state tuition 64% institutional graduation rate 98 degrees a year 71.2 score

   BGSU awards up to 56 credit hours for credentials a nurse already holds — 40 credits for a nursing diploma plus a passed NCLEX-RN and an active, unencumbered license, and 16 more for having passed the NCLEX-PN before becoming an RN.

   BGSU's RN to BSN is a 100% online completion program for nurses who are already licensed, built for diploma-prepared nurses and those holding an associate degree. Coursework runs in seven-week asynchronous terms that students take at their own pace, with three start dates a year. The RN to BSN portion is 30 credit hours and can be finished in as few as three semesters. A BSN from BGSU requires 120 credit hours in total, at least 30 of which must be completed at BGSU; the remainder comes in as transfer credit for general education and support courses, so the number of credits any given student still needs varies. The page lists tuition at $426.40 per credit hour, a figure that includes instructional and general fees, with an out-of-state surcharge of no more than $11 per credit.

   A large share of that credit can come from credentials the nurse already earned: 40 credits are awarded to registered nurses who earned a nursing diploma, passed the NCLEX-RN, and hold an active, valid and unencumbered license, and an additional 16 to those who also passed the NCLEX-PN before becoming an RN. The page states no clinical hour total. Instead, direct care practice activities are embedded in four courses (NURS 3098, NURS 4208, NURS 3900 and NURS 4048) and students are responsible for identifying their own practice sites or participants, though faculty will assist anyone who cannot find one. An active, valid RN license is required to complete those experiences, and hours a student works on the job may not count toward them. To finish the degree, students maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 and earn a grade of C or better in every RN to BSN core course. The baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

   • 100% online
   • Seven-week asynchronous courses
   • Up to 56 credits for RN credentials
   • 30 program credits, 120 to graduate
   • $426.40 per credit hour

   Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Bowling Green State University-Main Campus's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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2. 2nd in Ohio

   Ohio University-Main Campus

   Athens, OH · Public Fully online $14,158 annual in-state tuition 65% institutional graduation rate 1,212 degrees a year 68.7 score

   Only nine nursing courses — 31 credit hours — have to be completed at Ohio University, and they run in five-week terms with eight start dates a year.

   Ohio University's RN to BSN track is built for nurses who already hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing and an active, unencumbered RN license, with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. The degree takes 120 credit hours in total, but only 30 of those must be earned at Ohio University, and the nursing coursework itself comes to nine courses worth 31 credit hours. Transfer credits carry no expiration date and no cap on the number of units accepted, and admitted students get a transcript review that produces an individualized list of the courses they still need. Three courses are excluded from transfer and must be taken at OHIO: NRSE 4515, NRSE 4585, and NRSE 4595. Classes run five weeks each, with eight start dates a year: three in fall, three in spring, and two in summer.

   The program is delivered 100% online with no travel to campus required. Students review materials and submit assignments at any time from any location; each class also offers live virtual office hours, recorded for anyone who cannot attend the live session. Clinical work totals 31.5 hours, split between the community course (NRSE 4585) and the capstone (NRSE 4595), and students complete those hours locally at a site of their own choosing. Pacing is left to the student: the page says the degree can be finished in as little as one year, and reports that 50 percent of students complete the BSN in two years and 70 percent within five. Enrollment is limited to permanent residents of 32 listed states or the District of Columbia. The baccalaureate nursing program, covering both the RN to BSN and traditional BSN tracks, is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the university is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

   • 31.5 clinical hours
   • 100% online
   • 120 credits, 30 at OHIO
   • Active RN license required
   • 8 start dates a year

   Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Ohio University-Main Campus's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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3. 3rd in Ohio

   Kettering College

   Kettering, OH · Private nonprofit Online $16,320 annual in-state tuition 65% institutional graduation rate 93 degrees a year 66.4 score

   Kettering College publishes its RN-to-BSN completion rates term by term on the program page itself, along with the methodology used to calculate them.

   Kettering College's Online RN-to-BSN Track is a completion degree track built for nurses who already hold an RN license and are working. Coursework is delivered online and divided into 7-week sessions, and students choose a full-time or part-time pace, stopping and starting as their schedule requires. Nursing courses begin in August, January, or May. All coursework must be completed within five years of first enrollment in the track.

   The college gives full credit for a student's associate degree and applies credits earned beyond it toward the bachelor's. Kettering also posts program completion rates for the track by semester on the program page: 83.5% for Spring 2025 (65 students), 87.5% for Fall 2024 (87 students), and 81% for Spring 2024 (119 students), with Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 still listed as pending. The page explains that the rate is measured from a student's enrollment in the first nursing course, at the point they can no longer receive a full tuition refund, through conferral of the degree.

   • Online coursework
   • 7-week sessions
   • Starts in August, January, or May
   • Full-time or part-time pace
   • Five-year completion window

   Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Kettering College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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4. 4th in Ohio

   Youngstown State University

   Youngstown, OH · Public Fully online $9,790 annual in-state tuition 50% institutional graduation rate 123 degrees a year 66.2 score

   YSU automatically grants 66 credit hours of block transfer from a completed ADN/ASN plus 10 additional hours of experiential credit for holding an unencumbered RN license, and states it accepts credits from non-regionally accredited nursing programs.

   Youngstown State University's RN to BSN is a 100% online completion program aimed at working nurses. The degree requires a minimum of 122 credit hours, of which 28 are core nursing credits taken at YSU. Those core credits are spread across nine required courses (Professional Nursing, Nursing Informatics, Culture in Nursing, Health Promotion Across the Lifespan, Health Assessment for RNs, Community Health Nursing for RNs, Evidence-Based Practice, a Senior Capstone, and a four-credit Nursing Leadership course) each running seven weeks. YSU lists four start dates across the academic year (Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1 and Spring 2) and a completion time of as few as 10 months. The online courses are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus.

   Admission requires an ADN/ASN or diploma in nursing with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, official transcripts from every college attended, a current unencumbered RN license, and a $45 application fee that is waived for active and veteran military members. Once admitted, 66 credit hours of general education and nursing coursework from the ADN/ASN transfer as a block, and YSU adds 10 hours of experiential credit for the unencumbered license; the university also states it accepts credits from non-regionally accredited nursing programs. Experiential learning is built into two required courses rather than taken as standalone clinicals: 20 hours in the Senior Capstone and 40 hours in Nursing Leadership. In-state tuition is $279 per credit hour, or $7,812 for the program, with out-of-state tuition at $284 per credit hour. The BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing.

   • 100% online coursework
   • 28 core nursing credit hours
   • As few as 10 months
   • Current, unencumbered RN license required
   • $279 per credit hour in-state

   Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Youngstown State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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5. 5th in Ohio

   The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences

   Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit Fully online $17,325 annual in-state tuition 56% institutional graduation rate 183 degrees a year 60.9 score

   Clinical work is arranged entirely by the student — finding the preceptor, setting the schedule, and completing the hours — with no fixed hour total, since the number varies by course and students may be able to use their current employer as the clinical site.

   The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences runs its RN to BSN completion program fully online and asynchronously, with no pre-set class times. Full-time students finish in three semesters; a part-time plan spreads the same coursework across six. The curriculum is delivered in two modules per semester and includes Nursing Informatics, Introduction to Statistics, Professional Writing in the Health Sciences, Introduction to Research and EBP, Nursing Theories and Foundational Concepts, Wellness and Health Promotion, Population Health and Community-Based Nursing, Pathophysiology, Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing, Caring for the Older Adult, Health Care Policy, Nursing Leadership and Management, and a one-credit Synthesis and Application of Professional Nursing course. The curriculum table totals 120 credits for the degree. Admission is on a rolling cycle, so students can start in the spring, summer, or fall.

   To enroll, applicants need an active, unencumbered RN license in the state where they are employed, plus either an associate degree in nursing from an ACEN-accredited program with a 2.5 GPA or higher, or a diploma from an ACEN-accredited program or a State Board of Nursing approved hospital; students entering with a diploma may need extra courses to reach the minimum credit hours for a bachelor's degree. Applicants must also meet the program's technical standards, with reasonable accommodations where needed. Clinical components are tied to individual course content rather than done in a group, and the college puts the student in charge of securing a preceptor and scheduling the hours. Tuition runs about $250 per credit hour, which the college breaks out as $16,950 in tuition and $925 in program fees for one year of full-time study. The college describes those figures as approximate and subject to change. Employees of The Christ Hospital Health Network may qualify for full or partial tuition coverage. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the college notes its online courses follow Quality Matters standards.

   • 100% online, asynchronous
   • 3 semesters full time, 6 part time
   • About $250 per credit hour
   • Active, unencumbered RN license required
   • CCNE accredited

   Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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6. 6th in Ohio

   Ohio University-Zanesville Campus

   Zanesville, OH · Public $6,362 annual in-state tuition 22% institutional graduation rate 25 degrees a year 56.4 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10.
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7. 7th in Ohio

   Ohio University-Southern Campus

   Ironton, OH · Public $6,362 annual in-state tuition 21% institutional graduation rate 17 degrees a year 55.9 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10.
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8. 8th in Ohio

   Franciscan University of Steubenville

   Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofit $33,500 annual in-state tuition 75% institutional graduation rate 40 degrees a year 52.5 score

   Franciscan’s RN-to-BSN requires the final 30 credits at the university and allows full- or part-time enrollment.

   Franciscan's RN-to-BSN combines a nursing completion sequence with a 124-credit bachelor's degree, including accepted transfer work. Nursing courses cover community health, complex patient care, leadership and research. A separate research seminar accompanies the research course, and the broader degree includes ethics, theology and supporting sciences.

   You can enroll full or part time, but the final 30 credits must be completed at Franciscan. That residency rule makes the order of any remaining transfer coursework important. Build the degree plan around both the nursing requirements and the university requirements before deciding how many terms to attend. Counting only the nursing courses would leave out part of the work needed for graduation.

   • Full- or part-time study
   • 124-credit degree including transfer work
   • Final 30 credits at Franciscan
   • Community health and leadership coursework
   • Nursing research course and seminar

   Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Franciscan University of Steubenville's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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9. 9th in Ohio

   Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus

   Chillicothe, OH · Public $6,362 annual in-state tuition 14% institutional graduation rate 26 degrees a year 52.5 score Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10.
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10. 10th in Ohio

    Mount Carmel College of Nursing

    Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit Online $27,600 annual in-state tuition 54% institutional graduation rate 256 degrees a year 48.8 score

    Mount Carmel offers a two-to-three-semester RN-BSN plan, with part-time study also available.

    Mount Carmel's online RN-BSN is designed for licensed nurses, with a two-to-three-semester completion plan and a part-time option. Online undergraduate sections are capped at about 25 to 30 students. The section size and the ability to reduce your pace are separate considerations when deciding how much coursework to combine with nursing shifts.

    You need an RN license to apply. Before working backward from the advertised completion plan, confirm that the college can enroll you in your state: its state-by-state enrollment table matters for applicants outside Ohio. Then compare the part-time and shorter schedules with the courses you need.

    • Online RN-BSN courses
    • Two-to-three-semester completion plan
    • Part-time study available
    • Online sections of 25 to 30 students
    • RN license required to apply

    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Mount Carmel College of Nursing's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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11. 11th in Ohio

    University of Rio Grande

    Rio Grande, OH · Private nonprofit Fully online $19,600 annual in-state tuition 36% institutional graduation rate 13 degrees a year 48.8 score

    Rio Grande’s online RN-to-BSN includes nursing informatics and a six-credit community health course.

    Rio Grande's online RN-to-BSN has a 36-credit nursing major inside a 120-credit degree that includes prior nursing work. You can enroll full or part time. The curriculum includes nursing informatics and a six-credit community-health course, extending the program beyond a repeat of bedside nursing preparation.

    Pathophysiology and statistics matter to the course order. The catalog encourages you to finish them before starting: pathophysiology precedes clinical decision-making, while statistics is required for nursing research. A transfer review should therefore check where those prerequisites land, not just count the credits accepted. The RN-entry requirement accepts a valid license in any state; review the nursing sequence with an advisor when choosing your pace.

    • All courses offered online
    • Full- or part-time study
    • 36-credit nursing major
    • 120-credit degree including prior nursing work
    • Statistics prerequisite for nursing research

    Additional program sources: rio.edu source 1 for University of Rio Grande (opens in a new tab)

    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about University of Rio Grande's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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12. 12th in Ohio

    Franklin University

    Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit Online $9,552 annual in-state tuition 11% institutional graduation rate 36 degrees a year 47.6 score

    Franklin pairs six-week online courses with local clinical hours and a telehealth simulation.

    Franklin's RN-to-BSN uses six-week online courses and can take as few as 12 months, depending on transfer credit and course load. The full bachelor's degree requires 120 credits, with up to 90 eligible to transfer. Request the transfer evaluation before comparing the advertised duration with another program's completion plan.

    The nursing coursework includes telehealth, end-of-life care and evidence-based practice, followed by a capstone. It also includes local in-person clinical experience and a telehealth simulation. These are different commitments: online coursework does not remove the local practice requirement. Review the clinical schedule and capstone sequence alongside the six-week course calendar when deciding how much study you can combine with your job.

    • Six-week online courses
    • As few as 12 months
    • Local in-person clinical experience
    • Telehealth simulation
    • Culminating nursing capstone

    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Franklin University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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13. 13th in Ohio

    Ursuline College

    Pepper Pike, OH · Private nonprofit Online $38,490 annual in-state tuition 67% institutional graduation rate 139 degrees a year 43.2 score

    Ursuline’s online RN-to-BSN pathway is designed for completion in 12 to 18 months.

    Ursuline's online completion pathway combines nursing theory with liberal arts coursework and is designed for completion in 12 to 18 months. Use that range to discuss a course plan around your existing credits and work schedule rather than treating the shortest advertised duration as a fixed promise.

    The RN admission criteria require a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and an unencumbered Ohio or compact RN license. You have a choice of supporting document: a personal statement, a CV or resume, or a professional recommendation. These are alternatives, so you can select the option that best presents your nursing experience instead of preparing three separate submissions.

    • Online RN-to-BSN courses
    • 12 to 18 months
    • 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA
    • Ohio or compact RN license
    • Choice of application supporting document

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

    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Ursuline College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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14. 14th in Ohio

    Wittenberg University

    Springfield, OH · Private nonprofit Online $44,966 annual in-state tuition 53% institutional graduation rate 17 degrees a year 29.4 score

    Wittenberg builds an individual RN-to-BSN study plan around each student’s transferred general education coursework.

    Wittenberg builds an individual RN-to-BSN plan from your transferred general education coursework. Adult courses are online, and you can begin with any RN-to-BSN course except NUR 402. That starting-course choice can help an advisor match your entry term to the work you still need, rather than treating every returning nurse as the same transfer student.

    Graduates of approved associate-degree nursing programs apply through adult admissions. An unrestricted, unencumbered RN license is required by the second term, so that deadline belongs in the plan for anyone entering before licensure. If you use employer education benefits, Wittenberg allows tuition-payment deferral. Ask how the payment schedule aligns with your employer's reimbursement process.

    • Individual transfer-based study plan
    • Online adult courses
    • RN license required by second term
    • Flexible starting course, except NUR 402
    • Tuition deferral with employer benefits

    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, 2026-09-10. Learn more about Wittenberg University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
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Questions About RN to BSN Programs in Ohio