Virginia
Best RN to BSN Programs in Virginia, Ranked (2026)
In Virginia, Public Doesn't Mean Cheap and the Big Name Doesn't Lead
Virginia is an ordinary state on the national numbers and a strange one on its own. Both halves of that are useful to you.
Start with the advice everyone gives, which is to go public and pay less. 4 of the 6 ranked programs here sit at public institutions, so on paper that holds. Then look at the prices. University of Virginia-Main Campus charges $19,472 in state — more than Riverside College of Health Careers at $14,000, and within $478 of Regent University at $19,950. Both of those are private. The genuinely cheap public options exist — University of Virginia's College at Wise at $6,160, Mary Washington at $9,117, George Mason at $10,392 — but they are three named schools, not a sector you can trust. In Virginia, control tells you almost nothing about what you will pay.
Across the 6 ranked institutions, median annual in-state tuition is $12,196. The range is $6,160 to $19,950. Comparing the actual rate matters more than assuming every public option costs less than every private one.
The top of the list is the other thing worth stopping on. Riverside College of Health Careers, a single-purpose health-careers college in Newport News that confers 29 nursing bachelor's degrees a year, scores 85.8 — 4th of the 290 ranked programs on this site and 7.8 points clear of anything else in Virginia. That is not a glitch, and it is also not a claim that it teaches better than UVA. The score is $14,000 against $19,472, and a 100% institutional graduation rate against 96%. Win both inputs and you win the ranking. The caveat belongs in plain sight rather than in a footnote: an institutional graduation rate counts first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates, and as a working RN you are none of the three. At a college that awards health-careers credentials and nothing else, that figure describes a very different student body than it does at a large university.
George Mason University reports the most bachelor's nursing awards among the ranked institutions: 205 of their combined 462. These totals include nursing bachelor's graduates across tracks, not just licensed nurses finishing an RN-to-BSN. Award volume does not add points to the ranking score.
The 6 RN to BSN Programs in Virginia, Ranked
Scored on in-state tuition (55%) and institutional graduation rate (45%). How we rank.
- 1st in Virginia
Riverside College of Health Careers
Newport News, VA · Private nonprofit Fully online $14,000 annual in-state tuition 100% institutional graduation rate 29 degrees a year 85.8 scoreRiverside lets students still in the last semester of an affiliated associate-degree nursing program enroll concurrently in the RN-to-BSN track, and routes its three practicum courses through the student's own community or workplace rather than an assigned clinical site.Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Riverside College of Health Careers's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)Riverside College of Health Sciences runs its RN-to-BSN as an entirely online completion program for nurses who already hold an associate degree (ADN, AAS, AOS) or a diploma in Professional Nursing plus a current, unencumbered RN license in Virginia or a Compact state. There is no pre-admission test. Four general education prerequisites must be finished before you apply: English Composition (3 credits), Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (8), Developmental Psychology (3), and Microbiology with lab (4), for 18 credits total. Another 24 credits of general education can be completed before or during the program. The degree totals 120 credit hours, of which 38 are taught by Riverside (28 theory, 4 project work, 6 upper-level general education) and 40 are granted for prior nursing education and licensure. Core program tuition is listed at $12,300 with $200 in post-enrollment fees, plus estimates of $1,435 for books and $1,200 for computer supplies; Riverside College alumni get a 10% discount and Riverside Health System employees 20%, and the two can be combined.
All theory coursework is online, and three of the ten courses include integrated, independent practicum components that students may complete in their own community or work setting. The calendar runs two 16-week semesters, each split into two 8-week sessions, plus an 8-week summer semester, and completion takes 12 months full-time to 24 months part-time depending on course load and remaining general education co-requisites. Coursework covers community impact, nurse leadership roles, inter-professional communication, and evidence-based practice, and the program states that it prepares graduates for graduate study in nursing. The baccalaureate program holds Initial Accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN); the institution is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and certified by SCHEV to operate in Virginia. Because the college participates in NC-SARA, the program is open to students living in other SARA member states.
- 100% online theory coursework
- 12 to 24 months to complete
- VA or Compact RN license required
- 120 total credit hours; 38 taught
- $12,300 core program tuition
- 2nd in Virginia
University of Virginia-Main Campus
Charlottesville, VA · Public Hybrid $19,472 annual in-state tuition 96% institutional graduation rate 153 degrees a year 78 scoreUVA runs its RN to BSN as a hybrid rather than a fully online program, with one in-person class day a month at whichever of three Virginia sites a student picks at admission: Charlottesville, Richmond, or Northern Virginia.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of Virginia-Main Campus's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)The University of Virginia School of Nursing offers its RN to BSN as a part-time hybrid program that leads to the degree in two years. Students meet in person for class once a month and complete weekly coursework online in between; those in the Richmond and Northern Virginia cohorts also travel to Charlottesville roughly one to two times over the course of the program for orientation, simulation and graduation. Location is fixed once chosen, and students cannot alternate between the three sites. The UVA portion is 30 credits across ten courses, including informatics, pathophysiology, research concepts, leadership and management, health policy, population and public health nursing, and a University elective. On completion, students receive 42 credits of advanced standing for prior nursing coursework, which combines with 48 general education credits to reach the 120 semester hours the degree requires. The curriculum is built on the AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2021). The program currently has no direct clinical hours, though the page notes that may change with updated guidelines.
Applicants need an associate's degree or diploma in nursing and 48 general education credits finished before enrollment, including English composition, 12 credits of natural science and math covering Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab plus microbiology, 9 credits of social science and history, 9 of humanities and fine arts, and electives to fill the balance. Most students take these at a community college. An unencumbered license to practice as a registered nurse in the United States is not required to apply but must be in hand by the start of the academic year, with a copy on file before a student can enroll in any RN to BSN class. Admission is for fall only: applications open August 1, close March 1, and decisions are typically posted by May 1. Applicants apply through the Common Application by way of the UVA Office of Undergraduate Admission; interviews are not required. UVA estimates the 30-credit program at $27,014 for Virginia residents in 2026-27, and all financial aid is need-based through UVA Student Financial Services, requiring both the FAFSA and the CSS/Profile.
- Hybrid, one in-person class per month
- Three class sites: Charlottesville, Richmond, Northern Virginia
- 30 credits at UVA, 120 total for the degree
- No direct clinical hours currently
- Part-time, two years
- 3rd in Virginia
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA · Public Online $9,117 annual in-state tuition 66% institutional graduation rate 37 degrees a year 74.7 scoreUMW runs a concurrent enrollment plan with Germanna Community College that admits GCC nursing students into the BSN completion program while they are still finishing their associate degree, so the liberal arts coursework can be taken before licensure and the nursing courses begin once the RN license is in hand.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of Mary Washington's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)The University of Mary Washington's BSN Completion Program is a post-licensure degree built for registered nurses who already hold an associate degree or a hospital diploma. Coursework is delivered online in eight-week blocks and paired with direct clinical learning experiences. Nurses who enroll full-time can finish in one year, and part-time study is available at the student's own pace. Admission requires a current, unencumbered license to practice nursing in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, with applicants below that mark considered if they submit additional documentation. Suggested filing dates are April 1 for fall, October 15 for spring, and March 1 for summer.
The degree totals 120 credits. Forty-one of them are awarded for RN licensure earned through a community college or an accredited hospital diploma program, and students may transfer up to 90 credits in all, but at least 30 must be earned at UMW. Those 30 credits are ten required courses, among them Medical Ethics and a three-credit NURS 490 Practicum, and the curriculum is framed around the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. The baccalaureate nursing degree at UMW is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Through an academic partnership with Germanna Community College, GCC nursing students may be granted admission to the completion program as Pre-Nursing (3+1) students with a letter of intent and a 2.5 GPA, taking the three liberal arts courses during summer sessions and starting NURS-prefix courses once they present a valid Virginia RN license.
- 41 credits awarded for RN licensure
- Online, eight-week blocks
- Virginia RN license required
- 3.0 minimum GPA
- One year full-time
- 4th in Virginia
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · Public Fully online $10,392 annual in-state tuition 68% institutional graduation rate 205 degrees a year 74.3 scoreMason runs the RN to BSN completely online in mostly seven-week class blocks, which lets a full-time student finish in two semesters.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about George Mason University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)George Mason University's School of Nursing offers its RN to BSN pathway completely online to nurses who already hold a U.S.-issued RN license. Most classes are delivered in a seven-week format, and a full-time student can earn the degree in as little as two semesters, which the school puts at one year. Students may also enroll on a part-time basis. The online coursework includes opportunities to practice newly acquired skills in practicum areas.
Admission opens twice a year, for fall and spring terms, and rests on four things: an associate degree in nursing, completion of all nursing prerequisite courses, admission to the university, and a current U.S.-issued RN license. Students who enter with a prior non-nursing bachelor's degree must complete at least 30 credit hours at Mason beyond that first degree, and credits already applied to the earlier degree, whether earned at Mason or another university, cannot be counted as electives toward the RN to BSN. The school notes that nursing programs require additional fees, and the College of Public Health maintains a scholarship page covering students at all levels. Prospective students can join online Q&A hours held every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST over Zoom.
- 100% online
- Two full-time semesters
- Seven-week class format
- U.S.-issued RN license required
- Fall and spring admission
- 5th in Virginia
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Wise, VA · Public Fully online $6,160 annual in-state tuition 47% institutional graduation rate 28 degrees a year 68.7 scoreUVA Wise offers an online RN-to-BSN major that takes two to four semesters, depending on prerequisite coursework.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of Virginia's College at Wise's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)UVA Wise offers online nursing-major courses for registered nurses entering with a nursing diploma or associate degree. The completion pathway spans two to four semesters. That range gives you a reason to compare the course sequence at different loads rather than assume every admitted RN follows one calendar.
The college and nursing department make separate admission decisions, and college admission must come first. The RN-specific application also records your prior general education work and identifies statistics as a prerequisite before program admission. Start with a transcript review and the statistics requirement, then complete the college application before expecting a nursing decision. Those steps affect when you can begin the nursing sequence.
- Online nursing-major courses
- Two to four semesters
- Diploma and associate-degree RN entry
- College admission precedes nursing review
- Statistics prerequisite
Additional program sources: uvawise.edu source 1 for University of Virginia's College at Wise (opens in a new tab)
- 6th in Virginia
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit Online $19,950 annual in-state tuition 57% institutional graduation rate 10 degrees a year 58.6 scoreRegent’s online RN completion degree uses precepted practice experiences and a final research project.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Regent University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)Regent's online RN-completion curriculum builds on prior nursing education within a 120-credit bachelor's degree. A Christian worldview runs through the coursework, an academic emphasis to consider alongside delivery format and credit requirements when deciding whether the program fits your interests.
Assessment, leadership and community health include preceptor-contracted practice immersion. The capstone addresses a clinical-management problem and follows the other nursing courses, so it is an endpoint in the sequence rather than a course to move freely into an earlier term. Map those practice commitments and the capstone order against your work calendar. Applicants must hold unrestricted RN licensure in the state where they practice.
- Online RN-completion coursework
- 120-credit complete degree
- Preceptor-arranged practice immersion
- Clinical-management capstone project
- Christian worldview throughout study
Graduation rates across this list run from 100% to 47%, which is the widest input on the page and the one to read most carefully. IPEDS measures it on entering full-time freshmen, so at the bottom of that range it is describing an institution's undergraduate intake rather than the nurses in its completion track. It still moves the score, because a 45% weight on the only completion signal the federal file publishes beats pretending the factor does not exist. Read it as a signal about the institution, and ask each program what share of its RN-to-BSN entrants finish.
What an RN to BSN Costs in Virginia: $6,160 to $19,950
That is a factor of 3.2 between the cheapest and the most expensive ranked program. The three cheapest are public, while the three most expensive include a public flagship. Compare the annual figures with the school's evaluation of your remaining RN-to-BSN credits before deciding which option costs least for you.
2 of the 6 report identical in-state and out-of-state tuition; those institutions are private nonprofits. The publics do not: University of Virginia-Main Campus lists $57,261 out of state against $19,472 in state. If you hold a license in another state and are looking at a Virginia online track, ask which of the two rates an online student actually pays before you compare anything, because the answer changes the ranking on this page completely.
These are annual published tuition figures from IPEDS, not the price of finishing the track. Most RN-to-BSN programs run around 30 upper-level credits, so what you pay turns on how many of your ADN credits transfer, whether the general education you already finished counts, and how many terms you spread the rest across. Ask every school for a total-to-degree figure in writing. Per-credit pricing is how this field hides the number, and a 3.2x spread in published tuition can close or widen once transfer credit is settled.
Virginia RN Pay: 26th of 51, and a $57,750 Range
BLS reports a median of $93,600 for Virginia's 77,490 registered nurses, against $97,550 nationally — a gap of $3,950, which places Virginia 26th of 51 states. That is the middle of the table, and on its own it is close to meaningless.
The number that carries information is the distribution inside the state. Virginia RN pay runs from $67,830 at the 10th percentile to $125,580 at the 90th — a band of $57,750, roughly 15 times the size of the gap between Virginia's median and the national one. Where you work in this state and what you do there move your pay far more than the fact that it is Virginia. If you are weighing a $12,196-a-year program against an expected raise, the state median is the wrong benchmark; the postings in your own market are the right one.
One caveat that applies to every salary figure on this site: BLS reports all registered nurses as a single occupation and does not break pay out by degree. There is no federal number for what a Virginia BSN earns against what a Virginia ADN earns, and anyone quoting one has made it up. What the BSN is associated with is access — charge and management tracks, case management, public health roles, Magnet employers that prefer it, and admission to an MSN — rather than a raise in the same post.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
5 More Virginia Programs Run This Track
These 5 confirmed Virginia RN-to-BSN programs are not scored above, either because a figure the ranking needs is absent from the federal file or because the program confers fewer than 10 degrees a year and cannot be compared like-for-like against one conferring hundreds. That is about the data, not the teaching. Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing is worth the specific note: it is the same species of institution as the school at the top of this page — a college that does nursing and nothing else — and it sits here rather than in the ranking because of one empty field.
- Bluefield University, Bluefield — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare
- Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing, Richmond — IPEDS carries no graduation rate for this institution
- Centra College, Lynchburg — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare
- Mary Baldwin University, Staunton — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare
- Virginia State University, Petersburg — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare