The University of Alabama, Huntsville – 12 Months
Western Governors University – 18-24 Months
The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley – 12 Months
Wilmington University – 12 Months
Northern Kentucky University – 12 Months
Edited By Arlene Ward
Review & Contribution By Leona G. Smith
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, referred to as the BSN, is a baccalaureate degree program for students looking for nursing careers in healthcare settings and becoming a nurse practitioner or professional nursing practice. Although an individual can become a Registered Nurse (RN) and start their nursing practice with only an associate degree and an RN license, this bachelor’s degree remains popular because of the well-rounded education it provides.
The Master of Science in Nursing program, referred to as the MSN, is a master’s program that prepares students for bigger and more responsible roles in areas such as clinical decision-making, nursing management, healthcare organizational leadership, clinical decision-making, healthcare quality improvement, nurse educator, nursing research, and other specialty areas. This collegiate nursing education program dives deeper into the vast subject of nursing, with nursing theory, patient care, patient outcomes, health sciences, etc., and equips students with clinical reasoning skills and clinical research skills, all of which can meet one’s personal and professional goals in nursing.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing BSN to Master of Science in Nursing MSN degree programs represent one of the more common graduate nursing programs available. Despite the advantage of the bachelor’s degree, students would need to have graduated from an MSN degree program for them to take up specialized roles and advance in their careers. These opportunities can lead to higher pay, better work hours, and even more fulfilling work.
While the RN to MSN online program is meant for registered nurses looking to complete a master’s nursing degree, the online BSN to MSN degree programs cater to those with a bachelor’s degree in nursing but want to transition further into a master’s degree program.
Read on to find out more about the Master of Science in Nursing MSN, and understand all there is to know about this master’s program, admission requirements, online learning, what a collegiate nursing education entails, and more.
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Featured Online Master’s in Nursing
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Southern New Hampshire University
PROGRAM: Best & Affordable Online Master’s in Nursing with Concentrations
Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 3,000 on-campus students and over 60,000 online students, making us one of the fastest-growing universities in the country. Founded in 1932, we’ve been relentlessly reinventing higher education ever since and have gained national recognition for our dedication to helping students transform their lives and the lives of those around them.
We’re proud to provide affordable, accessible education that students can pursue on our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH, over our innovative online platform or at our regional centers in Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem, NH, and Brunswick, ME.
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Best Master’s Nursing Programs Online
Many schools offer BSN to MSN online programs. But it is not easy to find the best master’s degree from among them at first glance. Several factors need to be considered before determining which the best nursing programs are at the graduate level. OMC has considered several factors like the quality, coursework and scope, graduation rates, tuition fees, accreditation, etc., of nursing programs on offer and created a list of the best available. Here are the best master’s in nursing degree programs:
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| College Name & Address | Tuition | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Gonzaga University E 502 Boone Ave, Spokane, Washington 99258 | $16,672 | 85% |
| #2 University of Connecticut 352 Mansfield Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 | $16,300 | 84% |
| #3 University of Southern California University Park, Los Angeles, California 90089 | $46,272 | 92% |
| #4 Johns Hopkins University 3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 | $55,350 | 93% |
| #5 Saint Louis University One North Grand Blvd, Saint Louis, Missouri 63103 | $20,880 | 79% |
| #6 University of South Carolina, Columbia Columbia-Campus, Columbia, South Carolina 29208 | $13,737 | 77% |
| #7 Xavier University 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207 | $12,060 | 73% |
| #8 George Washington University 1918 F Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20052 | $31,770 | 82% |
| #9 University of Missouri 105 Jesse Hall, Columbia, Missouri 65211 | $9,264 | 71% |
| #10 University of Alabama 739 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 | $10,780 | 71% |
Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available
Cheapest BSN to MSN Online Programs
Online degree programs, in general, can be expensive, and enrolling in an online nursing degree is no exception. Tuition fees and financial aid availability are perhaps the most important factors in determining which school to join for an online BSN to MSN program. OMC has considered dozens of universities offering a nursing online program and created a list of the cheapest nursing education programs in the United States. Here are some of the most affordable master’s in nursing programs:
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| College Name & Address | Tuition | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Fort Hays State University 600 Park St, Hays, Kansas 67601 | $3,582 | 43% |
| #2 Winston-Salem State University 601 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27110 | $3,872 | 51% |
| #3 Grantham University 6025 West 113th Street, Lenexa, Kansas 66219 | $4,200 | 22% |
| #4 University of West Georgia 1601 Maple St, Carrollton, Georgia 30118 | $4,338 | 45% |
| #5 McNeese State University 4205 Ryan St, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70605 | $5,703 | 47% |
| #6 University of West Florida 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, Florida 32514 | $7,088 | 46% |
| #7 Troy University University Avenue, Troy, Alabama 36082 | $7,650 | 47% |
| #8 University of North Dakota 264 Centennial Drive, Stop 8193, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202 | $10,534 | 61% |
| #9 Baker University 618 Eighth Street, Baldwin City, Kansas 66006 | $10,800 | 64% |
| #10 Xavier University 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207 | $12,060 | 73% |
Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available
Understanding BSN To Collegiate Nursing Education
The Master of Science in Nursing MSN program is quite popular, which means hundreds of universities offer a college education in nursing. The proliferation of programs can make it difficult to choose which one might be the best fit. However, interested students should look for several key characteristics in an MSN degree program while researching options. Here are some details and factors students should look for in an MSN program.
Curriculum in Collegiate Nursing Education
A master’s in nursing curriculum is akin to an undergraduate degree’s curriculum and is typically divided into two sections. The core section is largely common, regardless of the program or concentration chosen. Some common core nursing classes include:
- Evidence-Based Practice for Patient-Centered Care and Population Health
- Quality Improvement of Interprofessional Patient Care
- Professional Presence and Influence
- Organizational Leadership and Interprofessional Team Development
The second part of an MSN curriculum will be specialization courses. Here are some of the more popular areas of specialization and the courses commonly found in them:
Nurse Educator
- Teaching as a Nurse Educator and Active Learning Strategies
- Assessment and Evaluation in Nursing Education
- Curriculum Development
- Role of the Nurse Educator
Family Nurse Practitioner
- Advanced Primary Nursing Care for Adults
- Primary Care of Adolescents and Children
- Advanced Pharmacology
- Advanced Health Assessment
Nursing Informatics
- Database Management
- Clinical Information Systems
- Leadership and Nursing Practice: Role Development
- Information Workflow in Healthcare
Nurse Management and Leadership
- Leadership and Management for Nurse Executives
- Health Care Quality and Safety Management
- Integrative Process in Nursing Administration
- Financing Health Care
Accredited BSN to MSN Programs
Without accreditation, a master’s degree is worth very little. Accreditation is important because it ensures that the nursing education program meets high-quality education standards, thus preparing master’s students adequately for the career ahead. It also makes access to scholarships, grants, and other financial aid easily accessible. There are two accrediting bodies for MSN programs: the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Grad students will find that the CCNE accredits most MSN programs. More information about accreditation is available in the Best Accreditation Guide.
BSN to MSN Admission Requirements
The admission requirements for a master of science in nursing MSN are similar to a master’s degree in most other science disciplines. For an RN to MSN, students are generally expected to have an undergraduate or associate degree and some work experience. It must be noted that some collegiate nursing education programs make do only with an associate degree, while others mandatorily require a bachelor’s. In short, the admission requirements vary by university and the master’s degree program. Additional admission requirements for an RN to MSN or BSN to MSN degree include the following:
- An application form with fees
- Official academic transcripts
- A Statement of Purpose
- At least two Letters of Recommendation
Tuition Rates
Collegiate nursing education can be expensive; most students want to find the cheapest online Master of Science in Nursing MSN program and check for financial aid availability. Tuition rates can vary widely even though students receive the same accredited degree. There are various reasons for these differences in cost, but often, the only difference is the school’s name printed on the degree – more prestigious schools tend to cost more, even though their programs are accredited to the same standards as those at any other school. MSN students will need to do their research to fully understand what they are getting (or giving up) by paying a different tuition rate. It must also be noted that the cost per credit hour and acceptance of transfer credits can hugely impact the overall cost of a nursing program.
Certification Rates
One of the biggest reasons master’s students would want to earn a master’s in nursing is the additional training in a specialized area of practice, such as midwifery, adult gerontology acute care, adult-gerontology primary care, public health nursing, advanced nursing practice, evidence-based practice, nursing informatics, nursing research, or anesthesia. But simply graduating is not enough to start with careers in these areas or even become a nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner. Many states and employers expect Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, or APRNs, to take up a National Council Licensure Examination from any American nurses credentialing center. One way to measure the quality of a nursing degree is by asking how successful its graduates are in becoming certified.
Flexible online options
Not all online master’s in nursing curricula are the same. While one degree program may offer coursework 100% online, others may require the occasional campus visit. Then, there is synchronous versus asynchronous online learning. The former requires students to be at their computer at a set time; the latter gives maximum flexibility by allowing students to attend class and complete their coursework on their own schedule. The credit hour requirement varies by program and university.
Clinical options
Most MSN programs will require clinicals, although the exact requirements will depend on the specific specialty of the master’s program. To make things as easy as possible, many master’s in nursing programs will allow students to complete their clinicals at a healthcare site of their choice if they meet certain requirements and the program approves them. Prospective MSN students should remember to look for a master’s in nursing approved near where they may already work as a registered nurse.
Shortest BSN to MSN Online Programs
An online MSN Program is important in providing upward mobility to a registered nurse. MSN degrees are the bridge for nurses with a BSN degree and looking to get into leadership and/or administrative roles. Getting an MSN degree online is the easiest way to advance. That is why many nurses sign up for online BSN to MSN or RN to MSN programs. However, online MSN programs can take up to three years before graduation. Luckily, some universities offer accelerated online BSN to MSN programs that can be finished in a considerably shorter time. Here are some of the shortest online BSN to MSN programs:
Online MSN Programs – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
In the nursing world, there is a lot of demand for a Family Nurse Practitioner or FNP. A Family Nurse Practitioner provides patient care to all members of families, regardless of age. In most instances, a Family Nurse Practitioner provides patient care throughout a lifespan. Many nurses specialize as a Family Nurse Practitioner in their MSN program. For nurses with an RN license and/or a BSN degree, getting admitted to an MSN program specializing in FNP is easy. And many universities offer an online nursing program in FNP that is affordable. These nursing education programs are designed so students can run without many prerequisites, as they would already have a BSN degree. Here are some online MSN programs specializing in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP):
Career & Salaries for MSN Program Graduates
In broader terms, a nurse practitioner tends to work in healthcare organizations and other clinical healthcare settings and take roles in general health assessment, adult-gerontology primary care, public health nursing, etc.
In earning the MSN degree, a registered nurse practitioner with an RN license can take up an advanced nursing practice or become a clinical nurse specialist. Alternatively, they can look forward to changing their career in several ways. First, they can leave the clinical setting, if they prefer, by becoming a nurse educator and teaching nursing students. Second, there is a partial departure from the clinical environment by taking a management and leadership role in healthcare administration or diverse roles in nursing informatics, health sciences, healthcare informatics, etc.
Finally, registered nurses who wish to stay in the clinical setting can take on more specialized roles as healthcare professionals or obtain greater treatment responsibility. For example, a family nurse practitioner will provide primary patient care to children and adults and usually has the power to diagnose and prescribe medications. Then, there are nurse midwives who provide direct patient care to women within the context of female reproductive health and childbirth.
The MSN program provides additional knowledge for these more advanced roles through coursework and clinical experience. Many BSN-prepared RNs may groan at the thought of attending more nursing school and completing clinicals, but the benefits can be very attractive. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for a registered nurse is $81,220. But for MSN graduates in other roles, the median annual pay is much higher.
| Job Title | Growth Rate 2022-2032 | Annual Median Salary |
| Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives | 38% (much faster than average) | $125,900 |
| Medical and Health Service Managers | 28% (much faster than average) | $104,830 |
| Registered Nurses | 6% (faster than average) | $81,220 |
| Physician Assistants | 27% (much faster than average) | $126,010 |
Even for a nurse practitioner who may not wish to go into healthcare administration, nursing education, or become an Advanced Practice Nurse, an MSN can be beneficial in that it makes it easier to gain other benefits when working in patient care, such as less overtime, being on-call less often, and working fewer holidays. The ability to “slow down” may be enough for some to spend the time, money, and effort to earn an MSN degree. Now that many MSN programs are online, it is easier than ever to get this advanced nursing education degree and transition from BSN to MSN program or RN to MSN program.
Resources for MSN Students
Whether or not an individual is a nursing degree student or a clinical nurse specialist, staying up to date with the latest in collegiate nursing education and patient care is always advisable. Connecting with peers and nurse practitioners will go a long way in fostering new relationships and enable the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and information that is vital in the rapidly evolving world of nursing. Doing so will undoubtedly help in career growth and upward mobility.
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing
- Nurse Journal
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Other Online MSN Programs in Collegiate Nursing Education
An online master of science in nursing can fit well into a busy schedule, allowing nurse practitioners to improve their careers, pay, and job outlook. When contemplating if such nurse practitioner programs are the best path forward, prospective grad students can find additional helpful information in the following resources:
- Discover RN to MSN Online Programs
- Master’s Degree in Nursing Online: What You Need to Know
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