10 Best Online Accelerated BSN Programs (2024)

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

An accelerated Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is designed to help people who currently hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field to begin meeting the requirements to become an RN. This type of degree program prepares students to perform tasks that are related to patient care and education. Students in these programs also learn the material that they need to know to pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. The nursing industry is currently experiencing one of its biggest booms in history since the aging population has increased the demand for competent nurses. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the job outlook for nurses is increasing around 13 percent, which is a faster than average rate. Students can quickly work their way toward becoming a nurse through online accelerated BSN programs that help them finish their second degree and begin working in their chosen profession. You can find out everything you need to know about the Best Online Accelerated BSN Programs for 2024 if you continue reading.

What Factors Were Considered for Ranking the Best Accelerated Online BSN Programs?

Following are the 10 Best Online Accelerated BSN Programs in the Nation for 2024

1) University of Texas - Arlington, TX

If you are exploring accelerated online BSN programs, you can check out the University of Texas’s blended ABSN program, wherein you complete the coursework online and undergo in-person clinical training at healthcare facilities located within the state of Texas. As this program is meant for students with a bachelor’s in a non-nursing field, your past education will be acknowledged, for which you will be provided a transfer option of up to 70 credits. These credits are basically the pre-requisite courses that are required to be completed before you start the nursing courses. In case these courses haven’t been completed earlier, you can take them online; however, you must do so before the start of the nursing coursework.

Students usually complete this program in 15 months and embark on a rewarding nursing career. Once enrolled, you will complete 14 nursing courses that comprise 51 credits. Additionally, there are two elective courses, out of which you are required to complete one based on your interest. The curriculum is well-rounded and systematically delivered in sequential order.

Key Highlights

•The program offers a pay-by-the course tuition payment option. With this flexibility of paying per course, you can pay for your tuition by taking up a part-time job.
•The college is known for its impressive NCLEX-RN performance, and its first-time pass rates consistently exceed 90%.

2) Methodist College - Peoria, IL

Methodist College prepares nursing aspirants with rigorous training that combines online day classes with weekend face-to-face lectures and clinical experience sessions. These in-person sessions prove to be beneficial as you are given ample hands-on practice that will thoroughly hone your professional skills. You can choose to complete this ABSN degree either on a part-time or full-time basis. Full-timers will progress through the program as a cohort and complete it in five consecutive semesters. Whereas, as a part-time student, you will not be part of a cohort as you will be completing the coursework at your own pace.

To gain eligibility, you must have earned your non-nursing bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Offered in fall and spring, you must complete a 70-credit curriculum to earn your degree. The coursework starts with an introduction to nursing; after that, it takes you through evidence-based nursing education that prepares you for culturally relevant nursing practice. Upon completion of the coursework, you will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam.

Key Highlights

•The program provides you with an internship opportunity in Peoria. This experience in a real-world clinical setting exposes you to valuable hands-on learning. You can also use this opportunity to build up your professional network.
•If you plan to work while pursuing this program, you must know that you are expected to spare at least 3 to 6 hours of study time each week, apart from your regular class schedule.

3) Kent State University - Kent, OH

If you feel nursing is your calling and you are keen on making a career shift, then Kent State University’s partially online ABSN degree can be considered. There are three schedules to choose from, day, evening, and weekend. Depending on your life schedule, you can enroll and complete this program in four to five semesters. As you are required to visit the campus for in-person classes and lab simulation exercises, it is advised that you stay closer to the college.

You are eligible for this program only if you have earned a minimum GPA of 2.75 in your bachelor’s and completed pre-requisite courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry. Additionally, a college-level course in algebra is also required.

The Bachelor of Science in nursing coursework, requiring completion of 59 credits, starts with nursing fundamentals and ends with a preparatory course for the NCLEX-RN exam. The program aims at developing critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and communication skills that prepare you for compassionate nursing practice.

Key Highlights

•The college boasts of an average first time NCLEX-RN pass rate of more than 90%.
•Kent’s nursing graduates are highly regarded for being job-ready, and this is evident from the college’s impressive placement rate.

4) Emory University - Atlanta, GA

Emory University’s online second degree BSN is a recent addition to its already popular on-campus ABSN program. This distance learning program is meant for students residing in eligible states outside the Atlanta metro area. In just 54 weeks of study, you will be equipped with professional skills and knowledge that kick starts your nursing career. The program starts each year in September, January, and April. It is offered in a cohort format, where you complete one course at a time, along with your peers. You will typically take online classes every day, together with 30 other members.

To graduate, you must complete 47 credits in fast-paced coursework. To enhance critical thinking, the college facilitates an active learning environment that promotes a sense of inquiry by encouraging students to pose questions and raise issues related to nursing. You will spend the first five months taking foundation courses, followed by courses in health assessment, acute and chronic care, mental, maternal, pediatric, and adult nursing and community nursing.

Key Highlights

•To ensure your success in this program, Emory makes you sign a pledge that you will not seek any part-time or full-time employment from the date of enrollment until your graduation.
•Although the program is primarily online, you are required to visit the campus for orientation, in the beginning, then later two sessions for lab simulation exercises that last for two weeks each and, one week for the capstone project, towards the end of the program.

5) Marian University-Indiana - Indianapolis, IN

Marian University is driven to help career changers succeed in their new career as a nurse. With a faith-based curriculum and convenience of online coursework that is well complemented by on-campus simulation experiences, you are prepared to serve patients with holistic nursing care. The on-site sessions are held twice a week at the college’s Indianapolis and Nashville campuses, so you must decide to enroll at the location most convenient to you.

The accelerated 16-month BSN curriculum spread over four semesters is designed to teach you job-ready skills. This is possible as you head straight into clinical rotations from the first semester itself. Throughout the coursework, you will gain deep insight into Marian values of holistic nursing care that treats the mind, body, and spirit. Please note you need to complete all the required prerequisite courses prior to applying for this program.

Key Highlights

•With an emphasis on hands-on learning, your training includes 700 hours of clinical rotations at a variety of clinical settings. Depending on where you enroll, you will complete this experience at either St. Vincent or Saint Thomas Health.
•If you choose to complete the pre-requisite coursework online through Marian’s Adult Programs, you may be eligible to reserve a seat for yourself in this ABSN program.

6) Northeastern University - Boston, MA

If you are from a non-nursing background and find a calling in nursing, an ABSN program is what will get you started in this thriving field. Northeastern University’s accelerated program in BSN is a combination of online sessions, simulation learning, and clinical experiences. The program is rigorous in nature, and it is advised that you keep personal and professional commitments to the minimum during your course of study.

To graduate, you must earn 67 credits in a curriculum that teaches you to provide nursing care for a culturally and ethnically diverse population. You also master evidence-based nursing practice and the use of technology in healthcare. These 16 months of study that include clinical experiences in various nursing specialties such as pediatric, mental health, adult health, women’s health and community and public health, prepare you to work successfully in any kind of healthcare setting.

Key Highlights

•Depending on where you enroll, you must be prepared to attend the simulation lab sessions at least once a week at either the Uptown Charlotte or Boston campus.
•This Online Accelerated BSN Program admits new cohorts in January, May, and September. You must apply at least two months before the program starts.

7) University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, WI

Since it started offering the ABSN in 2003, the University of Wisconsin has helped almost 1100 students to shift their careers to nursing. The program is a well thought fast track option that prepares graduates with effective nursing skills and knowledge in the shortest possible time frame of just one year. Although primarily online, there are on-site requirements that you must adhere to. Precisely, the on-campus visits include a three-day weekend stay for an orientation before the start of the program, later on, you will spend two weeks to fulfill the simulation and clinical requirements, and towards the end, one week for the capstone project.

With the admission process being highly selective, you must ensure you have all the pre-requisites in place. The coursework starts with an introduction to professional nursing and progresses to teach you health assessment, evidence-based practice, legal and ethical care, mental health, adult, pediatric, maternal and community nursing, and nursing leadership and management. Upon completion of this program, you will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.

Key Highlights

•To earn your degree within a year, you must complete one credit per week, which requires you to devote 8-12 hours every day.
•The attrition rate of the program being less than 1% tells that students find the teaching quite satisfactory.

8) Thomas Edison State University - Trenton, NJ

Thomas Edison State University’s partially online accelerated BSN program prepares you for a career in the ever-growing nursing field within a short span of twelve months. This program allows you to take classes through the web in an asynchronous manner. To be eligible for this program, you must have completed your previous degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Additionally, 33 credits in pre-requisite sciences and statistics courses with at least a grade of “B” must be completed to enhance your chances of admission.

The nursing coursework requires completing 60 credits, which include 25 credits for online didactic courses and 35 credits for in-person courses. The in-person sessions include five theoretical nursing courses, lab sessions, and clinical learning. Upon completion of this program, you will demonstrate enhanced clinical reasoning and interpersonal skills. The program also prepares you to use healthcare informatics to improve patient health outcomes.

Key Highlights

•Three courses from this program can be transferred to the Master of Science of nursing program at TESU. In case you plan to advance your education, this seamless credit transfer can help save time and money with your MSN.
•If eligible, you can avail of a scholarship that is exclusively meant for ABSN students.

9) Roseman University of Health Sciences - Henderson, NV

Roseman University of Health Sciences caters to students seeking a second degree in nursing. The ABSN program is offered in a blended format and takes 18 months to complete. The online learning platform, through which most of the didactic courses are offered, allows you the convenience to log in at any time. The coursework is divided into 15 topics called blocks, wherein you focus on one block at a time. Depending on the topic, blocks may last anywhere from two to eight weeks.

If you have completed 54 credits of undergraduate coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.75, then you are eligible to take this program. Your coursework starts with an introduction to nursing and includes courses in health assessment, nursing pharmacology, nursing research, maternal and newborn nursing, mental health nursing, adult nursing, and nursing leadership.

Key Highlights

•With the impetus on student’s success, the college assesses your coursework knowledge every two or three weeks. This systematic way of assessment will help you know the areas you have mastered and the ones you still need to work on.
•Former U.S. Armed Forces personnel enjoy special benefits such as military credit transfers, a dedicated faculty, and even earning course credits for some nursing courses by simply passing the tests.

10) University of Wyoming - Laramie, WY

The Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, in partnership with the University of Wyoming Outreach School, offers an accelerated online nursing program for individuals holding a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field with a minimum GPA of 2.50. The curriculum is demanding, so you need to be highly motivated and follow a disciplined schedule to successfully complete this program. Although the majority of coursework is delivered online, during the beginning, you will be required to visit the campus for in-person classes. As part of the overall curriculum, you will also undergo several hours of clinical training at instructor approved healthcare settings located within the state of Wyoming.

This 58-credit hour program starts in May of each year and runs for 15 straight months, ending in August the following year. It covers core nursing subjects such as nursing care in acute and chronic illness, nursing care of populations, nursing leadership, healthcare informatics, evidence-based nursing, and pharmacology.

Key Highlights

•Like most other online accelerated BSN programs, students applying must hold an active CNA or LPN license.
•The online coursework delivery of this program provides a great opportunity for students located in rural areas of Wyoming to become a registered nurse without having to re-locate to Laramie.