What are the Top 50 RN to BSN Programs?

To see where the data in this list comes from, please refer to the resources at the bottom.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University is considered one of the best medical universities in the country, no matter what area of the field you want to work in. For nurses, this school offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including an RN to BSN transition. The overall annual cost for attending JHU is around $63,135, including a tuition rate of $45,470.

• Graduation Rate: 91%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 21,267
• Location: Baltimore, MD

2. Lakeview College of Nursing

Lakeview College of Nursing is one of several universities on this list that have multiple accreditations. This shows just how great the nursing degrees are here. The estimated cost of attendance for LCN is $18,553, with $14,720 representing the tuition rate. This school offers a Certificate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s in Nursing if you want more than just an RN to BSN program to enroll in.

• Graduation Rate: 86%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 294
• Location: Danville, IL

3. University of Rochester

The University of Rochester has a pretty high tuition rate, with the average student spending $62,333 a year to attend this school. Of that money, $45,372 goes to tuition. Despite the high tuition rate, this school offers a lot of great degree programs in healthcare, and it has a fantastic financial aid department. You can get the assistance you need to pay for schooling.

• Graduation Rate: 85%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 10,955
• Location: Rochester, NY

4. Allen College

Allen College has a small student population, which means that the instructor to student ratio here tends to be small. As a result of that, you can get a lot of hands-on training when you decide to attend AC. The average cost of attendance at this school is $29,943 a year, with $18,829 going to tuition. That is one of the lowest prices on this list.

• Graduation Rate: 84%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 710
• Location: Waterloo, IA

5. University of Delaware

The University of Delaware is one of the few schools in this state that offer nursing degrees at all. Surprisingly, it also has multiple accreditations, a high graduation rate, and a low cost of attendance. The total annual cost that most students pay here is around $27,747, including in-state tuition at $12,112. Out of state students pay an average of $29,932 per year in tuition, which is something you will need to think about if you want to move here.

• Graduation Rate: 82%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 23,304
• Location: Newark, DE

6. Endicott College

Endicott College has nursing degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level, including a great RN to BSN program. No matter where you are in your nursing education, you should be able to get a degree from here. The total annual cost of attending EC is fairly pricey at $46,223, but $28,926 of that money is tuition fees. You can always apply for financial aid to help you cover your expenses.

• Graduation Rate: 72%
• Accreditation: NLNAC
• Student Population: 4,413
• Location: Beverly, MA

7. Goshen College

Goshen College has a small student population, and it is located in a beautiful city in Indiana. This school is a little off the beaten path, but its amazing nursing program keeps people coming back to it year after year. The total annual cost at GC is about $41,793 a year, with $28,500 in tuition fees. Many students enter this school with a scholarship from the college itself.

• Graduation Rate: 71%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 1,101
• Location: Goshen, IN

8. Samford University

Samford University has a number of exciting degree programs for nursing students, including a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Nursing. Whether you want to continue working as an RN or move on to a more lucrative career, you can gain the skills to do so through SU. The cost of attendance here sits at around $39,533 a year, including $26,328 in tuition fees. If you live in the area or wish to move to Alabama in the future, this could be a great school to look into.

• Graduation Rate: 71%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 4,758
• Location: Birmingham, AL

9. Adelphi University

Adelphi University offers a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Nursing, on top of its RN to BSN program. This school caters to students from across the country, and it is nestled in a wonderful city in New York. The average cost of attendance here is $46,963 a year, with $30,800 going toward tuition. This may seem high, but those rates are typical for New England states.

• Graduation Rate: 66%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 7,859
• Location: Garden City, NY

10. San Diego State University

San Diego State University offers a lot of great degrees for healthcare professionals, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing. Even though this school is located in California, it offers affordable tuition rates for students in the state. The total cost of attendance per year for an in-state student at SDSU is $25,013, which includes $6,766 in tuition. Out-of-state students pay about $17,926 a year for tuition alone.

• Graduation Rate: 66%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 30,483
• Location: San Diego, CA

11. George Fox University

George Fox University is an underappreciated school in the nursing community that we thought deserved some recognition. This school is one of the few colleges in Oregon to offer an RN to BSN program, and yet it still has a small student population. The average cost of attendance per year here is $44,563, with $31,100 going toward tuition. It may not be the most affordable school to attend, but it is certainly one to look into.

• Graduation Rate: 64%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 3,465
• Location: Newberg, OR

12. Azusa Pacific University

Azusa Pacific University has a fairly large student population, and a lot of those students attend this school for their nursing degrees. The average cost of attendance here is $36,089 a year, with most of that money ($32,256) being applied to the tuition. If you live in California or want to move here to get your degree, APU is a fantastic school to keep in mind.

• Graduation Rate: 63%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 11,586
• Location: Azusa, CA

13. Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University has one of the most well-known nursing departments in the country. If you study here, your employers will have no trouble trusting your skills and credentials. This school could be considered a little pricey, with an annual cost of $52,397 that includes $35,050 in tuition. Nevertheless, most students that enroll at SHU have enough financial aid to cover the cost of their education.

• Graduation Rate: 63%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 7,635
• Location: Fairfield, CT

14. Bethel College

Bethel College has accreditations from two of the best accreditation organizations in the country for nursing degrees. If you attend this university, you know you are getting a good education. The cost of attendance here sits around $36,263, including $24,970 in tuition. This is about average for other colleges in Indiana. The student population here is low, so you can get plenty of time to connect with your instructors.

• Graduation Rate: 62%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 1,963
• Location: Mishawaka, IN

15. Midway College

Midway College has multiple locations in Kentucky, and both of them offer nursing degrees for you to choose from. The student population at both locations is fairly low, so you won’t have to worry about sitting in huge classrooms while you try to learn. The cost of attendance averages out to be $33,833 a year, with $22,000 in tuition. If you live at home, you might be able to pay even less than that.

• Graduation Rate: 62%
• Accreditation: NLNAC
• Student Population: 2,180
• Location: Danville and Midway, KY

16. Carroll College

Carroll College is one of only a handful of post secondary schools in Montana. As a result of that, it is one of the best places to go in the state if you want to earn your BSN. The tuition rate here is $27,914 a year, on average, with the total cost of attendance being $40,051. Luckily, the small student population here makes up for some of the cost.

• Graduation Rate: 62%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 1,463
• Location: Helena, MT

17. Eastern Illinois University

Eastern Illinois University is a rather large school compared to others in Illinois, but that does not detract from the individualized learning you could receive through it. On average, the cost of attendance here is about $24,937 a year for Illinois residents. In-state tuition rates are around $11,144 annually, while the same rates are $28,124 a year for out-of-state students. Keep this in mind if you are planning to move here to go to school.

• Graduation Rate: 60%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 12,735
• Location: Charleston, IL

18. Waynesburg University

Waynesburg University is somewhat small compared to other schools in Pennsylvania, but it makes up for that in its high graduate rate. The school features a great graduate degree program for nurses that reaches all the way to the doctoral level. If you want to be a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, nurse anesthetist and more, you will need a degree this high. The average cost of attendance at this school is $32,933, with $20,540 representing the tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 60%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 2,270
• Location: Waynesburg, PA

19. California Baptist University

California Baptist University is a learning institution founded on the Christian faith. While the school does accept students from all walks of life, most of its courses implement Christianity into them in one way or another. The school’s average cost of attendance is $41,175 a year, including $28,122 in tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 59%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 6,575
• Location: Riverside, CA

20. Regis University

Regis University is a fairly large school in Colorado that offers a number of great degrees on campus and online. The school caters to a range of students from all across the country, but a large portion of them come from Colorado. The average cost of attendance here is $45,637 a year, with $32,424 going out in tuition. This pricing is pretty typical for the state.

• Graduation Rate: 59%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 14,641
• Location: Denver, CO

21. University of Maine

The University of Maine offers a surprisingly affordable nursing degree program, especially for students who live in the state already. The average total annual cost for this school is $24,147, which includes a low $10,600 a year in tuition for full time students in Maine. Students who come from other states pay an average of $27,970 a year in tuition fees.

• Graduation Rate: 59%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 12,910
• Location: Orono, ME

22. Roberts Wesleyan College

Roberts Wesleyan College maintains multiple accreditations for its nursing programs, making it one of the best colleges on this list. The student population here is low and the graduation rate is great. The average student spends about $40,827 in total annual costs, including $27,364 in tuition fees for full time attendance.

• Graduation Rate: 59%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 2,108
• Location: Rochester, NY

23. William Carey University

William Carey University is one of the most affordable schools on this list, with an average cost of attendance of $18,683 a year. Out of that money, $10,800 goes toward tuition for full time students. This school has several great degrees for nurses, including a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate of Nursing.

• Graduation Rate: 86%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 4,010
• Location: Hattiesburg, MS

24. Colby-Sawyer College

Colby-Sawyer College is a rather small university in New Hampshire that has a wonderful RN to BSN program. The school has a small student population, which means that most of the class sizes are small as well. The average cost of attendance at this school is $53,633 a year, which comes out to $37,300 in tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 58%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 1,415
• Location: New London, NH

25. East Carolina University

East Carolina University offers great healthcare degree programs, and not all of them are for nursing students. For instance, you might enroll in this school’s certified medical assisting program when you first start your education and then use that training to get a job while you go back through school. The average cost of attendance here is $19,081, including $6,158 in in-state tuition. If you are an out of state student, you might pay closer to $20,271 a year in tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 58%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 30,775
• Location: Greenville, NC

26. Georgia College & State University

Georgia College & State University offers a number of degrees for nursing students, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Doctorate of Nursing. If you would like to continue your education after completing your BSN, this school could help you do that. There is a big gap in tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students here, with Georgia residents paying an average of $8,790 a year. Students from other states pay an average of $26,690 per year in tuition. The cost of attendance with in-state tuition is $22,651 annually.

• Graduation Rate: 57%
• Accreditation: NLNAC
• Student Population: 6,468
• Location: Milledgeville, GA

27. University of Hawaii at Manoa

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is one of the biggest schools on the Hawaiian Islands. It features a fantastic nursing department that is accredited by two major accreditation boards in the U.S., and it somehow manages to keep its tuition rates affordable. The total annual cost for in-state students at this school is $24,368, with $9,904 going to tuition. Out-of-state students pay an average of $27,472 in tuition per year.

• Graduation Rate: 56%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 23,898
• Location: Honolulu, HI

28. Florida Southern College

Florida Southern College is a fairly small school by Florida’s standards, but that does not detract from the value of its nursing degree programs. More than half of the students that come into this school leave with a degree. The average annual cost for FSC students is $42,073, and $28,580 of that money represents the tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 55%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 2,717
• Location: Lakeland, FL

29. Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing

Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing is a school specifically set up for aspiring nurses. It caters to students from all walks of life, offering degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The average total annual cost at this school is $23,615, including $19,782 in tuition. Best of all, the student population is incredibly low, offering direct access to the instructors at all times.

• Graduation Rate: 55%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 309
• Location: Quincy, IL

30. Piedmont College

Piedmont College has an impressive healthcare department, featuring degrees in nursing, medical assisting, and much more. This school has a small student population, and it offers a great job placement program for when students graduate. If you choose to go to this college, expect to pay about $33,093 a year in total expenses. This will include $20,730 in tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 52%
• Accreditation: NLNAC
• Student Population: 3,340
• Location: Demorest, GA

31. Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg State University has some of the most affordable tuition rates you will find in New England, and it has an exciting nursing program for those in need of a BSN. If you choose to attend this school, you will pay an average of $8,985 per year in tuition as an in-state resident and $15,065 per year as an out-of-state resident. The total annual cost for in-state students here is $22,022, including room and board and other expenses.

• Graduation Rate: 51%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 11,644
• Location: Fitchburg, MA

32. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine features a great Master’s degree program for when you complete your undergraduate training. If this is your ultimate goal for your education, you may ask about pursuing an RN-MSN program instead. The cost of attendance at SJCM is about $46,723 per year, including $30,990 in tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 51%
• Accreditation: NLNAC
• Student Population: 3,294
• Location: Standish, ME

33. Mercy College of Health Sciences

Mercy College of Health Sciences has plenty of degrees to choose from in the medical field. If you decide that nursing just isn’t right for you, you can always enroll in one of the other degree programs at this school. The total cost of attendance here is around $18,873 per year, but most of that money goes toward tuition ($15,040).

• Graduation Rate: 50%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 846
• Location: Des Moines, IA

34. Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University offers many nursing degree programs, including a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate of Nursing. If you want to continue your education after earning your BSN, you can do that here. The cost of attendance at NAU is approximately $23,255 per year, including $9,742 for in-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition at this school costs an average of $22,094 a year.

• Graduation Rate: 49%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 28,659
• Location: Flagstaff, AZ

35. San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University offers an extremely affordable nursing program for students in California. In this state with a high standard of living, SFSU provides degree programs for an average of $10,885 a year total. That includes $6,450 for in-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition here costs about $17,610 per year, but there are financial aid programs available to combat that.

• Graduation Rate: 47%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 32,508
• Location: San Francisco, CA

36. Newman University

Newman University is one of a number of great nursing schools in Kansas. This school maintains a low student population and a helpful financial aid department that is ready to assist you in paying for your education. The total annual cost here is $34,263, and $23,650 of that goes to tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 47%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 3,108
• Location: Wichita, KS

37. Northwest Florida State College

Northwest Florida State College is one of the most affordable colleges on this list, especially for students who are current residents of Florida. If you are a student in FL, you might pay $7,669 per year to attend this school, including books, fees, room and board, and $3,234 in tuition. Out-of-state tuition for NFSC costs about $11,604 a year.

• Graduation Rate: 44%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 11,254
• Location: Niceville, FL

38. University of Mobile

The University of Mobile has an entire school of nursing devoted to RNs, LVNs, NPs, CNAs, and more. No matter what you want to do in nursing, you could potentially start your career here. The cost of tuition at this school is around $18,540 a year, which adds up to $31,703 in total costs annually.

• Graduation Rate: 43%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 2,034
• Location: Mobile, AL

39. Western Connecticut State University

Western Connecticut State University is one of the largest schools in the small state of Connecticut, and it offers a number of degree programs for nursing students. This school offers impressive tuition rates for the area, with the average in-state student paying $8,893 per year. The total annual cost for in-state students here is $24,030, and the cost of tuition for out-of-state students is $18,977.

• Graduation Rate: 43%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 8,002
• Location: Danbury, CT

40. Curry College

Curry College isn’t exactly the cheapest school on our list, but it makes up for that with its graduation rate and small student population. Whether you are a resident of Massachusetts or an aspiring nurse somewhere else, you could earn your RN to BSN right here. The total cost of attendance for a year at CC is $51,378 on average, with $34,415 going toward tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 43%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 3,617
• Location: Milton, MA

41. Rhode Island College

Rhode Island College caters to students from around the world, but most of the nursing students here come from RI. The student population is large but not overwhelming, so you should be able to get plenty of one-on-one time with your professors. The average cost of attendance here is $21,848 for one year of education. That includes $7,602 for in-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition rates are $18,300 per year.

• Graduation Rate: 43%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 8,869
• Location: Providence, RI

42. Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University is one of the biggest universities on this list, and it happens to have accreditations from two highly respected organizations in the industry. The average cost of attendance here is $39,393 for one year, including $25,430 in tuition fees. NSU offers a number of their courses online, which may work in your favor if you need a flexible schedule in the future.

• Graduation Rate: 42%
• Accreditation: NLNAC and CCNE
• Student Population: 37,797
• Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

43. Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University is home to some of the best nursing professors in Kansas. This school carries a pretty high student population for the state, but the nursing department is set up with small class sizes. The cost of attendance here is $14,879 a year for in-state students, featuring a tuition rate of $3,314. Out of state students pay a lot more than that for their tuition, average about $12,003.

• Graduation Rate: 42%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 15,450
• Location: Hays, KS

44. Dakota Wesleyan University

Dakota Wesleyan University is an incredibly small school in South Dakota that mainly focuses on degrees in the medical field. It is one of the only schools in South Dakota that offer an RN to BSN program, and it has a good graduation rate overall. The total cost of attendance here is $33,433 for one year on average, with $22,700 of that money going to tuition.

• Graduation Rate: 42%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 796
• Location: Mitchell, SD

45. University of Central Arkansas

The University of Central Arkansas has nursing programs at the graduate and undergraduate level. If you would like to go as high as a doctorate with your education, you can do that right here. The average annual cost for students at UCA is around $17,073. This includes $7,358 for in-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition rates are closer to $12,856 a year.

• Graduation Rate: 41%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 12,939
• Location: Conway, AR

46. Arkansas Tech University

Arkansas Tech has affordable degree programs in healthcare, business, and technology. If you decide that nursing is not right for you, there are other degrees here to choose from. The total cost of tuition for a year at this school is $6,918 for Arkansas residents and $12,888 for students from other areas. The cost of attendance is about $17,599 a year.

• Graduation Rate: 41%
• Accreditation: NLNAC
• Student Population: 12,749
• Location: Russellville, AR

47. Wichita State University

Wichita State University is a wonderful school in Kansas, and it has a fairly large population of students. The nursing degrees here are comprehensive and accredited, and the professors are licensed in many sectors of the nursing world. The annual cost here is about $18,050 for in-state students, including books, fees, living expenses, and $6,926 in tuition. Out-of-state students pay more along the lines of $14,960 per year.

• Graduation Rate: 41%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 19,348
• Location: Wichita, KS

48. Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University offers some of the most extensive degrees for nursing students in Florida, including a Certificate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Nursing. This school costs about $21,977 to attend per year, including $5,986 for in-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition rates are closer to $21,543 a year.

• Graduation Rate: 41%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 30,038
• Location: Boca Raton, FL

49. Midwestern State University

Midwestern State University is located in Wichita Falls, TX, which is only a short drive to the Oklahoma border. If you live in Texas, Oklahoma, or any other state in the Midwest, this could be a great school for you. The total cost of attendance here is approximately $18,023 a year, and that includes $7,238 for in-state tuition. The price for out-of-state tuition is only slightly higher at $9,188 a year.

• Graduation Rate: 40%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 7,198
• Location: Wichita Falls, TX

50. Tarleton State University

We round off our list of the top 50 RN to BSN programs with Tarleton State University. This school offers affordable tuition rates and includes a Master of Science in Nursing program for when you complete your BSN. The total annual cost for this school is $18,118 for full time, in-state students. The tuition rates here are $6,129 for Texas residents and $14,352 for students from other states.

• Graduation Rate: 39%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Student Population: 12,487
• Location: Stephenville, TX

RESOURCES

• Annual costs and tuition rates: Data provided by the CNN Money College Cost Calculator.
• Student populations and graduation rates: Data provided by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
• Accreditations: Data provided by each school’s website, linked in the heading for the school on this list.