Registered Nurses are going back to school in droves as the demand for nurses with a minimum of a Bachelor's degree grows. With the nursing field projected to grow 16 percent through 2024, it has never been more important to have educated nurses practicing in the field.
These rankings were designed by the College Choice staff to reflect two essential components of a nursing education for working students - flexibility and affordability. With more than 70 percent of nursing students working full-time, there has been a call for rankings to reflect both online and the most affordable RN-BSN degree programs in the country.
The Best Online RN-BSN Degree Programs 2016 ranking was created by comparing a school's Internet portal, degree requirements, tuition, student retention and academic reputation. All facts and statistics were found using the school's website and independent statistics and ranking sites, ensuring that the ranking is current and reflects the most accurate information.
The schools listed in this ranking are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Ball State University, Muncie, IN
Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing, Richmond, VA
Capella University, Minneapolis, MN
Chamberlain College of Nursing, Downers Grove, IL
Charleston Southern University, North Charleston, SC
Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA
Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS
Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL
Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL
Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
McKendree State University, Lebanon, IL
Miami University Ohio, Oxford, OH
Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Alva, OK
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA
Ohio University, Athens, OH
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
Penn State University, State College, PA
Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO
Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, AR
Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK
St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg, FL
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi, Delhi, NY
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA
University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO
University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, IN
University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth, KS
University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Upper Iowa University, Fayette, IA
Villanova University, Philadelphia, PA
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT
Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL
The Most Affordable RN-BSN Degree Programs 2016 ranking focused on using tuition, student retention, academic reputation, financial aid services and more to curate a short list that represented the best schools from which to graduate with an RN-BSN degree.
The complete list of schools included in this ranking are as follows (in alphabetical order):
American Public University, Charles Town, WV
Delta State University, Cleveland, MS
Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS
Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, IN
King University, Bristol, TN
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK
University of Arkansas Fort Smith, Fort Smith, AR
University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA
Washburn University, Topeka, KS