10 Best Online RN Programs for Non-Nurses 2025
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Ready to make a career switch to healthcare? Then consider nursing.
Even if you majored in a non-nursing field, many online nursing programs let you earn a second bachelor’s degree in less time. These programs offer rigorous curricula designed to help you become a registered nurse (RN) as quickly as possible.
According to the National Library of Medicine, 600,000 nurses will retire by 2030, leaving an urgent need for new nurses with bachelor’s degrees.
Ready to start your nursing career? Here are our picks for the best online RN programs for non-nurses nationwide.
Featured Online Nursing Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Top 10 Online RN Programs for Non-Nurses 2025
Below, we rank the most popular and accessible online RN programs for non-nurses.
You can complete all of these programs in fewer than 36 months. Most take around 14 months to complete, making them suitable for non-nurses looking to switch careers. Some programs may take even less time, depending on how many credits you can transfer.
Each program is accredited by either the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
In addition, every program boasts high NCLEX-RN pass rates — at or above the national average of 93% — so you can rest assured you’ll learn what you need to know to become a nurse.
While most or all of the coursework for these programs takes place online, online accelerated RN programs typically require some in-person components, such as clinics, labs, and short-term residencies. We recommend living near or within traveling distance of your school or a partnering institution.
| Rank | School | Location | Tuition & Fees | Eligible States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas Edison State University | Trenton, NJ | $500 per hybrid course ($41,316 total estimated cost) | All states EXCEPT Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wyoming |
| 2 | Emory University | Atlanta, GA | $82,000 total program cost | All states with clinical affiliation except, but not limited to, California, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas |
| 3 | Averett University | Norfolk, VA | $62,700 total tuition | Must be able to attend in-person components in Norfolk, Virginia |
| 4 | Methodist College | Peoria, IL | $677 per credit | Must be able to attend in-person components in Peoria, Illinois |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin Oshkosh | Oshkosh, WI | $48,224 total tuition | Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon (October cohort only), Washington, and Wisconsin |
| 6 | Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences | Draper, UT | $58,480 total tuition | Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin |
| 7 | University of Tulsa | Tulsa, OK | $458 per credit | Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia |
| 8 | Roseman University of Health Sciences | Henderson, NV, and South Jordan, UT | $61,800 total tuition | Nevada and Utah |
| 9 | Rockhurst University | Kansas City, MO | $783 per credit ($46,980 total tuition) | Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska |
| 10 | Marymount University | Philadelphia, PA | $18,700 per semester | District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia |
1. Thomas Edison State University — Trenton, NJ
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 100% (2023)
TESU’s online bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program is available in 42 states and Washington, D.C. — the most of any program on our list.
The accelerated and hybrid BSN takes 15 months to complete and is offered online and at Magnet-designated facilities. You’ll earn 26 credits online and 34 in a hybrid format.
2. Emory University — Atlanta, GA
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 99%
Emory runs a fast-paced, yearlong online BSN. In this program, you’ll take classes in a virtual classroom with synchronous and asynchronous components.
You’ll also complete two Atlanta-based clinical sessions, one two-week foundational session in your first semester, and a one-week capstone session in your last semester, including NCLEX prep.
3. Averett University — Norfolk, VA
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 98%
At Averett, you can earn your nursing degree in just 16 months and start clinicals in your first semester. You’ll learn how to interact with patients and take on more responsibility throughout the program while receiving guidance on clinical tasks.
Averett’s BSN grads have a high 98% NCLEX pass rate, making the program a close second to Emory.
4. Methodist College — Peoria, IL
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 96%
Looking for a blend of online and in-person courses? Then check out Methodist College’s BSN second degree. Geared toward degree-holders, this program offers a mix of asynchronous and synchronous classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as hosting weekend classes.
You must complete clinical hours at a healthcare institution in the Peoria area.
5. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh — Oshkosh, WI
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 96% (2022)
UWO’s accelerated program is one of the fastest programs on our list of the best online RN programs for non-nurses.
This accelerated 12-month BSN entails fully online nursing theory classes, an in-person two-week residency, and clinicals in or near your area. Cohorts begin in February, May, and October each year.
Despite being rigorous, the program has graduated over 1,400 nurses since 2003. According to the school, UWO was among the first to offer this type of BSN.
6. Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences — Draper, UT
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: Over 95%
You can complete your accelerated online BSN at Joyce in as few as 20 months. The university wants to minimize travel as much as possible, so you’ll work in virtual labs, simulations, and case studies.
You must travel to campus for one week during your third, fourth, and fifth semesters.
7. University of Tulsa — Tulsa, OK
- Accreditation: ACEN
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 95% (2022)
Tulsa’s online BSN program is designed to help you graduate in 18 months. While the courses are online, you’ll complete a one-week skills bootcamp on campus before you start clinicals.
This RN program uses the Roy Adaptation Model, which gives you:
- Insight into the political, historical, professional, and social forces impacting nursing
- An understanding of pharmacotherapeutics and metrology calculation
- Tools to help patients experiencing simple health disruptions across their lifespan
8. Roseman University of Health Sciences — Henderson, NV, and South Jordan, UT
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: Over 95%
Roseman takes a more hybrid approach to learning than the other more online-oriented schools on our list. In this accelerated BSN program, you’ll take clinical rotations and group and laboratory assignments at a Roseman campus or a southern Nevada or Utah healthcare facility.
All instruction takes place online, and the university has four rolling admission dates.
Nearly 97% of Roseman nursing students are hired within six months of graduating.
9. Rockhurst University — Kansas City, MO
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93%
While many online accelerated BSN programs are limited to students in specific states, Rockhurst welcomes students from Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
To apply, you must have completed two of four science prerequisites:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- General or organic chemistry
- Nutrition
In addition to earning 60 credits during the program, you’ll complete 583.5 clinical hours, a 10-day campus residency during your first semester, and three intakes (similar to patient assessments or evaluations) per year. The program typically takes 16 months to complete.
After graduation, you’ll get one-on-one coaching to help prepare you for the NCLEX.
10. Marymount University — Arlington, VA
- Accreditation: CCNE
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: Over 93%
Marymount’s 16-month online BSN program is open to those living in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C.
In-person residencies teach you wound care, health assessment, and more through simulations, competency checks, and faculty interactions.
Should You Get Your Nursing Degree Online?
The best online RN programs for non-nurses offer a lot of pros — but is an online nursing degree right for you?
One benefit of online RN programs is flexibility. You don’t need to leave home to travel to campus.
What’s more, most online courses combine synchronous and asynchronous lectures, so you don’t need to stick to a particular schedule all the time.
One potential challenge, however, is proximity to the school. While courses may take place 100% online, you’ll likely have to travel to your school or an approved location at least once to take labs, do intakes, complete residencies, or do clinical exercises.
Talk with your school to determine what its in-person expectations are.
Another potential downside is that many of the best online RN programs for non-nurses are accelerated, leaving little to no time for a full-time or even part-time job. That said, you’ll earn your degree faster than a traditional four-year degree.
If accelerated feels too intense, it’s worth seeing whether a program will allow you to enroll part time.
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