how long does it take to become a nurse

Top Online Nursing Programs

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The 2020 coronavirus pandemic certainly reminded the world of the importance of quality nursing. If you're interested in training to become a nurse but don't have the schedule flexibility you need to attend classes in person, an online nursing program could offer an ideal alternative. Fortunately, prospective students can choose from a wide variety of online nursing programs at many universities across the country.

However, because nursing involves hands-on clinical care, those programs often require students to attend certain sessions in person. It's important to consider the details for this special requirement (if applicable) when choosing a school to ensure you could feasibly travel to your preferred institution if it's necessary to occasionally attend in person. If not, a 100% online college may offer a better solution. Start your review process with a look at some of the top online nursing programs offered by various accredited U.S. institutions.

Online Associate Degree in Nursing

An associate degree in nursing prepares students for entry-level job positions in the healthcare sector and is the lowest degree level required to become a registered nurse (RN). The average salary of registered nurses in the U.S. in 2018 was more than $71,000, but an RN with this entry-level degree should expect to make closer to the lower end of the salary range at around $58,000 a year.

Typically, this course of study takes two years to complete and requires some courses to be completed onsite at the medical school. Upon completing the degree plan, the student must also pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to receive the necessary credentials to practice as a registered nurse. Top ranked online associate degree nursing programs, according to

Accredited Schools Online — an organization dedicated to helping students find the best fully accredited online schools to meet their needs — include Barton County Community College (Kansas), Sinclair College (Ohio), St. Philips College (Texas), Tulsa Community College and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

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Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Besides expanding expertise and training, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can boost anticipated salaries as much as 15% beyond average RN salaries with associate degrees. Most online BSN programs are designed for students who are already working as registered nurses but want to expand their career opportunities by earning a bachelor's degree. The required number of credits is similar to other bachelor degrees and typically takes RNs (who already have associate degrees) about 15 months to two years to complete.

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Because these programs are specifically designed for working nurses, it's possible to find some schools that allow students to complete all their coursework 100% online. According to Affordable Colleges Online, registered nurses with BSN degrees can expect to earn an average of $83,000 per year. Top contenders in the online RN-to-BSN arena include Oklahoma State University, Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences (Tennessee), Rutgers University (New Jersey), Indiana University and Goshen College (Indiana).

Online Master of Science in Nursing

As with BSN degrees, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can be earned 100% online at some schools without attending a single class in person. These programs are popular with RNs who already have bachelor's degrees (required) and want to expand their careers into administrative fields or teaching. Salaries at this level increase to the higher end of the scale, usually near the upper $80,000 range.U.S. News & World Report ranks Rush University (Illinois), University of South Carolina, Johns Hopkins University, Ohio State University and St. Xavier University (Illinois) at the top of its list of online graduate nursing programs.

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Earning an MSN was once the only option for nurses who wanted to eventually become any type of advanced practice RN, which includes nurse practitioner, clinical nursing specialist, certified nurse midwife, nursing educator, clinical nursing leader and anesthetist, but that changed in 2015 when the American Association of Colleges of Nursing changed the recommendation for advanced practice nursing to a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. State regulations currently determine which degree is required for advanced practice nursing.

Online Doctor of Nursing Practice

The relatively new Doctor of Nursing Practice is the highest attainable clinical nursing degree, but students can still earn this degree through various online programs. The degree program's sub-specialties include Doctor of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Science and Doctor of Nursing Philosophy. All the programs emphasize research, expanding scholarly knowledge and preparing nurses for leadership roles in clinical practice. Nurses with this degree typically earn significantly more than the average RN, depending on their exact position. Nurse practitioners often make more than 100,000 annually, for example.

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The increasing number of elderly Americans and the increasing healthcare focus on preventative care led the Bureau of Labor Statistics to predict an increase of 36% in nurse practitioner jobs from 2016 to 2026, and many institutions and states now require a nursing doctoral degree instead of the former MSN to obtain that job. According to NurseJournal.org, some of the best online programs for earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice include Azusa Pacific University (California), Bradley University (Illinois), Catholic University of America (Washington D.C.), Clemson University (South Carolina) and DeSales University (Pennsylvania).