Best 29 Accelerated Nursing Programs in the US in 2024

The University of Texas Medical Branch is focused completely on health science programs, including nursing programs. One of its nursing programs is an accelerated BSN. This RN-to-BSN program allows students to complete their degrees in only two semesters.

The University of North Carolina is known as one of the top public universities in the South, so it comes as little surprise that its accelerated nursing program is world-class. It offers an accelerated BSN program. Students can also enroll in the traditional BSN program.

Purdue University offers the top accelerated nursing program in Indiana. It offers both a traditional BSN and an accelerated BSN. The accelerated BSN program is only open to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in another field.

East Carolina University may not be the most well-known institution on our list, but it has one of the top accelerated nursing programs in the country. ECU offers traditional, accelerated, and RN-to-BSN tracks at the bachelor’s level. The accelerated track can be completed in roughly one year.

The University of North Florida offers a strong accelerated nursing program at an affordable rate. Students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing can apply to the accelerated BSN program. UNF also has a traditional BSN and an RN-to-BSN option.

West Virginia University is well-known for the strength of its nursing department. This department offers an accelerated BSN. As with the other accelerated BSN programs on this list, students must have first completed a bachelor’s in another field.

Florida International University makes it three Florida-based institutions in the first eight programs. FIU offers an accelerated BSN. Students can complete their degrees in only a year and a half.

The University of Delaware has a world-class accelerated nursing program. The BSN program offers several tracks, including an accelerated option. The RN-to-BSN program also allows students to complete their degrees at an accelerated rate.

Indiana University offers some of the best health science programs in the nation. This includes its nursing program, which offers an accelerated BSN. Students can complete the accelerated BSN in only four semesters.

The University of Wisconsin – Madison has the top nursing program in the state. It has a standard accelerated BSN program for students with a bachelor’s degree in another field. It also has a unique accelerated dual BSN/MSN program.

San Diego State University boasts the top accelerated nursing program in California. Its BSN program allows students to pursue their degrees at a standard or accelerated rate. If they choose to pursue their BSN at an accelerated rate, they must take a heavy course load during their first two years in the program.

Stony Brook University is a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. It offers an accelerated BSN track. Students in this track can graduate in only one year.

Binghamton University is another SUNY member institution. Students with a degree in another field can enroll in the accelerated BSN program. The school has an on-campus residential area specifically for nursing students.

The University of Cincinnati was the first college to offer the BSN program over 125 years ago and has been innovating ever since. Now UC offers 4 options for students to complete their RN degree including:

• 5 Semester Direct Entry Accelerated Masters in Nursing designed for students with Bachelor’s degrees in a non-nursing field
• 4 Year Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program
• 2 Year Associate Degree in Nursing dually enrolled with an online RN to BSN program
• 2 to 5 Semester online RN to BSN program for students, who already have obtained an associate degree in Nursing.

The University of Oklahoma offers one of the best-accelerated nursing programs in the region. In addition to the accelerated BSN track, UO also offers traditional and RN-to-BSN tracks. Students must complete 127 credits of coursework.

George Mason University is a public institution with a leading nursing program. It offers both traditional and accelerated BSN tracks. Students graduate with 600 clinical hours under their belts.

University of Maryland – Baltimore County has the leading nursing program in the state. Students can complete the program at the standard rate or take more classes to complete their degrees at an accelerated rate. The BSN program requires 120 credits of coursework for students to graduate.

The University of Houston has the leading nursing program in the city. Students must complete roughly 60 credits of prerequisites to be accepted into the BSN program. If students take classes at an accelerated rate, they can complete these prerequisites in only a year and a half.

Rutgers University – Camden has the top nursing program out of the three Rutgers institutions. It offers an accelerated BSN for students who already have a bachelor’s in another field. This accelerated track can be completed in only 15 months.

Rutgers University – Newark may have been edged out by its sister institution in Camden, but it still has a leading nursing program. Students can take more than 12 credits per semester to graduate at an accelerated rate. They must complete 126 credits of coursework to graduate.

The University of Washington offers the top accelerated nursing program in the state. Students can complete their degrees at an accelerated rate by taking more than four classes per semester. This program requires students to complete 151 credits of coursework and more than 1,000 hours of clinical experience.

The University of Virginia has a unique nursing program. Students begin taking nursing courses in their freshman year instead of only taking general education courses. Students can complete their degrees at an accelerated rate by taking more than four classes per semester.

The University of Illinois – Chicago, better known as UIC, has the top nursing program in the city. The accelerated RN-to-BSN track allows professional nurses to complete their degrees in less than two years. A traditional track is offered for new college students.

The University of Minnesota has long been known for its world-class nursing department. Students can complete the BSN at an accelerated rate by taking more than four courses per semester. The first year of this program is filled with general education courses while the next three are comprised of nursing courses.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is known for its nursing program. Its nursing program offers numerous degrees, including a BSN. Students who want to complete this degree at an accelerated rate must have a bachelor’s degree in another field.

Emory University is a mid-sized private institution with a strong nursing program. It offers an accelerated BSN track for students who already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. Students can benefit from plenty of personalized attention due to Emory’s low student-to-faculty ratio.

Drexel’s 11-month Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) BSN program is for students who already have a bachelor’s degree and are looking to receive their BSN in a faster time frame. ACE is an innovative program that is geared towards students who will benefit from an accelerated education in nursing science rather than a traditional three- or four-year program.

ACE provides intensive immersion in nursing science as well as facilitated entrance into nursing practice. The rigorous program prepares you to take a position as a registered nurse in several types of settings: hospitals, outpatient clinics and offices, and insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

The University of Miami, ranked top-50 in the nation, has a fast-track Accelerated-BSN program designed to meet the ever-changing needs of today’s nurses. It is the perfect program for students with a bachelor’s who are committed to earning their BSN in just 12-months.