In Florida, as in the rest of the nation, the demand for nursing professionals continues to grow. They make up the greater part of the workforce in the healthcare field, and their role in patient care is a vital one. The median salary for a registered nurse in 2019 was $73,300 per year or $35.24 per hour, and that is not starting a BSN degree. Nurses with BSN degrees are making more and more money over those with just an ASN (associate of science in nursing). According to what type of schooling you have already, there are programs in Florida that you can fit into your life and situation. From traditional BSN degree programs to RN to BSN degree programs, Florida has the BSN degree program for you.
Top 5 BSN Programs in Florida
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Florida | Jacksonville, Florida |
| 2 | South University, West Palm Beach | Royal Palm Beach, FL |
| 3 | Miami Regional University | Miami Springs, Florida |
| 4 | Gulf Coast State College | Panama City, Florida |
| 5 | Southeastern University | Lakeland, Florida |
Why Should I Get a BSN Degree?
Most nurses got into nursing, not for the money, but for that feeling that they have answered a calling. Some people are just meant to care for people who are not whole. This in itself is reason enough to earn one’s BSN, whether from scratch or from an ASN degree. In nursing, one’s income depends highly upon one’s credentials. Hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, nursing homes, home health companies, and more are paying top dollar to nurses who have earned their BSN. A BSN degree would also pave the way for upward mobility. It is an answer to anyone’s dreams to make better money for doing the same job but having the education to do it better.
Should I Choose a Big or a Small Florida School to Earn My BSN?
It sounds simple to say, but students who would form intimate social bonds and those who may need personalized attention may want to look to a smaller school for these niceties, while for those who would prefer a great number of options for class times and those who share a deep love for collegiate football, a bigger school may come closer to fitting the bill. Many times, affordability is the deciding factor, since private schools tend to be smaller and public schools larger. Students would do well to consider whether a prospective school offers extra scholarships they could apply for and whether they buy back used books. Consider the little things.
Best 10 BSN Programs in Florida
University of North Florida
The University of North Florida in Jacksonville has four ways to earn your BSN: the Prelicensure BSN program, the Accelerated Prelicensure BSN program, the Freshman Admit Prelicensure BSN program and the RN to BSN program. The regular prelicensure BSN program is for first-time nursing students, college juniors and above. The accelerated prelicensure BSN program is for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field but want to pursue a career in nursing and a BSN. The freshman admit prelicensure BSN program is for FTIC (first time in college) students: It is a cohort-based, four-year program. The RN to BSN is for registered nurses who wish to earn their BSN. The University of North Florida is #5 of 65 of the “best value colleges in Florida,” according to Niche.
- Program Credit Hours:
- Prelicensure BSN: 60
- Accelerated Prelicensure BSN: 52
- Prelicensure Freshman Admit BSN: 120
- RN to BSN: 60
school overview
South University, West Palm Beach
At South University, West Palm Beach in Royal Palm Beach, there are two ways to earn your BSN degree: the traditional BSN program and the RN to BSN program. The BSN program is for non-registered nurse students. There are six quarters of prerequisites. Then, once accepted into the nursing program, there are seven quarters of nursing classes before earning one’s BSN. The RN to BSN program is for already registered nurses who want to go on to earn a BSN. Niche says that the student to faculty ratio at South University, West Palm Beach is 14:1. College Factual ranked it #202 of 1978 of the “most focused nursing programs.”
Miami Regional University
At Miami Regional University in Miami Springs, there are two ways to earn your BSN degree: the traditional BSN program and the RN to BSN program. The traditional BSN program is for non-registered nursing students. It is a full program, which is 36 months long and covers all essential aspects of nursing and then some. The RN to BSN program is for already registered nurses who wish to pursue their BSN. Nursing is Miami Regional University’s most popular major, according to Niche, who also says that ninety-four percent of its undergraduates are over 25 years old.
school overview
Gulf Coast State College
Gulf Coast State College in Panama City offers only an RN to BSN degree program. The purpose of the RN to BSN degree offered at Gulf Coast State College is to prepare already registered nurses for entry into graduate professional programs in nursing. There are two full-time tracks, one in the spring and one in the fall, and a part-time track in each, as well. In Niche polls, 75% of students agree that professors at Gulf Coast State College put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. According to Niche, nursing is the college’s second most popular major after liberal arts and humanities.
school overview
Southeastern University
At Southeastern University in Lakeland, there are two ways to earn your BSN degree: the BSN program and the RN to BSN program. The BSN program at Southeastern University is for students with no prior professional nursing degree and no nursing license and will afford them an opportunity to earn a BSN after completing prerequisites up to a junior level. The RN to BSN program at Southeastern is for registered nurses who would further their career prospects or who just want to make more money or even be better at doing what they love. Niche ranked Southeastern University #2 of 76 of the “most conservative colleges in Florida.”
- Program Credit Hours:
- BSN: 126
- RN to BSN: 122
school overview
Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University in Miami Springs offers a four-year BSN program, in which the first two years cover the core curriculum and pre-nursing science courses, and then, they are eligible to apply for a nursing major to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. If accepted, the next two years are devoted to strictly nursing courses. Nursing at Ave Maria University is taught from a Christian, more specifically a Catholic, perspective. Niche said it was #6 of 76 of the most conservative colleges in Florida and #97 of 164 of the best Catholic colleges in America.
school overview
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa offers a BSN program only. It is a four-year BSN program designed for students without nursing college credit. High school graduates and transfer students first submit a regular undergraduate admissions application to the university. Students can only apply to the nursing department once all pre-nursing requirements have been or soon will be met. In seven out of the past eight years, nursing students at the University of Tampa achieved a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN on the first try. Niche ranked the University of Tampa #2 of 74 of the “best college locations in Florida” and #11 of 71 of the “colleges with the best student life in Florida.”
school overview
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach offers two paths to a BSN: the traditional BSN program and the RN to BSN Online program. Similar to the other schools, Palm Beach Atlantic’s traditional BSN is for students with no nursing education, and their RN to BSN is for already registered nurses who want to make more money, give better care, or open the door to a professional nursing degree. Palm Beach Atlantic is a Christ-centered experience where a holistic approach is taken. Niche ranked Palm Beach Atlantic University #1 of 76 of the “most conservative colleges in Florida.”
- Program Credit Hours:
- BSN: 120
- RN to BSN: 50
school overview
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College in Lakeland offers only a Direct-Entry BSN. A direct-entry BSN is when students are admitted based upon their high school grades, thus, “directly” out of high school. First-year nursing students at Florida Southern average a 3.76 GPA, 26 ACT, and 1240 SAT. One hundred percent of graduates from the nursing program are offered a job or accepted into graduate school. Niche ranked Florida Southern #7 of 76 of the “most conservative colleges in Florida” and #16 of 65 of the “best value colleges in Florida.” US News and World Report ranked it #16 in “best value schools.”
school overview
University of Miami
The University of Miami offers three BSN degree paths: a traditional BSN program, an Accelerated BSN program, and an RN to BSN program. The traditional BSN and RN to BSN are essentially like at other schools, and the accelerated BSN is a traditional BSN offered in such a way that it can be taken in only 12 months. Niche ranked the University of Miami #30 of 692 of the “best colleges for nursing in America” and #1 of 72 of the “colleges with the best professors in Florida.” US News and World Report ranked it #25 in a tie for “best colleges for veterans.”
- Tuition:
- BSN: $52,080
- Accelerated BSN: $22,909
- RN to BSN: $52,080
- Program Credit Hours:
- BSN: 125
- Accelerated BSN: 121
- RN to BSN: 60
