Nurses who obtain higher education have better patient outcomes. Many healthcare organizations, including those in New Jersey, are pushing for nurses with post-graduate educations that specialize in important fields such as mental health and gerontology. Nurses with an MSN degree are often leaders in their field, with many becoming nurse practitioners and educators. Nurse practitioners in New Jersey make a mean annual salary of $123,810.
What Specializations Does A MSN Offer?
A master’s degree is often targeted toward a specific area of focus. Some examples include family nurse practitioners, gerontology, nursing education, and school nursing. The total amount of coursework involved in this type of degree can vary depending on the area of focus. Some programs also offer post-master’s certificates for students to further customize their education.
Top 5 MSN Programs in New Jersey
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | Wayne, New Jersey |
| 2 | New Jersey City University | Jersey City, New Jersey |
| 3 | The College of New Jersey | Ewing, New Jersey |
| 4 | Fairleigh Dickinson University | Madison, New Jersey |
| 5 | Felician University | Lodi, New Jersey |
Who Can Earn A MSN?
Traditional MSN programs typically enroll nurses who have already obtained a BSN, however, many schools feature RN-to-MSN programs. An RN-to-MSN program is a way for RN/ADN students to combine the crucial aspects of the BSN program with the MSN, saving time and money in the long run. Some schools will accept bachelor’s degrees in unrelated fields, though some prerequisite work may be required.
How Long Does It Take To Earn A MSN?
It takes around 15 to 24 months to complete a traditional MSN program. This time can vary depending on the number of credit hours needed, enrollment status, and the format of the program. Accelerated programs are often more intensive, but offer a quicker timeline. Self-paced or part-time enrollment status can lengthen a program to 2 to 4 years. RN-to-BSN bridge programs can take between 3 and 4 years depending on full or part-time status.
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We ranked a list of 6 New Jersey schools offering MSN programs on a 120 point scale. Our criteria included tuition cost per credit, class size, and overall graduate enrollment. View the results below!
Best 6 MSN Programs in New Jersey
William Paterson University of New Jersey
William Paterson University of New Jersey offers an MSN program with four concentration areas. Students may choose from Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, Primary Care – Family Nurse Practitioner, and Primary Care – Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. Required credit hours range between 35 to 47 depending on the area of focus. Applicants must have a BSN with a minimum 3.0 GPA and an active New Jersey RN license.
Founded in 1855, WPU is a public university with a graduate student population of 1,500. Campus facilities include the Nel Bolger RN Nursing Laboratory. In this lab, students will learn patient care techniques through the use of mannequins, with their lab sessions recorded and evaluated regularly by professors. The university is well known for its peer health programs such as AlcoholEdu, an alcohol abuse prevention initiative.
School Overview
New Jersey City University
The College of Professional Studies at New Jersey City University features two MSN specializations: Nursing Education and School Nursing. Additionally, students may receive graduate-level certification in School Nursing. Prerequisites for entry include a current US nursing license, a BSN, and a professional resume or CV.
New Jersey City University is a public university with a graduate student population of 1,812. Nursing is one of the most popular programs of study at NJCU. Nursing students typically take classes in Rossey Hall. In addition to many varsity athletics teams, including the first women’s wrestling program in NJ, the university has recently started offering varsity esports.
School Overview
The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey offers several MSN programs, post-master’s certificates, and an RN-to-MSN bridge program. Area of focus study includes Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Leader, and School Nurse. The RN-to-MSN program is a Nurse Practitioner track. Admission requirements include a NJ RN license and BSN. Additionally, students will need CPR certification and pass a criminal background and drug test.
TCNJ is a public university with a 632 graduate student population. Nursing students have an 85% pass-rate on their licensing exams. The university offers over 180 student organizations. There is also a strong movement to provide health-conscious alcohol-free social events on and off-campus, including an annual carnival known as “LollaNoBooza”.
School Overview
Fairleigh Dickinson University
The School of Nursing at Fairleigh Dickinson University features MSN programs available completely online as well as on-campus. Students may choose concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner or Nursing Education. Several post-master’s certificates are also available, such as adult-gerontology, family psychiatric/mental health, and nursing information systems. Applicants must have a BSN with a 3.0 GPA and a minimum of 1-year clinical nursing experience.
FDU is a private university with approximately 1,853 graduate students enrolled at the Metropolitan campus. Of the many campuses located domestically and abroad, the Metropolitan campus specializes in business as well as professional studies like nursing. It is considered a commuter school, though there are residence halls available. Nursing programs are also available at the Florham campus in Madison and Florham Park.
School Overview
Felician University
Felician University awards several specialized MSN degrees and certificates. Traditional fully online programs include concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner degrees and post-master certificates. Felician also offers a post-master certificate program in oncology. Prospective students must have a 3.0 GPA BSN and a valid NJ RN license.
Established by the Felician sisters in 1923, Felician University is a private Fransciscan university with a graduate student population of 410. There are two campuses in Bergen County: Lodi and Rutherford. 79% of the student population is female.
School Overview
Stockton University
Stockton University offers a general MSN degree with the opportunity for special certification in Adult-Gerontology. Students can also earn a post-master’s certification as Family Nurse Practitioner. Admissions criteria includes a BSN with a 3.2 GPA or higher and a valid NJ RN license with CPR certification.
Stockton is a public university with an estimated 1,041 graduate student population. The school features a 54,000 square foot expansion, opened in 2018, housing a health sciences center. The university is also well-known for its green initiatives to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. As a result of these efforts, Stockton has the lowest cost of energy per student in New Jersey. They report 100% passing rate for the past 2 years.
School Overview
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Our Ranking Methodology
We ranked each school in three categories: estimated per-credit tuition cost, student-faculty ratio, and total graduate student enrollment. Tuition accounted for 40% of the ranking, with data obtained from the school’s website. The student-faculty ratio accounted for 40% of the ranking and enrollment accounted for 20%, with both sets of information gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics. The maximum amount of points possible was 120.
Reporting An Error
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