How Long Does it Take to Earn an RN-BSN Degree Online?

Online RN to BSN programs make it easier for nurses to complete a BSN degree while working in the field. Though you can finish an RN degree in two or three years, you’ll want to get your BSN degree to keep working your way up the ladder of the current health care facility where you work. There are a number of benefits to going to college online, but you may want to look at how long one of these programs will take to complete.

What is an Online RN to BSN?

A standard RN degree can help you get your nursing license, pass the licensing exam and begin working in a health care facility in your area. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing, better known as a BSN, is a degree that will qualify you for better jobs in nursing and earn you more money. This type of program can take place entirely online and includes advanced nursing courses like nursing administration or leadership as well as classes based around health care concepts like epidemiology. Some programs have a practical experience or fieldwork component too.

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Top 10 Best Online RN to BSN Programs

How Long Does the Program Usually Take?

As a busy nurse, you may feel like you don’t have a lot of time to devote to your schooling, but you can complete an online RN to BSN program in as little as three years or less. The first thing the program will do after accepting you is examine the official transcript you submitted from the college where you earned your RN degree. It will determine which of those courses match the required classes that you need to take for your BSN degree in order to reduce the total number of classes you will take in the program. Many students earn their degrees in only two years of full-time study.

Taking More or Less Time

The length of time it takes to complete your online degree depends on factors like how many credits you earned in the past and how many of those credits fulfill requirements of the BSN program. As long as you earned your degree from an accredited college or university, you shouldn’t have any issues transferring credits. The length of time also depends on whether you enroll as a full-time student or a part-time student. Part-time students usually need the full three years to finish the program, but full-time students can finish in around two years.

Benefits of the Degree

Online RN to BSN programs offer shorter classes that last between five and eight weeks instead of the longer 16 week courses offered through traditional programs. This helps you finish the program faster and work those classes in around your schedule. According to Nurse Journal, another benefit of these programs is that completing one can help you enter careers and apply for positions that are only open to those with a BSN. You may find that the program hones your skills and improves your ability to care for patients.

Getting your BSN once required that you took time away from your home and job to attend classes at a local university or community college, but many schools now offer online programs for nurses. An online RN to BSN program applies credits you earned in the past to the credits required for graduation and takes between two and three years to complete.