The top ten online Master’s in Nursing degree programs come from schools that have strong reputations and offer high quality education for distance learning students. Graduates of these schools have a high placement rate. However, it is important that students who opt for online MSN programs exert the same effort and possess the same passion as those who are in on-campus programs.
An online Master’s in nursing degree should not be considered a second rate education. In fact, many schools offering these programs have been recognized by reputable ranking authorities for their high quality curriculum and excellent instructors.
Recommended Online MSN Programs
- Capella University – MSN – General Nursing
- Kaplan University – MS in Nursing
- Walden University – Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – RN Track
1. George Washington University
Overview of the Program
U.S. News and World Report ranks the George Washington online master’s degrees in nursing number one when it comes to faculty credentials and training, fifth in admissions selectivity and sixth in student engagement and accreditation. Because of it’s lofty rankings in basically ever applicable area, we feel comfortable naming it our top online nursing master’s degree.
The university holds accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Its school of nursing is also accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education.
Tuition
Online master’s in nursing students at George Washington University pay $691 per credit.
Unique Features
George Washington online Master’s degrees in nursing offer five specializations. This includes adult nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, clinical research administration, nursing leadership and management and health care quality concentrations. There are 14-full-time instructors that have an average of 5 years of experience teaching online courses. These instructors are available for student queries and respond within 24 hours. In addition, students may need to attend occasional on-campus training in order to practice their skills in real-life scenarios.
2. St. Xavier University
Overview of the Program
St. Xavier University is one of the 17 U.S. schools that is recognized as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League of Nursing. The university was also ranked sixth in the country’s best MSN programs.
Tuition
All students pay $590 per credit hour. This means that they need to pay a total of $22,420 to complete the 38-credit hour master’s in nursing program.
Unique Features
Students may choose among areas of specialization such as executive or clinical leadership.
3. Indiana State University
Overview of the Program
Indiana State University is among the best universities to offer an online Master’s in Nursing. Applicants do not need to have professional nursing experience to be admitted to the program.
Tuition
In-state students pay $6,354 per year in tuition. Meanwhile, out-of-state students pay $7,938 per year.
Unique Features
Students can obtain the Master’s degree in nursing entirely online. All instructors have an average of five years experience teaching online.
4. Benedictine University
Overview of the Program
Benedictine University is among the top schools to offer online Master’s of Nursing programs in the Midwest. The MSN programs online have a high quality curriculum combined with elective courses.
Tuition
Students who opt for the university’s online master’s in nursing pay $540 per credit hour. The total cost to complete the 36 credit-hour online master’s in nursing is $19,440.
Unique Features
Students can choose among the many areas of concentration that include administration, health education, disaster management, public health, health policy, leadership, management and finance. They may also choose electives in order to customize their specializations.
5. Loyola University New Orleans
Overview of the Program
Loyola University New Orleans is at the top of the U.S. News and World Report rankings. Their Master’s in online nursing degrees were ranked first for student services and technology. The university’s faculty credentials and training got the second spot while its student engagement and accreditation ranked seventh. Applicants are not required to have professional nursing experience in order to be admitted to the program.
Tuition
All Loyola online nursing graduate students pay $743 per credit hour for their tuition.
Unique Features
Loyola University New Orleans provides live technical support for their online Master’s in Nursing students. Licensed and highly-qualified instructors answer student queries and deliver responses online within 24 hours.
6. Michigan State University
Overview of the Program
Michigan State University’s online MSN program requires applicants to have professional experience in order to qualify. The school ranked third in their admissions selectivity.
Tuition
The tuition fee for both part-time and full-time in-state students is $607 per credit. Meanwhile, out-of-state students pay $632 per credit.
Unique Features
Michigan State University provides live tech support for all online students. Qualified instructors accept student queries and deliver answers within 48 hours.
7. Georgetown University
Overview of the Program
About 90 percent of the students who are enrolled in the online Master’s of Nursing at Georgetown University are already employed. The school does not require students to have experience in the field before they can proceed to graduate studies.
Tuition
Both in-state and out-of-state students pay $1,623 per credit. Full-time students pay $31,700 for their tuition while part-time students pay about $19,570 yearly.
Unique Features
Georgetown online Master’s degree in Nursing programs are quite different from those at other universities. The programs are delivered like a seminar where students communicate with the instructors one-on-one.
Click here for more information on Georgetown University’s nursing programs
8. Drexel University
Overview of the Program
Drexel University Master’s in Nursing degree online programs are among the largest in the country. U.S. News and World Report ranks it as one of the top schools offering online graduate nursing programs. The school earned the top two spot for student engagement, accreditation, student services and technology. Meanwhile, the school’s faculty credentials and training and admissions selectivity ranked sixth and ninth respectively.
Tuition
Both in-state and out-of-state students pay $765 per credit. The total cost for the 58-credit online master’s in nursing program is $44,370.
Unique Features
All online Master’s degree in Nursing programs offered at Drexel are delivered by the university’s board-certified faculty members.
Click here for more information on Drexel University’s nursing programs
9. Old Dominion University
Overview of the Program
The online Master’s in Nursing degree program at Old Dominion University ranks number two for its admissions selectivity by US News and World Report. The program’s student services and technology has also earned the tenth spot in the rankings. The university offers both on-campus and online nursing degree programs.
Tuition
Old Dominion University Master’s in Nursing online programs offer out-of-state students a tuition rate of $991 per hour. On the other hand, in-state online students only pay $391 tuition per hour.
Unique Features
The university provides innovative teaching tools for online students in order to keep up with their on-campus programs. With this, distance students can ensure that they are getting the same quality of education as on-campus students.
10. Chamberlain College of Nursing
Overview of the Program
The Chamberlain College of Nursing online Master’s degree program has earned the number four spot in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for faculty credentials and training. The school has accreditation from the HLC and the NCACS while its Masters of Science in nursing program is accredited by the CCNE.
Tuition
Chamberlain College of Nursing Master’s degree programs costs $650 per credit for in-state students. Out-of-state students pay the same tuition fee per credit hour.
Unique Features
All instructors at the Chamberlain College of Nursing have doctorate degrees. Opting for this program provides greater scheduling flexibility, opportunities for specialization and hands-on experience for more advanced skills.