Registered nurses (RNs) have various motivations for wanting to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree quickly. Some may want to become eligible for jobs that require BSN degrees, such as a school nurse, certain military nurse positions or a nurse manager role in a Magnet hospital.
Others may be setting their sights on the higher salary that comes with a BSN. As of September 2024, ZipRecruiter reports that BSN-prepared RNs make an average annual salary of $125,323, while nurses with their ADN average only $80,321 per year.
Regardless of the reason, RNs have a number of paths to choose from when completing their education. With affordable, accelerated options like the online RN to BSN program from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), nurses can achieve their educational aspirations promptly.
Expedited Education: Benefits of an Online RN to BSN Program
Online RN to BSN programs make it more convenient for RN students to earn their BSN, but that’s not the only benefit. On-campus classes may present scheduling conflicts, forcing students to wait until the next quarter or semester to progress through a program. Even the structure of some online programs can prevent a “fast-track” approach.
With an expedited online program, students can select as many courses as they can effectively manage, considering their work schedule and other obligations outside of school. All of UTA’s accelerated online nursing courses range from five to eight weeks.
Because of this accelerated design, students who meet all general education and elective requirements can finish UTA’s online RN to BSN program in as few as nine months. Should additional general or elective course credits be necessary, students can still structure their course load to move quickly through the program.
Will My Prior Education Count Toward the BSN Degree?
If RN students fulfilled course requirements at another academic institution, they may receive credit for those completed classes. Being able to transfer previously completed course credits to UTA not only allows for a streamlined program track and rapid completion timeframe but also reduces the cost of the program. Students can provide transcripts from their prior schools for consideration to check if credits for previous courses align with program requirements.
In addition, UTA’s online RN to BSN students who previously took and passed a national nursing certification exam receive three credit hours. These credit hours satisfy the elective requirement for degree completion.
No Better Time Than Now
There is no better time for RNs to invest in a BSN degree, for numerous reasons. The 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey found that more than 70% of working RNs now hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, making a BSN a virtual necessity to remain competitive in the job market. New York State passed the “BSN in 10” law in 2017, requiring that nurses earn a BSN within 10 years of licensure, and other states are likely to follow.
Even if not mandated by law, many healthcare employers require or prefer that nurse candidates have a BSN, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. In less than a year, determined nurses can earn the degree needed to be one of those qualified candidates through UTA’s online RN to BSN.
Learn more about UTA’s online RN to BSN program.
