Key takeaway: 1,816 of the 2,817 institutions in our directory that offer fully online programs report nursing completions to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS CIP 51.38, 51.39, and 51.16). Which nursing program can be online depends on whether you are already licensed: programs that lead to a first RN license require in-person clinical training, while RN to BSN programs for licensed nurses are commonly completed online. The schools below are ordered by BOC Score.
“Online nursing” covers very different programs. Start with where you are now: not yet a nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse without a bachelor’s, or an RN ready for graduate study.
Schools to Compare
These accredited institutions report nursing completions and at least one program completable entirely online. Ranked by BOC Score within that group.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,588
Avg net price
$6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 172
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
9%
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$82,511
Avg net price
$12,548/yr
TuitionIn‑state$15,203
Out‑of‑state$49,403
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 161
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$83,648
Avg net price
$13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 206
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$72,200
Avg net price
$11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 117
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$91,565
Avg net price
$15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 157
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
29%
Graduation rate
86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,735
Avg net price
$14,251/yr
TuitionIn‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Key stats
- Retention rate: 94%
- Programs offered: 134
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
42%
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,838
Avg net price
$14,741/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Key stats
- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 153
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$78,466
Avg net price
$14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 234
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$87,555
Avg net price
$18,809/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 164
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$102,491
Avg net price
$21,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 180
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$73,792
Avg net price
$17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 246
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Two IPEDS fields produced this list: completions reported under the nursing CIP codes (51.38, 51.39, and 51.16) and the distance education program flag from the Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024). Those fields confirm that a school awards nursing credentials and runs fully online programs. They do not confirm which nursing programs are online, which accreditor reviews them, or whether they are approved in your state. Check the school’s catalog and your state board of nursing before you apply.
Which nursing programs can be online
- Not yet a nurse. Programs that lead to a first registered nurse license (an associate degree in nursing or a prelicensure BSN) include supervised clinical training in person. Some deliver the coursework online and arrange clinicals locally, but they are not fully online. Graduates then take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. See how to become a registered nurse.
- Licensed practical nurse. LPN to RN bridge programs build on your license and still include clinical hours. See the LPN to RN guide.
- Registered nurse without a bachelor’s. RN to BSN programs are built for working, licensed nurses and are commonly completed online, with any practice requirements often arranged where you work. See the RN to BSN guide and the fastest RN to BSN programs.
- RN ready for graduate study. MSN programs in education, leadership, and informatics are often online. Nurse practitioner tracks deliver coursework online but require supervised clinical hours. See the nursing master’s guide and how to become a nurse practitioner.
Accreditation and state approval
Two separate checks matter in nursing:
- Programmatic accreditation. The three programmatic accreditors for nursing are the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), and the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA). Graduate schools and many employers look for one of them. See the nursing accreditation guide.
- State approval. Prelicensure programs must be approved by the state board of nursing, and online programs must be authorized to enroll students in your state. For programs with clinical hours, ask whether the school can place you in your state and whether it finds preceptors for you or expects you to find your own.
What to check in an online nursing program
- Clinical placement support. The single biggest difference between programs. Get the placement policy in writing.
- Credit for your RN license and prior coursework. RN to BSN programs often award credit for your license and associate degree. Ask for a written evaluation.
- Pace and term length. Short terms and part-time options matter if you work shifts.
- Licensure outcomes. For prelicensure programs, ask for the program’s NCLEX-RN pass rate, which state boards publish.
- Outcomes. Use the graduation, retention, and earnings figures on each card, which come from College Scorecard and IPEDS.
Quick Answers
Can you become a nurse entirely online?
No. Programs that lead to a first RN license include in-person clinical training, and graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN. Some programs deliver the coursework online and arrange clinicals near you.
Is an online RN to BSN legitimate?
Yes, when the school is institutionally accredited and the nursing program holds CCNE, ACEN, or CNEA accreditation. RN to BSN programs are designed for licensed nurses and are commonly completed online.
How many online colleges offer nursing?
In our directory, 1,816 institutions with fully online programs report nursing completions (IPEDS CIP 51.38, 51.39, and 51.16). Confirm which nursing programs each school offers online and whether they are approved in your state.
Next steps
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Completions survey (CIP 51.38, 51.39, 51.16 nursing) and Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024) distance education program flags (DISTPGS); directory counts as of the September 2026 data refresh.
