10 Best RN to BSN Programs in Alabama (Online & Campus) – 2024
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
If you’re a registered nurse in Alabama with an ADN who’s looking for a way to boost your salary, the most effective way to do so is by enrolling in one of the many RN to BSN programs in Alabama. BSN-prepared RNs in the Cotton State average $70,440 annually, which is significantly more than the salaries ADN-prepared RNs average. Prospective employers look more favorably upon RNs with BSNs, too. Many of the best RN to BSN programs are offered online so you won’t have to drop your job to go back to school. Here’s a look at the 10 best RN to BSN programs in Alabama for 2024.
What are the 10 Best Accredited RN to BSN Programs in Alabama for 2024?
(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the 10 best RN-to-BSN programs in Alabama (Online & Campus).)1. The University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
Type: Online
As a registered nurse do you wish to have the flexibility to choose from a diverse variety of nursing roles? If so, earning a BSN from The University of Alabama through its RN to BSN program can be the next step towards your goal. The main aim of the college is to produce ethical, socially-aware, and multifaceted nurses by engaging students in innovative research and high-quality education. Offering one of the best online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, it is no surprise that the college hires an expert faculty some of whom have won awards for their contribution towards the field of nursing and healthcare.
Program Overview: Like most of the RN to BSN programs in Alabama, this too caters to registered nurses with a diploma or associate degrees in nursing, who aspire to earn an advanced degree in the minimum possible time. This curriculum requires you to complete only 25 credits, so you can graduate with a BSN sooner than you think. You will be educated on core topics such as nursing informatics, leadership, and management roles, complex client systems, community health, and evidence-based practice. Here, all core courses can be completed through a web-based platform except for a few science courses.
Key Highlights
• For students who have served in the armed forces, the college provides you with tuition assistance and veteran support programs that allow for a smooth transition into student life.• With multiple enrollment dates available in June, October and March, you have the mobility of starting with your RN to BSN education whenever you are ready.
2. The University of Alabama at Birmingham – Birmingham
Type: Online
Are you holding an associate degree in nursing? If so, then the University of Alabama at Birmingham can help you build on your ADN education, polish your skills, and boost your existing salary through its RN to BSN in Alabama. The nursing school has garnered acclaim for its innovative baccalaureate education and also makes it to the list of top public nursing schools according to the US News & World Report. The main goal of the college is to produce future-ready nurses who are culturally relevant and committed to high-quality patient care.
Program Overview: Counted among the best RN to BSN programs in Alabama, the curriculum here has been shaped for nurses who have graduated from an accredited diploma or ADN program and are practicing registered nurses. You can sign up for this program either in the fall or spring semester. Even though the curriculum is presented through a distance format, you will have to attend an on-campus orientation. Here, the virtual classes are designed to deliver an engaging learning experience and the faculty leaves no stone unturned to ensure a positive academic outcome. Once enrolled, you will be required to complete 30 credits of upper-division nursing hours through courses in professional nursing concepts, systems leadership, pathophysiology, transitional care, professional leadership development, population health, quality & patient safety, and evidence-based nursing practices. Additionally, you must complete an elective course of three credits.
Key Highlights
• The college gives you the flexibility to graduate in as little as 3 semesters or even up to 5 semesters, allowing you to study at your own comfortable pace.• As a registered nurse, you also have the option to directly earn an MSN degree through the college’s fast-tracked RN to MSN pathway. Through this path, you start as an RN and leave the college with an MSN along with the BSN conferred along the way.
3. The University of Alabama in Huntsville - Huntsville
Type: Online
Out of all the online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s baccalaureate degree stands out because of its rigorous but fast-paced training that is grounded in evidence-based knowledge. With an emphasis on the care of the vulnerable populations, the college trains you to impact positive change in healthcare. The college’s faculty mostly comprises of doctorally trained instructors who bring in their vast knowledge into the virtual classroom. Furthermore, the college is not only known for having the best return on investment, but also for having its RN to BSN graduates find lucrative placements across the state and country.
Program Overview: This bachelor’s program can be pursued 100% online, thereby allowing you the convenience of taking classes from any geographical location. The program comprises 7 courses worth a total of 26 credits. These include information management in healthcare, transition into professional roles, leadership in professional nursing practice, community health, acute care for a professional nurse, and evidence-based practice. Upon graduating from this program, you will be able to effectively employ healthcare technologies, informatics, and communication devices to deliver safe & quality patient care.
Key Highlights
• This online RN to BSN in Alabama starts six times a year, so you can start whenever you are ready. Also, with each course being 7-week long, you can take classes at your convenience.• Here the 18-credit pre-requisite courses that you must complete can be taken simultaneously or at any local community college.
4. University of North Alabama - Florence
Type: Online
By now you may have already realized that BSN-prepared nurses have an upper-hand when it comes to employment in shift assignments and professional hierarchy. If you are a working RN who is considering enrolling in one of the best online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, then you may want to know about the University of North Alabama. Its Anderson School of Nursing has been a leader in nursing education since 1973 with many of its nursing degrees listed in the southern region’s top 10 programs.
Program Overview: You can start your academic journey here through a full-time or part-time format based on your convenience. Its supportive and well-trained faculty will guide you through 30 credits worth of core nursing courses such as community health nursing, foundations of evidence-based practice, health & physical assessment, leadership & management, quality & safety, health policy, social issues & theory, health promotion & informatics. Apart from this, you will also have to fulfill general education requirements through courses in literature of the western world, microbiology, growth and development, finite mathematics, elementary statistics, and psychology. If you have already completed your general education requirements in your previous degree you can graduate in as little as three semesters.
Key Highlights
• If you still haven’t completed the general education requirements, this online RN to BSN in Alabama allows you to complete these courses simultaneously alongside your core nursing coursework.• The tuition fees here are not based on your residency status, so even as a non-resident, you will be eligible to pay the same tuition costs as a student who resides in Alabama.
• Should you aspire to a master’s in nursing, the college also offers an RN to MSN program that seamlessly takes you from an RN to MSN in 5 semesters of full-time study.
5. University of South Alabama - Mobile
Type: Online
If you are looking at enrolling into an online RN to BSN program in Alabama that easily fits into your busy life, then you may want to zero down upon the University of South Alabama’s RN to BSN program that is offered entirely through the distance format. With online classes, you can pursue your education from the comfort of your home while easily juggling personal and professional responsibilities. The college’s USA Health System, a respected healthcare provider in the nation that offers innovative healthcare services provides a ready platform for nursing students to explore several internships and placement opportunities. Furthermore, with a student to faculty ratio that is as small as 18:1, you will study in a personalized environment, guided by your faculty at every step.
Program Overview: Typically, the curriculum comprises six online courses worth 24 credits. These include leadership & management roles, clinical prevention & population health, concepts of inter-professional practice, and current issues & trends in professional nursing practice. The 24 credits also include a research and evidence-based practicum of 4 credits that will provide you with the required hands-on learning experience. Before enrolling, you are required to complete all of the 18 pre-requisite courses with a minimum grade “C” from a regionally accredited institution. Additionally, it is also required that you have an unencumbered RN license.
Key Highlights
• Depending on the pace you prefer, you can complete this online RN to BSN program in Alabama within as little as two semesters or stretch it to five.• The college offers an innovative concurrent enrollment program that allows you to take up associate degree courses at Alabama community College or Jones Community Colleges and at the same time also study bachelor’s level courses offered here. This provides you the advantage of completing more than half of your BSN degree when you graduate from your ADN degree. The remaining credits of your BSN can be seamlessly earned through its RN to BSN format.
6. Troy University - Troy
Type: Online
Because more remunerative nursing jobs usually require a bachelor’s degree, as a registered nurse if you wish to upgrade in your nursing career, you must consider enrolling in one of the top online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, like the one offered by Troy University. Because of its stellar education and job preparedness, the college has consistently made it to the Princeton Review’s list of the ‘Best Colleges in the Southeast’. The college takes pride in reporting almost 90% of its nursing students getting employed before even graduating.
Program Overview: This RN to BSN program is open to registered nurses who have graduated with an accredited associate degree or diploma in nursing. You can either enroll in the fall or spring semesters on a full-time or part-time basis. Graduation requires you to complete 24 credits in leadership & management in nursing, research and evidence-based practice, pathophysiology, nursing informatics, and health assessment. Besides, you must also gain the required practical experience through practicums in health assessment and population health nursing. Your eligibility for this program depends on your overall GPA, your grades in general education courses, and the current status of your RN license.
Key Highlights
• This is among the few RN to BSN programs in Alabama that gives you the flexibility to study master’s level coursework alongside your BSN, should you choose to enroll in its ‘RN-BSN/MSN’ option.• Here, you can graduate in as little as 2 to 4 semesters depending on the schedule you choose. Besides you can even sign-up for the fast-paced ‘Flexible Option’ wherein you can earn your RN to BSN degree in just 18 weeks or around 4 months.
7. Jacksonville State University - Jacksonville
Type: Online
As a registered nurse with a BSN, you can not only enhance your earning potential but also secure your career as baccalaureate education increasingly becomes the required qualification for entry-level nurses. One of the best online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, Jackson State University’s RN to BSN is known for its affordability and top-notch online education. This school of nursing was established to offer employer-relevant training to the healthcare professionals of the 21st century, who can deliver healthcare services to patient populations, locally as well as globally. The college understands that heavy tuition expenses can be a deterrent to many aspiring students and therefore to make your education affordable, here, 83% of its students receive some sort of financial aid.
Program Overview: To begin your journey, you can enroll in either the spring, summer, or fall semesters. However, to be eligible for this program you are required to have a GPA of 2.5 or above and an unencumbered RN license in the US. You can earn your BSN degree by completing a minimum of 35 credit hours in three semesters. During this period, you will take courses in the communication of ethical issues, pharmacology for practicing nurses, health assessment across lifespan, research outcomes management, professional roles & issues, concepts of emergency, and population-based healthcare.
Key Highlights
• This program is one of the most affordable online RN to BSN programs in Alabama that can take your RN degree to the baccalaureate level without breaking the bank.• The RN to BSN here is developed for working RNs therefore, it provides you with full-time and part-time study options, allowing you to choose a schedule that seamlessly fits in your busy life.
8. University of Mobile - Mobile
Type: Online
Are you looking for a BSN program that can easily fit in your busy work schedule? If the answer is yes, then signing up for any of the leading online RN to BSN programs in Alabama, should be your top priority. The University of Mobile that is highly ranked in the region offers one such RN to BSN program that can be considered. Here, nursing education is grounded in the Catholic tradition and all its core values are based on the gospel of Christ. Besides, the small-sized classes ensure personalized attention and allow meaningful connections with faculty & students.
Program Overview: This RN to BSN program aims at building on your already-acquired skills enhancing your critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills through its comprehensive coursework. Through the 28-credit coursework, you learn about pathophysiology, community nursing, healthcare ethics, healthcare financing, professional nursing practice, principles of nursing research, and concepts of professional nursing. To earn your bachelor’s degree, you are also required to have completed 61-credits of pre-requisite courses in humanities and fine arts, Christian ministries, natural & applied science, and social & behavioral sciences.
Key Highlights
• This online RN to BSN in Alabama provides you with the convenience of completing the required clinical hours at your workplace.• Because you are a licensed registered nurse you will receive 34 credits which you can transfer towards this BSN coursework.
9. Spring Hill College - Mobile
Type: Online
Rooted in innovation, excellence, and compassion, Spring Hill College’s RN to BSN program ranks among the top online RN to BSN programs in Alabama. The nursing department being part of the oldest Catholic school in the southeast region prepares you not only with excellent professional skills but also to serve the greater good of the community. If affordable education is what you are seeking then here, almost all students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships, federal loans, and grants.
Program Overview: To be admitted into this program, you are required to have an active RN license and completed the required pre-requisite general education courses. Upon commencing your journey here, you will gain a theoretical understanding of various nursing concepts through its online courses. You will also participate in clinical experiences in local healthcare centers to gain the required on-field experience under the supervision of local preceptors. To earn your BSN, you are required to complete a total of 25 credits in courses such as Professional Nursing Roles, Leadership & Management, Human Pathophysiology, Health Assessments, Evidence-Based Nursing, Population Focused Community Health, and Health Policy for RNs. Towards the end of your training, you will also complete a capstone where you design a project employing evidence-based knowledge with the support of an instructor.
Key Highlights
• Counted among the best RN to BSN programs in Alabama, almost all of its students secure a job within six months of graduating.• The college awards 37 credits for your unencumbered RN license, allowing a seamless transfer of these credits towards your BSN degree.
10. Auburn University at Montgomery - Montgomery
Type: Online
With an ADN or nursing diploma, if you have been trying to earn a promotion or a salary raise, the most prudent next step would be to enroll in one of the best accredited RN to BSN programs in Alabama, such as the one offered by Auburn University at Montgomery that can help you achieve this goal. Here, with online classes not only will be able to continue working while pursuing your baccalaureate degree but with the affordable tuition costs you will be able to pay off your student debt much sooner. Not only that, to reduce education costs even further, the college grants a large number of funds in the form of financial aid and scholarships. Additionally, here you can sign-up for the RN to BSN without paying any application fees. Furthermore, to create a personalized relationship between students and faculty, the college maintains a low student to faculty ratio of 17:1.
Program Overview: To become a part of this dynamic program you can join either in the fall, spring, or summer semesters. You can graduate in just 3 semesters or 1 year of full-time study by completing the required core nursing courses. This entails 30 credit hours’ worth of training in population-based healthcare, health policy & ethics, rural health & special populations, health systems leadership, health systems leadership, pathophysiology, informatics & evidence-based practice.
Key Highlights
• This RN to BSN in Alabama offers you the flexibility of completing the practical experience at a clinical site of your choice which could even be your current workplace.• To earn your degree, you are required to complete all the core nursing courses with a minimum grade of C.
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