6 Best RN to BSN Programs in San Diego – 2024


Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

San Diego’s healthcare system is rated as one of the nation’s best, and that’s why healthcare employers there prefer to work with registered nurses who have Bachelor’s of Nursing Science degrees. If you’re an RN with an ADN in San Diego, give serious thought to enrolling in one of the many RN to BSN programs in San Diego. Getting a BSN will sharpen your leadership and communication skills. You’ll also earn a significantly higher salary: RNs with BSN degrees earn $124,040 on average. Get started on an exciting new career path by learning about the 6 best RN to BSN programs in San Diego for 2024.


Following are the 6 Best RN to BSN Programs in San Diego, California (Online & Campus) for 2024

(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the 6 best RN-to-BSN programs in San Diego (Online & Campus).)

1. San Diego State University – San Diego

Type: Campus


Being among the best RN to BSN programs in San Diego it is no surprise that San Diego State University’s BSN degree offers a fine balance of academics, clinical experiences, research activities, and field placements. The nursing school at SDSU established way back in 1953, has been committed to providing its students with dynamic BSN education that is in tune with the changing trends of the healthcare field.

This curriculum is specially designed for students with an ADN or diploma in nursing, who wish to earn their bachelor’s degree. During your educational journey here, you will participate in an international learning experience where you will spend two or more weeks abroad to increase consciousness about global health, intercultural issues, and social services. In addition to this global perspective, the didactic courses teach you about nursing research & evidence-based practice, transitional care for populations, nursing care of the complex, high acuity or critical patients, leadership, community health, professionalism, and health assessment & promotion. Upon completing the required courses, you can graduate in 15 months.


2. National University – San Diego

Type: Online and Campus


These days nurses with a BSN degree are not only preferred but they also enjoy greater flexibility to pursue lucrative careers in education, teaching, management, and administration. Did you know that National University, offering one of the best RN to BSN programs in San Diego is the city’s biggest private non-profit University? The RN to BSN program here allows you to study only one topic a month so that you gain a thorough understanding of each course one at a time. Furthermore, the college being a veteran founded military-friendly school, offers tuition discounts to students coming from the U.S. Army.

At National, you can graduate with a BSN in as little as 11 months by enrolling in its 100% online schedule. Your education here will comprise core nursing courses of 43.5 credits in health informatics, community population, qual improvement, an introduction to biomedical statistics, professional issues for RNs, and nursing leadership & management. You may also take electives in health education & promotion, legal issues, Spanish, healthy aging, and cross-cultural communication ethics. The program is incomplete without the on-field clinical training in collaboration with its healthcare leaders and community partners.


3. Point Loma Nazarene University – San Diego

Type: Hybrid


Did you know that BSN prepared nurses are qualified for 37% more jobs than RNs with just an ADN degree? As a registered nurse if you’re looking to advance in your nursing career by enrolling in one of the best RN to BSN programs in San Diego, then Point Loma Nazarene University will not fail to impress you. Being a faith-based school, the college aims at providing you with complete personality development supported by an environment that has its roots deeply embedded in Christian philosophy. Your education here will comprise of summer research programs, study abroad opportunities, hands-on experience projects, and theoretical learning in compact classrooms with a student to faculty ratio that is no more than 14:1.

This RN to BSN curriculum can be completed in 15 months through a hybrid format. The college allows you to effortlessly fit your education into your busy working life as you will be attending face-to-face classes only one night a week. The courses that you will learn include professional writing, group & organizational behavior, cultural influences in the workplace, nursing research, and diverse health systems.


4. United States University – San Diego

Type: Online


United States University offers one of the best online RN to BSN programs in San Diego that is accessible, student-centered, and also quite affordable. The vision of the college is to train its RN to BSN students to their fullest capability to lead, serve and live within the healthcare community. To provide you with an enriching academic experience, the school maintains small-sized classes, provides 24/7 support and access to resources, and offers several scholarship opportunities.

The RN to BSN training here is designed to enhance your leadership and management skills while also advancing your knowledge in arts and nursing sciences, taking it to the bachelor’s level. As such, a BSN program requires 120 credits, but because you are already certified as an RN you can transfer credits and complete this program by earning around 30 credits. Through the BSN courses, you will learn about health assessment, foundations of caring science, healthcare policy & finance, evidence-based nursing practice, managing system change & improving patient outcomes, and community-based nursing. Upon completion of the required courses, you can graduate in as few as 12 months.


5. The University of Arizona Global Campus – San Diego

Type: Online


Being a registered nurse, if you wish to be steps ahead of your competition and at the same time enhance your credentials, then a BSN degree can help you achieve this goal. If you seeking to save tuition dollars, then the University of Arizona Global Campus offers several financial aid opportunities to make your RN to BSN education affordable. Furthermore, Because of its convenient web-based format, flexible schedules, and high-quality education, its RN to BSN program is a popular choice amongst working RNs seeking to take the next step in their nursing career.

This RN to BSN program provides you with rigorous training to demonstrate evidence-based practices, leadership concepts, and assessment skills to deliver safe patient care across diverse healthcare settings. The coursework is divided into 120 credits where you are required to study 52 credits worth of general education courses, 42 credits of major courses, and electives of 26 credits. Some of the courses covered include nursing research, health assessment, transcultural nursing care, introduction to health informatics, aging & health, ethics & medical law, and scientific & technical writing. The college also provides you the flexibility to transfer up to 90 credits thus saving you time, money, and effort.


6. Pacific College of Health and Science – San Diego

Type: Online


If you have always dreamt of completing your bachelor’s training from one of the most prestigious RN to BSN programs in San Diego, then you wouldn’t want to miss out on Pacific College of Health and Science. Here you will study under instructors who are highly qualified and have played an active role in research and course development. You will also gain maximum clinical exposure, as the college provides its RN to BSN students with one of the widest range of clinical learning opportunities.

This RN to BSN program in San Diego educates you on the promotion of mental health, disease prevention, ethical practices, and research and evidence-based knowledge. You can sign-up for this degree on a full-time basis and graduate in four terms or take the part-time classes and complete the program within seven to nine terms. The coursework is delivered online and requires you to complete a minimum of 31 credits. Some of the courses that you will study include foundations of holistic nursing, research in nursing, psychoneuroimmunology, leadership, population-focused healthcare, and the nurse as a facilitator of healing: role & modalities.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY