Bachelor of Nursing in the USA is a degree in the field of health science. This degree produces qualified nurses with a tremendous role in ensuring quality care and promoting good health.
BSN is becoming a new educational standard for registered nurses and is being asked explicitly by many hospitals and healthcare organizations.
The potential career options for nurses extend from neonatal intensive care units and surgery rooms to community health clinics and academic units. Depending upon where they want to serve, nurses can work in emergency rooms in hospitals, deliver home health care, work as travelling nurses or nurses of the Armed Forces and Peace Corps, etc.
There are variations of Bachelor in Nursing in the USA to fit students of diverse backgrounds and interests.
For instance, if you are a high school graduate, there are bachelor of Science in Nursing programs for you.
On the other hand, if you are a student with a bachelor's degree in some other field, there are also bachelor's nursing programs such as Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing. One of the universities to offer such a program is Purdue University.
So, in short, if you are a domestic or international student wondering whether you can study a bachelor of nursing in the USA after a bachelor's in some other field, the answer is Yes!
The variations of Bachelor of Nursing programs in the USA are:
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Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
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Accelerate Bachelor of Nursing/ Accelerated BSN/ ABSN
Why Study Bachelor of Nursing in the USA?
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BSN will help you build foundations of patient care with optimum patient care experience- Some universities offer over 1000 hours of hands-on patient care experience under the expertise and mentorship of licensed care providers.
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With a bachelor's degree in Nursing, fresh graduates can earn around USD 48,000 per year. Experienced RNs, on the other hand, can earn more than USD 65,000.
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Even if you have completed a bachelor of nursing in some other field, you can pursue a bachelor's degree in Nursing in the USA.
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If you wish to, you can take a program like Accelerated BSN at a more expensive cost that is shorter, just as effective, and recognized as BSN.
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You can practice nursing anywhere globally with a BSN from the USA.
Top Universities to study Bachelor of Nursing in the USA
Considering program outcomes, NCLEX Pass rate, tuition fees, accreditation, student-to-faculty ratio and program quality, these are some of the best universities in the USA for a Bachelor of Nursing.
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Duke University
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Georgetown University
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New York University
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University of Michigan
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University of California Los Angeles
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University of Washington
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Emory University of Atlanta, Georgia
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University of Maryland, Baltimore
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Purdue University
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Arizona State University
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The University of Texas at Austin
Apart from the traditional BSN in the USA, these and other nursing schools also offer programs such as Diploma in Practical Nursing (PN), Associate in Nursing (ASN), Masters in Nursing (MSN), and Post Master’s nursing Certificates (PMC).
For your information, a Diploma in Practical Nursing is one of the fastest ways to be a licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and kickstart your nursing career.
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Talk to an ExpertBachelor of Nursing Fees in the USA
The fees to study BSN in the USA range from USD 8,000 to USD 90,000 annually.
Affordable Universities for BSN in the USA
Fees of nursing schools can often be a primary concern for international students considering a Bachelor of Nursing in the Universities of USA. These are some of the cheapest nursing schools in the USA for international students:
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Illinois Eastern Community College
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Abilene Christian University
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Dillard University
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Baker University
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Baldwin Wallace University
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Ball State University
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Fitchburg State University
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Colorado Christian University
Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)
To study the RN-BSN program at US Universities, students must have earned a nursing diploma with a minimum GPA OF 2.0. Note that this is an absolute threshold, and for better universities, the minimum requirement could be higher than this.
RN to BSN program is targeted at those nursing aspirants who already hold some diploma in nursing and are registered as nurses, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), to be specific.
This program is also called the bridge program and lasts 1 to 2 years. Since the introductory nursing courses are already covered in the ADN program, students will learn about higher-level nursing courses such as nursing ethics, community health, nursing management and leadership, innovations in healthcare and informatics in nursing during this course.
Bachelor of Nursing courses for international students in the USA
Bachelor of Nursing in USA Requirements for international students
University of South Alabama
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Program name: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
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Course duration: 4 years
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English Language Requirement: A minimum of 6.5 in IELTS.
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Academic Requirement: A minimum GPA of 2.75 on all prerequisite courses of high schools. Other than that, students with a GPA of 3.5 at the intermediate or high school level and a 25 ACT Score are offered early admissions.
Purdue University
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Program name: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
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Course duration: 4 years
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English Language Requirement: A minimum of 88 in TOEFL, 6.5 in IELTS, and 110 in Duolingo English Test (DET).
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Academic Requirement: Students must complete prior studies with a minimum of 3.0 GPA in academic coursework such as English, Lab Science, social studies, and maths if needed.
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Other Requirements: A minimum SAT score of 600 or better in the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Section. Or, students need to have an ACT score of 26 or higher in English. Purdue University is flexible and accepts either ACT or SAT.
University of Washington
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Program name: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
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Course duration: 4 years
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English Language Requirement: A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 with no band less than 6.0. Or a minimum TOEFL score of 76. (However, the recommended IELTS and TOEFL scores are 7.0 and 92, respectively.)
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Academic Requirement: A minimum cumulative of 2.0 GPA in high school levels with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in pre-requisite courses such as general chemistry, organic chemistry, anatomy, nutrition, physiology etc.
University of Pennsylvania
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Program name: Accelerated Nursing
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Course duration: 2-4 years depending upon the specialization (BSN second degree, BSN/ MSN and Hillsman BSN-PhD.
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English Language Requirement: An international student need not submit IELTS or TOEFL if the primary language of undergraduate study is English, and they can provide proof of that. Otherwise, IELTS or TOEFL is needed for non-native English speakers. A minimum of 7.0 in IELTS and equivalent is accepted.
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Academic Requirement: A minimum GPA of 3.0 GPA or higher. GRE was required before for accelerated BSN Programs at the University of Pennsylvania. However, it’s no longer a requirement.
The admit rate for the accelerated nursing Programs at the University of Pennsylvania is 35%.
Application Requirement
For accurate and up-to-date information on the BSN application requirements, you must check the program website at your desired university. In a nutshell, this is what the requirement will look like with some variation.
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All academic Transcripts: Unofficial copies of all your post-secondary transcripts, including transcripts for any classes you might have taken at a community college or while studying abroad, must be uploaded for review purposes.
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Two-Three letters of recommendation: One/Two of which must be academic. LOR can be submitted online.
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SAT/ ACT Score: Though not always mandatory, some universities might ask for this.
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Nursing License if you are applying for RN to BSN Program.
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Personal Statement/ Statement of Purpose
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English Language Proficiency test- The minimum requirement is 6.0 in IELTS. But, the cut-off score can go as high as 7.5 depending upon the university.
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Scope of Bachelor of Nursing in the USA
After international students complete their BSN, they can start their nursing career in various healthcare settings such as hospitals, healthcare settings, nursing homes, hospices, and urgent care clinics.
Though a Bachelor of Nursing/ BSN is not the only way to become a registered nurse in the USA, RN with a BSN are in demand, and they are also approached with a better salary. As a result, BSN has an excellent career outlook since it unlocks the door towards advanced educational opportunities and career growth.
The demand for RN With BSN is increasing daily in the USA. A BSN Program is also dedicated to RN, discussed in the above section.
Look below for the job profiles of BSN graduates and the average pay scale per annum.
Suppose you want to take your career one step ahead. In that case, you can resume your nursing studies at the master's level and discover other career opportunities like Nurse practitioner (NP), Nurse Educator (NE) and other nurse leadership and administrator roles.
