Top 10 Best MSN Online Programs

The education market for Online Master of Science in Nursing Programs (also referred to as MSN online programs) is growing rapidly. Some of the most prominent names in nursing education have begun to offer online programs for nurses seeking advancement in their careers through further education. Some prominent schools are Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Georgetown among many other quality options for online nursing masters programs.

Featured Programs

Top 10 Online MSN Programs

This list is comprised of the best options available for earning an Online Master of Science in Nursing. A graduate nursing degree from any of these schools will be of great value for any nurse seeking to advance his or her career in the field and the plethora of options offered between all the schools listed ensures that any nurse considering a Master of Science in Nursing Degree will find an attractive option listed.

To learn more about this list, please visit our Selection Criteria page: How We Decided on the Best MSN Programs

Georgetown University: Online MSN Programs

Executive Summary: Georgetown is another prominent private university that has begun offering online graduate nursing programs. Georgetown was founded in 1789 and is one one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious private universities.

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Tuition: Tuition for graduate online nursing courses at Georgetown University is $2,139 per credit.

Unique Features: Ranked #21 in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities ranking, Georgetown is the nation’s oldest Catholic university and offers students personal attention from world class faculty, and four distinct Master of Science in Nursing programs designed to suit the individual student’s needs.

Johns Hopkins University: MSN Online Degree Programs

Executive Summary: Johns Hopkins University, one of the top medical schools in the world, now offers an online Master of Science in Nursing degree. This is a significant sign of the increasing relevance of the online education market. A respected institution such as Johns Hopkins offering an MSN online is good not only for nursing students studying in that program, but for all nurses pursuing an online MSN because it further validates the online medium of education in the field. Johns Hopkins offers a quality, comprehensive education for nurses seeking to take their career to the next level.

Tuition: Tuition for the online Master of Science in Nursing program at Johns Hopkins University is $47,264 per year full-time.

Unique Features: Ranked 1st among nursing graduate programs, 5th in Nursing Service Administration and 7th in Family Nurse Practitioner programs by U.S. News and World Report, JHU is a pillar of the medical education community. Anybody fortunate enough to enroll in this program will enjoy the benefits, both personal and professional, that accompany a world class education.

Western Governors University: Online Master of Science in Nursing

Executive Summary: Western Governors University (WGU) is a respected nonprofit university that aims to provide excellent and affordable higher education opportunities to hardworking adults, in a flexible format. WGU offers students three Online Master of Science in Nursing program tracks, each of which has RN-to-MSN and BSN-to-MSN paths: MS in Nursing Leadership and Management, MS in Nursing Informatics, and MS in Nursing Education.

Tuition:At Western Governors University, tuition is charged on a six-month per-term basis. The online graduate nursing program is $3,990 per term.

Unique Features: WGU sets itself apart by being competency-based, rather than credit hour-based. This means that their focus is on a student’s knowledge and skills, rather than how much classroom (“seat-time”) you have logged. That translates into students being able to draw on real-world experience they already have, to complete their assessments faster, which in turn saves money.

Duke University: Online Master of Science in Nursing

Executive Summary: Duke University, another of the most respected medical schools in the world, has recently embraced the medium of online education. The Master of Science in Nursing program at Duke is one of the best, as expected of a world class university.

Tuition: Tuition for Duke’s Online Master of Science in Nursing program is $1,838 per credit.

Unique Features: Duke University is the eighth most highly rated university in the National Universities overall ranking by U.S. News and World Report. Duke’s online MSN program is ranked #7 in Faculty Credentials and Training. The opportunity to earn an online graduate nursing degree from one of the world’s best universities is rare, and expensive, but few degrees carry as much weight.

Capella University: Online MSN Programs

Executive Summary: Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and most of the nursing programs it offers are accredited by the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education (CCNE). CCNE-accredited programs available through the Capella University School of Nursing and Health Sciences include the RN-to-BSN, DNP, and 8 of the 10 MSN options. Capella University strives to provide exceptional education for adult learners, offering specialty tracks that equip graduates for diverse nursing roles in advanced clinical practice, nursing leadership and administration, informatics, care coordination, and nursing education.

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Tuition: Visit capella.edu for tuition details.

Unique Features: Capella University offers a professionally-aligned, competency-based curriculum. This type of curriculum allows students to acquire the most in-demand skills and expertise in their field, providing them with the competitive edge that will translate into a successful career.

Drexel University: MSN Online Programs

Executive Summary: Drexel University a rapidly up and coming university, according to U.S. News and World Report. Drexel’s academic commitment is to creating highly competent professionals that are prepared to go above and beyond the expectations of their employers and has been successful in this endeavor.

Tuition: Tuition for Drexel’s Online Master of Science in Nursing degree program is $997 per credit.

Unique Features: Drexel offers a massive selection of specializations–a total of four different MSN programs to provide students with as many viable options as possible. Drexel is ranked #2 in Student Services and Technology, and Student Engagement and Accreditation by U.S. News and World Report’s online education honor roll.

Loyola University New Orleans: Online Master of Science in Nursing

Executive Summary: With a 30 year history of providing advanced education for RNs, Loyola knows what RNs need from a MSN degree to advance in their career through further study of their specialty or making the transition into another aspect of nursing. Loyola isn’t just in the business of pumping out degrees, they are in the business of making leaders.

Tuition: Tuition for the Online Master of Science in Nursing program is $818 per credit hour.

Unique Features: According to U.S. News and World Report, their online Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked #7 in Student Engagement and Accreditation, #2 in Faculty Credentials and Training, and #1 in Student Services and Technology, making it the all around highest rated program on the honor roll. Loyola University New Orleans is also ranked the #9 university in the southern region by U.S. News and World Report.

Rush University: Online Master of Science in Nursing

Executive Summary:With more than 175 years of experience, Rush University was founded when Chicago was just a small village. Its MSN Nursing Leadership Program: Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) for RNs can be completed in two years part-time. Students are able to draw on a wealth of knowledge from faculty who are international experts in their fields, attracted to teach at one of the top medical campuses in the nation.

Tuition: Tuition for the Rush University online MSN program is $1,110 per credit hour.

Unique Features: Rush University holds the distinction of being ranked the number one best graduate school for Clinical Nurse Leaders in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. It’s continuously expanding into the field of healthcare and education –it’s among the top-20 largest private employers in Chicago– including through its eponymous preeminent medical center with a patient capacity of 664.

University of Texas-Tyler: Online Master of Science in Nursing

Executive Summary: The University of Texas-Tyler Online offers students the opportunity to earn their degree from a respected public institution. The program, intended for working professionals, is ideal for students that need to bend their pursuit of an MSN program around their busy, fluctuating schedules.

Tuition: Tuition for is $907 per credit for residents, and $1,378 per credit for non-residents.

Unique Features: UTT is listed in U.S. News and World Report’s top 100 western universities and its online MSN degree is ranked #3 for Student Engagement and Accreditation on U.S. News and World Report’s online education honor roll.

This concludes our review of top online master of science in nursing degree programs. See these additional lists.