Accelerated Nursing Degrees: How to Get Your Nursing Degree Fast

Should you pursue a career in nursing? Nursing is an ideal career pathway if you want to make a difference in others’ lives by providing quality care in the healthcare system. Registered nurses (RN) apply their clinical experience in a lot of rewarding ways, including improving patient safety, focusing on underserved populations, and working towards social justice.

While this career offers personal satisfaction in many ways, it can be demanding. An accelerated nursing degree is a rigorous program that will equip you with the clinical skills you need to succeed in this field. There are many in-person and online nursing programs available. In this article we’ll tell you about the best accelerated nursing degrees.

What Is an Accelerated Nursing Degree? 

An accelerated nursing degree is an intensive training program that you can complete much more quickly than a traditional nursing program. With an accelerated degree, you’ll take the same nursing science courses required in a traditional degree and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in a shorter amount of time. 

However, accelerated programs aren’t available to all students. Accelerated nursing programs are designed for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field or for students with an RN or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certificate who are interested in the BSN degree. Applicants are usually required to complete prerequisite courses before enrolling to prepare them for an accelerated program.

How Fast Can You Get a Nursing Degree?

An accelerated BSN program takes between one to two years of full-time study, though prerequisite courses are required before you enroll. A traditional degree in nursing would take you about four years in a full-time program.

What Jobs Can You Get with an Accelerated Nursing Degree?

• Acute Care Nurse. Acute care nurses provide quality nursing care to severely ill or terminal patients in acute care or hospital facilities. According to ZipRecruiter, acute care nurses earn an average annual salary of $93,799.
• Clinical Research Nurse. Clinical research nurses assist in medical research and offer critical care to patients to improve health care systems overall. According to ZipRecruiter, these professionals earn an average annual salary of $74,906.
• Staff Nurse. Staff nurses work alongside other nursing professionals and doctors in a medical facility to provide routine care to patients. According to ZipRecruiter, staff nurses earn an average salary of $74,846.
• Surgical Nurse. Surgical nurses, sometimes called perioperative or operating room (OR) nurse, provide real-time assistance to surgeons during surgical operations. They are usually part of an interprofessional team and earn an average salary of $74,004, according to ZipRecruiter.

How We Ranked the Best Accelerated Nursing Degrees

If you’re interested in the field of nursing, accelerated nursing programs can help you quickly access a wide range of nursing career opportunities. We ranked these programs based on National Council of Licensure Examination pass rates, program length, graduation rate, and tuition cost. The list comprises the best accelerated undergraduate degree programs for nursing students.

The Best Nursing Accelerated Degrees in 2022

The Best Fast-Track Nursing Degrees in 2022, Explained

Below are our top picks for accelerated nursing bachelor degree programs with details about their programs, National Council of Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate, and graduation rate. Most of the schools listed also offer advanced education in nursing through their advanced degree programs, which provide you with alternative pathways to becoming a registered nurse.

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing | California State University, Northridge 

• Location: Northridge, California 
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $780 
• Required Time: 15 months

California State University is a diverse learning environment that equips students with foundational nursing skills and opportunities in the industry. The A-BSN program takes four consecutive semesters to complete. Graduates of these programs find roles as health nurses, school nurses, and staff educators. The NCLEX pass rate was 97 percent in 2021.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Accelerated Career Entry) | Drexel University 

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $125
• Required Time: 11 months

This full-time program allows students to build advanced clinical knowledge through a rigorous but well-paced curriculum in just four quarters. Most students who graduate from this program go on to work in hospital environments. This program has an NCLEX rate of 97 to 100 percent.

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Duke University 

• Location: Durham, North Carolina 
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $1,453
• Required Time: 16 months

Duke University offers some of the best nursing education courses in the country. Students in this program complete 58 credits hours and 800 hours of clinical practice. Duke University has maintained an impressive NCLEX rate of 99 percent pass rate. 

Accelerated Option Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Florida International University 

• Location: Miami, Florida
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $206 in-state, $619 out-of-state
• Required Time: 3 semesters (16 weeks per session)

Florida International University was founded in 1972 as a public research institution. It has international students from 142 countries of the world. It offers up to 180 degrees to over 54,000 students. Its school of nursing has been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Its NCLEX rate is 88 percent and it has a graduation rate of 97 percent.

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Madonna University 

• Location: Online-only courses, practical semester in Detroit, Michigan
• Online Option: Yes 
• Tuition Per Credit: $979
• Required Time: 16 months

Madonna University offers students from alternative backgrounds opportunities to become registered nurses, even with a GPA as low as 2.8. After completing the online courses of this program, you will have the opportunity to practice your clinical skills in clinical rotations.

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Stony Brook University, New York 

• Location: Stony Brook, NY
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $295 in-state, $1,041 out-of-state
• Required Time: 12 months

This CCNE accredited school has an NCLEX pass rate of 93 percent. The Stony Brook University Hospital is used as part of its clinical sites for training students. This school has an impressive graduation rate of 76 percent within six years as of 2020. 

 Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing | University of Houston 

• Location: Sugar Land, Texas
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $485 in-state, $993 out-of-state
• Required Time: 12 months

The University of Houston has maintained an impressive NCLEX pass rate of 100 percent in 2017, placing it in the top five percent of programs in the United States. Its nursing school graduates have an employment rate of 92 percent. Although its RN to BSN program is offered online, its BSN degree program is conducted in person. 

Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing | University of Miami

• Location: Coral Gables, Florida
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $764
• Required Time: 12 months

The University of Miami’s ABSN program prepares students through classroom instruction and clinical hours at the University of Miami Hospital. This program’s NCLEX pass rate is 95 percent.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing- Accelerated Option | University of North Alabama

• Location: Florence, Alabama
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $320 in-state, $640 out-of-state
• Required Time: Less than 24 months

Accelerated students in this program have an NCLEX pass rate of 98 percent as of 2020. The university overall has a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to one, and the Office of Student Financial Aid can help you apply for federal student loans and other forms of financial aid. 

Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Accelerated Track | UT Health, San Antonio 

• Location: San Antonio, Texas
• Online Option: No
• Tuition Per Credit: $50 in-state, $459 out-of-state
• Required Time: 15 months 

The University of Texas is one of the leading health colleges in the country. Applicants to this program must complete 51 credit hours from another program of study before they begin the application process. As of 2019, the University of Texas’s Health Nursing School had a 99 percent NCLEX pass rate.

Should You Get an Accelerated Nursing Degree?

Yes, you should get an accelerated nursing degree for a second chance at a fulfilling career. If you are a healthcare enthusiast who wants to improve the quality of patient care and patient outcomes, then an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will help you achieve your goals quickly.

An accelerated nursing degree will provide you with a wide range of job options in the field of nursing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the profession of nursing has an average salary of $75,330 and an expected nine percent increase in jobs over the next decade. 

Accelerated Nursing Degrees FAQ