Western Governors University* (WGU) Nursing offers two pathways to help students earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and start practicing as a registered nurse. Students with an RN can earn a BSN in as little as 24 months by completing 23 courses. Those without a nursing background or bachelor's degree can earn their BSN in as little as 36 months!
In addition to a BSN, the college offers other nursing programs including multiple MSNs, RN to MSN programs, as well as two certificate programs. In 2020 alone, over 16,000 students graduated with a BSN degree from WGU.
Read on to learn more about WGU’s nursing program and if it’s right for you.
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN or BSN online, both designed to fit into your busy schedule.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
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GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
Learn More
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
RN-to-BSN - ExcelTrack
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As a working RN, you need a flexible, transfer-friendly program to help you save time and money as you take the next step in your nursing career. In our CCNE-accredited4
RN to BSN program, you can transfer in up to 134 credits—which is nearly 75% of program requirements. Your transfer credits can be reviewed in one business day (on average).
Enrollment: FL
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Private or Public: Private
General Tuition: $3,998 to $6,430 per term
Acceptance Rate: 100%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 90-100% depending on campus
Application Deadlines: Rolling
Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Diversity:
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN or BSN online, both designed to fit into your busy schedule.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
Learn More
GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
Learn More
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
RN-to-BSN - ExcelTrack
Learn More
As a working RN, you need a flexible, transfer-friendly program to help you save time and money as you take the next step in your nursing career. In our CCNE-accredited4
RN to BSN program, you can transfer in up to 134 credits—which is nearly 75% of program requirements. Your transfer credits can be reviewed in one business day (on average).
Enrollment: FL
Learn More
WGU’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for all bachelor's and MSN degree programs, which means that it adheres to the highest educational standards for nursing programs in the US.
The BSN pre-licensure nursing program is currently approved by state boards of nursing in Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.
WGU has partnerships with healthcare employers who provide practice sites and clinical coaches to help teach and inspire you on your path to becoming a nurse.
WGU’s nursing program has a 100% acceptance rate for students who complete the required application and education requirements.
Students must submit the following for acceptance into the program:
Like every accredited nursing program, WGU’s nursing program is challenging and requires significant dedication to succeed. Because the program is online, it does require a significant amount of self-motivation. Like any nursing program, some classes are harder than others.
Furthermore, because the programs are self-paced and online, many students also work while completing degrees at WGU. This can present its own challenges for students.
WGU offers a variety of unique services and support for students. Beyond academic services, it also provides access to free counseling and support services for all active students.
Through a partnership with WellConnect, WGU Night Owls can access online therapists 24x7. All services can be accessed through the Service Portal. Other services include,
Online Resources available to students include,
Academic services include,
WGU offers an online comparison tool to compare the tuition at WGU versus other major online institutions. Because many nursing students transfer in 50% of their credits, WGU calculates the cost of 2 years of tuition.
Many students at WGU receive a scholarship or financial aid. More than $23 million in scholarships was awarded in 2021. Scholarship information is easily available and accessible online. Students are highly encouraged to apply for scholarships through the website and then the scholarship committee will consider applicants for each opportunity and determine which is the most fitting.
Many students want to know if the cost of WGU’s nursing program is worth the expected salary, especially given the very high tuition, particularly for the BSN program. Some of the factors that students must consider before choosing a nursing program include:
According to the WGU website, graduates see a salary increase of $18,200 on average, just two years after graduating. Within four years, that number grows to $25,900 for WGU grads according to a 2021 Harris Poll survey sent to 1,252 WGU graduates.
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nurses earn a median annual salary of $77,600 per hour or $37.31 per hour. However, the range varies widely depending on many of the factors mentioned above.
According to ZipRecruiter, nurse salaries range from $35,500 to $123,500, with an annual mean salary of $76,289. Keep in mind that nurses who live in cities and states with a higher cost of living typically earn much higher salaries than nurses who work in more rural areas.
Another feature that may make WGU an excellent choice for some is that the university offers online courses that are available to students anytime; however, the students must complete their clinical component in order to fulfill the requirements of the program. Because of the flexibility of online nursing programs, students have the ability to work during the program which increases earning potential.
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN or BSN online, both designed to fit into your busy schedule.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
Learn More
GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide
Learn More
At Purdue Global, discover a faster, more affordable way to earn your Nursing degree. Purdue Global is committed to keeping your tuition costs as low as possible and helping you find the most efficient path to your degree.
Accreditation Prerequisite RN RequiredEnrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
RN-to-BSN - ExcelTrack
Learn More
As a working RN, you need a flexible, transfer-friendly program to help you save time and money as you take the next step in your nursing career. In our CCNE-accredited4
RN to BSN program, you can transfer in up to 134 credits—which is nearly 75% of program requirements. Your transfer credits can be reviewed in one business day (on average).
Enrollment: FL
Learn More
WGU has a robust transfer student program. In order to transfer credits, all official transcripts must be submitted to determine transfer eligibility and how many credits will transfer.
Most students that transfer have already accumulated enough credit hours to have an Associate degree. It’s important to note that some of the programs only allow a specific number of transfer credits. Before transferring, discuss with an admissions counselor.
Nursing students from an accredited program will receive 80 transfer credits at application and will have their transcript evaluated for up to 10 more transfer credits.
“I hadn’t been in school for so long, but having the work experience from being a nurse, I not only did well, I actually loved it. The courses were practical, and everything made sense.”
"Western Governors University is an university that is invested in the success of their students. I did not think that I would do well with taking online classes because I was so used to sitting in class and taking notes. It has been over 10 years since I have been in a classroom. I was afraid that I would just be a faceless number and get lost in the shuffle if I did not understand any of the material in class…The university's instructors are so helpful and setting up one on one office time with your class instructor is a breeze. It takes just 2 minutes to get online and go to your course's page to sign up for predetermined times that fit your schedule. I also like the fact that as a new student I was assigned a mentor to help me navigate signing up for classes and figuring out how to plan my courses to successfully complete my degree. Now that I have experienced online classes with WGU, I have to confidence to pursue my education in a way that is convenient for my busy life!"
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