Accelerated Nursing Programs in New York: Online and On-Campus Training
From highlighting the best nursing programs in 2024 to BSN degree requirements and career information, this guide has everything you need to know about online or in-person accelerated nursing programs in New York.
Do you ever wonder if there might be a way to transform your current bachelor’s degree into a brand-new career unrelated to your previous course of study? If so, you should know that an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (ABSN) program can help you do exactly that. And if you’re in New York, you are especially lucky—The Empire State has many great online and on-campus programs to help you reach your goals at lightning speed.
We have prepared the following guide to help you learn all about these programs. In it we spotlight some of New York’s best examples, explain degree requirements, analyze relevant career outlook and salary information, and much more. So, continue reading below to find out how you can capitalize upon your existing education by turning it into a new and exciting career in the rewarding—and highly in-demand—field of nursing.
Best Accelerated Nursing Bachelor’s Programs in NY
To help you with your search for accelerated nursing programs in New York, here’s a list of the top programs in the state. These state-approved programs were selected with quality and affordability in mind, so you can earn your second bachelor’s without breaking the bank or adding any extra debt to what you may have from your previous degree. Additionally, these schools offer excellent student support programs so you can get the most of your nursing program. While there are many online and in-person nursing programs for you to choose from, here are three New York schools that stand out for 2024.
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
NYU’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing offers an accelerated 15-month program for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field and want to transition to a career in nursing. Before beginning the program, students must complete a series of prerequisite courses, including nutrition, statistics, anatomy and physiology, and microbiology with a grade of C or better. The program itself is designed to be completed in four consecutive full-time semesters of 15-18 credits, and start dates are offered in both the fall and the spring.
Meyers nursing students can take advantage of financial aid resources such as an impressive variety of donor-funded NYU Meyers scholarships, global fellowships, and private funding opportunities. After completing the program, graduates are supported through career events and robust career services, which include job listings, externships, networking, mentorship, and volunteer opportunities on platforms such as Handshake, Liquid Compass, and the Violet Network.
University of Rochester
Candidates for the Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing (ABSN) program at the University of Rochester must hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field with a minimum GPA of 2.8. They must also complete the self-paced, online nursing prerequisite courses before starting. Once ready to begin the actual ABSN program, students have a choice of timeline: 12-months or 24-months. Although the curriculum for these two completion options is the same, the 24-month pathway offers students maximum flexibility to complete their studies while also working part time. Furthermore, three cohorts throughout the year for the 12-month program—January, May, or September—allow students to get started quickly.
Students at UR have access to many helpful programs and resources, including 1:1 career support through the Center for Academic and Professional Success and scholarships and financial aid, such as the UR Nursing Scholars Program, which offers 100% tuition coverage and guaranteed employment after graduation.
Utica University
Utica University offers two accelerated programs for candidates seeking a BSN—the ABSN and the transfer BSN. The ABSN is for students who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, and the transfer BSN program is designed for students who do not hold a bachelor’s degree but have at least 65 college credits with a minimum GPA of 2.8. Both programs require students to complete certain prerequisites prior to enrollment, but the university offers these 100% online. And, thanks to their three start dates each year, students can avoid a waitlist period.
The traditional ABSN pathway takes 16 months and is delivered in a three-part hybrid format consisting of online coursework in nursing theory, 225 hours of on-campus labs, and 588 on-site clinical rotation hours at area hospitals. Overall, this combination of instruction is quite effective, resulting in a first-time NCLEX pass rate of 89% at the Syracuse location in 2019.
Curriculum Components for Accelerated Nursing Programs in New York
Accelerated nursing programs in New York ensure that you develop the necessary patient-centered skills to meet the demands of today’s nursing careers in a short amount of time. From organizational and patient safety training to healthcare policy, disease prevention, and interpersonal communication, your program will walk you through the essential components of daily nursing practices. Your training in these topics and others will come from these three categories.
1. Nursing Classes
Training in general and specialized foundational knowledge for nursing that does not require hands-on training falls into this category. With these classes, you’ll focus on topics like nursing research and evidence-based practice, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and relevant medical theories. Book-work classes will also train you in nursing’s code of ethics, professionalism, role requirements, and teamwork responsibilities. Like courses in the Phillips School of Nursing in New York, some of your nursing classes will be structured into two parts: text-based academic studies and hands-on lab training.
2. Clinical Training
Whether clinicals are set up as standalone requirements or a component of a nursing class, you’ll engage in hands-on clinical training at approved medical facilities or lab simulations on-campus. Oftentimes, you’ll be required to do clinical rotations in small group settings maternal-child and family health, adult health, and psychiatry, similar to those found at the University of Rochester. You’ll need about 90 laboratory training hours and 700 hours of clinical training, but these requirements vary by program.
3. General Education Coursework
Like all bachelor’s degrees, you’ll also need to complete any general education coursework that did not transfer from your previous bachelor’s degree program. These courses include communication skills, quantitative analysis, the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and technology. You’ll also have the ability to mix in elective courses and choose classes that fit your personal and academic interests. Albany State University’s core curriculum offers a good example of what you can expect in this category.
FAQs About Accelerated BSN Nursing Programs in New York
How long is an accelerated nursing program in NY?
The duration of your accelerated nursing program in NY will vary slightly depending on the school you choose. Generally speaking, you can expect to spend about 12 to 18 months completing your second bachelor’s. The University of Rochester, for example, typically takes learners 12 months to complete. The accelerated BSN at New York University, on the other hand, will take you 15 months to finish. Nursing students in the Long Island University program in Brooklyn need 16 months for the BSN, while Hunter College students take 18 months.
How many of my current bachelor’s degree credits can be transferred to my New York accelerated nursing program?
In many cases, bachelor’s degrees across academic fields usually require about 120 credits for graduation. Since you’ll be entering these accelerated nursing programs in NY with a bachelor’s degree in hand, you can expect about 30-60 credits of general education classes to transfer depending on your new school’s transfer credit evaluation criteria. Utica College requires 62 credits for its accelerated nursing program, meaning about 58 transfer credits come from applicants’ previous bachelor’s program.
In order for credits to transfer, they’ll need to come from an accredited college or university with a “C” average or higher. Long Island University requires applications to have a “B+” or higher in a specific science-focused course to be eligible for transfer. Your school may also only accept previously earned credits for which you were awarded three or four credits per class.
How much do accelerated BSN nursing programs in New York cost?
The cost of your accelerated nursing program in NY will vary between schools. You’ll often find that schools offer lower tuition rates for in-state students compared to those that come from out-of-state. In some cases, schools with accelerated nursing programs that offer online or hybrid instruction will charge comparable rates for all students, regardless of where they live and learn. While this is not always the case, public or state schools with accelerated nursing programs tend to offer lower tuition rates than private institutions.
Hunter College
Accelerated Second-Degree Nursing Program
Total Credits: 51
$305/credit resident; $620/credit non-resident
What are the admission requirements for accelerated nursing programs in New York?
Accelerated nursing programs in NY will have a list of requirements that incoming students need in order to begin their nursing coursework. You’ll need a B.A. or B.S. from an accredited two- or four-year institution, along with transcripts that reflect successful completion of prerequisite sciences and general education courses. The list of prerequisites vary among programs. For example, the prerequisites at Stony Brook School of Nursing differ slightly from SUNY Downstate. You’ll likely need a “C” grade or higher to receive credit toward your new nursing degree. Additionally, accelerated nursing programs in New York, like the University of Albany, require applicants to submit letters of recommendation, pass a background check and possess an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Completion of prerequisite courses in areas including chemistry, statistics, anatomy and physiology, and microbiology within the last five years
- Official transcripts with a 3.0 or higher GPA
- Letters of recommendation or professional references
- Background check
- Personal statement or essay
How do I know if an accelerated New York BSN program is of high quality?
Accelerated nursing programs in NY that provide you with a valuable education and credentials that will help you advance your career will hold state approval and specialized accreditation. The New York State Board of Nursing site offers an online list of all of the nursing programs in the state that have been approved. Schools with state approval will prepare you to meet education standards in that particular state. Valuable degree programs will also possess accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). These national accrediting bodies ensure that nursing programs meet high academic standards and provide up-to-date instruction for nursing students.
Can I get financial aid to help pay for my accelerated nursing program in NY?
Pursuing a degree through an accelerated nursing program in NY can be a significant financial commitment for most learners today. The good news is that there are many financial aid opportunities out there to help you cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. New York State offers grants, scholarships, and other forms of funding, in addition to support you can get through your school, private foundations, or professional nursing associations. New York’s Higher Education Services Corporation can connect you with resources on available grants, scholarships, and student loan programs available to BSN students in the state. For more information on financial aid opportunities, be sure to check out EduMed’s nursing scholarship guide and main financial aid guide.
Inside Look at Online Accelerated Nursing Programs in New York
Online accelerated nursing programs in NY today can be mostly online with some in-person training requirements. The more traditional academic book-work classes are often 100% online and scheduled during the day. Hands-on training often referred to as clinicals or practicums, takes place in-person at approved healthcare facilities or labs on-campus. While there can be a self-paced element to the online learning portion of your training, you’ll more than likely learn in-step with other accelerated learners in a cohort. This gives you the chance to interact with other students and professors and feel a sense of community.
For the online learning portion of your training, you can expect to use video conferencing technologies to attend lectures, discussion boards, and other features of your school’s learning management software. Clinicals or practicums in New York will take place in-person at a designated location under the supervision of a professor or nurse. Since you’ll be entering your program without any nursing experience or formal training, these clinicals will be rigorous and cover a large amount of information and standard nursing practices. For more information, visit EduMed’s dedicated guide on online accelerated nursing programs.
Phillips School of Nursing at Mount Sinai Beth Israel
The Phillips School was founded in 1902 in New York City and serves approximately 300 learners. The private institution offers a hybrid accelerated BSN degree. Nursing students can complete this program in 15 months or four semesters. Upon completion of the program, degree-holders can sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.
This hybrid program offers an intensive blend of online courses and in-person clinicals. Clinicals take place at a variety of healthcare facility locations with at-risk patients, including training at Mount Sinai Hospital and affiliated hospitals. All incoming students must complete prerequisites before starting coursework. Required classes for the accelerated BSN include pharmacology, pathophysiology, health assessment, mental health nursing, and geopolitics, and healthcare policy.
Applicants must pass a health inspection, background check, and drug screening before beginning the program. Interested learners need to submit an online application and possess a bachelor’s degree with a 3.25 GPA or higher. There are nine prerequisite courses that prospective BSN degree-seekers should complete ahead of time that each requires a “C” grade or higher. Applications must also include two letters of recommendation and an essay.
What’s Next After Your Accelerated Nursing Program in New York
In order to become an RN in New York after completing your accelerated nursing program, there’s a series of steps and forms you’ll need to complete to obtain licensure to practice. After earning your BSN from a state-approved nursing program:
- Pay $200 NCLEX-RN exam fee
- Obtain a nursing license by passing the NCLEX-RN exam
- Pay $143 New York state RN license application fee and submit the necessary forms
- Answer moral character questions on application supplied by the state
According to the New York State Board of Nursing, there’s a two-step process to applying for licensure. Prospective RNs need to complete Online Form 1, which is the general RN application, and Online Form 2, the certification of professional education document. The second form will need to include the signature of the registrar from the institution where you earned your accelerated BSN.
Career & Salary Outlook for BSN Nurses in New York
Since you’re looking into pursuing a career as a nurse in New York, you probably want to know what kinds of employment options are out there and how much you can expect to earn. Here’s a quick look at the career and salary outlook for BSN degree-holding professionals in New York.
Are BSN registered nurses in high demand in New York?
A comparison of state to national data reveals that BSN registered nurses are in very high demand in New York. Over the next ten years, new jobs for these nurses are projected to total 33,420 in New York, which single-handedly accounts for about 12% of the national number of 276,700. Projected job growth rates further emphasize this trend—jobs for BSN registered nurses are projected to grow 9% nationally, but New York far exceeds this figure at a whopping 17%.
Job Outlook for Registered Nurses in New York
| Employment (2018) | New Jobs (2018-2028) | Job Growth Rate (2018-2028) | Average Annual Openings (2018-2028) | |
| New York | 199,870 | 249,100 | 24.6% | 16,910 |
| United States | 3,059,800 | 371,500 | 12.1% | 210,400 |
Source: Projections Central
How much do BSN nurses make in New York?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median annual wage for registered nurses is $81,220. But statewide across New York, this same figure rises to $100,130. When wages are broken down by most of New York’s major metropolitan areas, average pay is a bit lower—around $82,000. But in some places, such as the NY-Newark-Jersey City area where the median annual wage is $104,860, earnings actually exceed the statewide figure.
