Nursing Schools in Tampa, FL: Top Online & Campus Programs

Among the many degree programs available on South University’s Tampa campus is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This program is pre-licensure, meaning it is open to applicants with no previous nursing experience, and designed to prepare graduates to earn their licensure by taking the NCLEX-RN exam. Students must complete 180 quarter credits, including 90 in core nursing coursework.

Students attend classes primarily on the Tampa campus, however some nursing and general education courses are available online. Students are also required to complete clinical hours in person at program-approved nursing practice sites to obtain the hands-on experience necessary to be eligible for the NCLEX-RN exam (and their subsequent careers).

Current tuition rates for South University’s Tampa-based BSN program are $470/quarter credit for pre-clinical (general education) coursework and $600/quarter credit for clinical (nursing) coursework. BSN students may be eligible for financial assistance through a number of institutional scholarships and grants. Tuition assistance for qualifying veterans, active military, and their family members is also available.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the terminal degree for nurses seeking to advance their careers to the highest levels of nursing practice leadership. There’s likely no more convenient and affordable a way for nurses in the Tampa area to obtain their DNP than through the online Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Tampa.

The curriculum consists of 30 credits completed on a part-time basis over the course of six semesters. Students choose from two specialization tracks: the Advanced Practice Nursing track and the Leadership in Population Health track. The former prepares nationally certified nurse practitioners for clinical leadership positions, while the latter is designed for those seeking advancement to leadership roles in healthcare administration or government. Admission into this track requires either APRN or RN licensure. Students in both tracks are required to dedicate 500 practicum hours to a culminating clinical change project designed to complement their individual nursing practices. The course of study is delivered primarily online with three required weekend campus visits. The current estimated total program cost for the DNP program at the University of Tampa is $35,166. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and admission is limited to 25 students per year.

Utica University is a private university headquartered in Utica, New York with several satellite campuses, including Florida locations in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa-adjacent St. Petersburg, Florida. Utica’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program offers students in the Tampa area the opportunity to earn their BSN in as few as 16 months by transferring previously-earned undergraduate credits. The program is presented in a hybrid format that combines online nursing theory coursework with on-campus skills and simulation labs. Students also complete clinical rotations at program-affiliated hospitals in the greater Tampa area. In addition to earning their bachelor’s degree in nursing, graduates of the program are academically qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.

Admission to the BSN program requires a minimum of 65 qualifying college credits from a regionally accredited college or university earned with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or better. The current per-credit tuition rate for the 62-credit program is $884. Start dates are available three times each year in January, May, and August.

The Galen College of Nursing has both an online RN to BSN program and an online MSN program. The RN to BSN program is designed for students who have received nursing licensure but are looking for additional education. The program can be taken 100% online and on a part-time basis if need be. It can be completed in as little as 12 months.

The online MSN program will build upon a student’s BSN experience and knowledge to help students advance into leadership roles within a healthcare setting. There is also a nurse educator track that will help students prepare to teach the next generation of nursing students. Students will learn to lead quality improvement initiatives, teach in academic settings, and transform nursing education in both academic and clinical staff development. Upon graduation, nurse educator students will meet the eligibility requirements for the certified nurse educator (CNE) examination.

All courses are taught in an eight-week format, with the above degree options all having multiple start dates throughout the year.

The online programs at Lincoln Memorial University in Tampa are given through the Blackboard learning platform, where students will be able to communicate with instructors and classmates, watch lectures, and turn in assignments. LMU’s online RN to BSN program is available 100% online, though the Tampa campus offers some in-person classes if you’d like to take advantage of some of those. All of LMU’s nursing programs are ACEN accredited.

The online MSN option is for those wanting to pursue nursing administration. It will prepare students for a leadership position by enrolling them in classes covering finance, budgeting, marketing, and analytics for healthcare strategy. It takes an average of 17 months to complete this program.

The online DNP can be completed in six semesters of full-time study, and is meant to be challenging and will help students renew their commitment to nursing. Graduates will be prepared to fully implement emerging science and practice innovation in health care.

Rasmussen University‘s online nursing programs are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The school’s RN to BSN, MSN, and DNP programs are all offered online. If any of them require clinical hours, they can be completed through your current work or through other local healthcare facilities.

The online RN to BSN permits up to 75% of the degree, or 134 credits, to be transferred. This could save students hundreds of hours and dollars if they’ve attended college elsewhere. In addition, the RN to BSN is founded on competency-based education, meaning students can not only complete assignments and watch lectures on their own time, but they can speed through what they are already familiar with and slow down for new topics. Example courses include emerging healthcare technologies and innovation, genetics and genomics, and clinical reasoning and clinical judgement.