Best Nursing Programs and Schools on Long Island, NY (Campus and Online)

Stony Brook University is one of four major centers in the State University of New York system and the only one on Long Island. Its School of Nursing hosts one of the most comprehensive nursing programs, both overall and in terms of online offerings.

Pre-RN licensure options include the two-year Basic Baccalaureate Program, a traditional BSN completion program for students with little or no college experience. Students complete two years of general education coursework before starting the program. Applicants with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees are eligible for the 12-month Accelerated Baccalaureate Program that consists entirely of nursing courses. Both BSN programs are campus-based and include all coursework and clinical hours needed to qualify for the NCLEX-RN.

Stony Brook also offers extensive post-licensure nursing options, all featuring hybrid (primarily online with some on-site requirements) formats. These include RN to BSN and RN to MSN programs, traditional MSNs in eight specializations, and post-graduate certificates in seven specializations. Both a hybrid DNP with eight specializations and an on-site PhD are also available.

Private, Catholic-affiliated St. Joseph’s College – Long Island offers several fully-accredited on-campus nursing programs. SJC’s Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing is a full, four-year BSN program for first-time college students. The curriculum includes general education coursework plus one nursing course in the first two years of full-time study followed by two years of nursing courses along with intensive clinical practice experiences at healthcare facilities in the Long Island area.

Current RNs can earn their BSNs through the blended RN to BSN program. All BSN students at SJC can join the school’s BSN Club and enjoy a variety of student support and community service opportunities.

Graduate-level nursing options at SJC-Long Island include MSN programs in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Nursing Education. There’s also an online Advanced Certificate in Nursing Education.

Long Island area students looking for a time-saving and cost-effective route to earning both nursing associate and bachelor’s degrees and launching their RN careers can do so through the unique NCC-ESC Multi-Award Nursing Program at Nassau Community College. The entire 124-credit program is designed to be completed with four years of full-time study.

Students first complete 84 credits of general education and nursing courses at NCC, including on-campus labs and clinical placements throughout Nassau County, over the first five semesters of the program. They then are awarded an AAS in Nursing degree. After passing the NCLEX-RN, students complete three semesters of fully-online coursework through SUNY-Empire State College to earn their BSN degrees. NCC remains the student’s home campus throughout the program.

Adelphi University is a private institution offering an associate degree in nursing along with an online RN to BSN. Current RNs can earn their BSN through 33 credit hours of nursing and biology coursework taught over six semesters of part-time study. The degree is entirely online except for 35 clinical practice hours. Students can transfer in up to 34 credits of nursing coursework plus any other applicable non-nursing credits. Additional elective courses needed to reach the 124 total credits required are added to each semester on an individual basis.

Adelphi also offers an online Master of Science in Nursing Education degree open to current RNs with BSNs. The part-time curriculum consists of 32 credits of advanced nursing courses completed over seven semesters.

Molloy College, a private Catholic university, is another major provider of nursing education on Long Island. Distance learning options include a fully-online RN to BSN program that can be completed in a few as two semesters. The curriculum consists of 24 credits of nursing coursework emphasizing public health, population health, and world health issues. The program requires at least 30 credits at Molloy, and students typically transfer 34 credits from their ADN programs. Any additional credit hours needed to reach the 120 must be earned at Molloy.

On the graduate level, Molloy offers several degree programs in blended formats that combine online and on-campus components. These include MSN programs in eight concentrations and a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Long Island registered nurses looking for a convenient and affordable path to earning their nursing bachelor’s degree should consider the RN to BS Completion Program at Farmingdale State College. The program consists of 60 credit hours of general education and nursing coursework. Students transfer in general ed and nursing course credits from their ADN programs. Additional credits needed for the BSN degree may be taken at FSU or another accredited institution. Curriculum requirements are completed through a combination of online courses and a variety of clinical settings.

As a public university, the tuition for FSU’s RN to BSN program is among the most competitive on Long Island. New York residents pay $3,535 per semester if taking 12 credits or more and $295 per credit if taking less.