Best State-Approved Online RN to BSN Programs in Maine for 2027

University of Southern Maine (USM)

With the RN to BSN program at the University of Southern Maine, you can build on your RN experience while continuing to work.

It’s a 120-credit program, and your associate degree in nursing coursework counts toward that total, though exactly how many credits you’ll still need depends on an individual transcript review.

In this program, you’ll take classes in:

• Leadership
• Evidence-based practice
• Nursing research
• Emerging healthcare technologies
• Compassionate, patient-centered care

The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing.

Duration: As little as two years, depending on transfer credits and course load.

Mode: Fully online coursework, although some classes require scheduled meetings. You can complete practicum experiences in your local area.

Cost: USM charges $14,490 in tuition and required fees for 30 online credits in 2026–2027. You’ll also pay a one-time $200 enrollment fee. Your final cost depends on how many credits you need after USM reviews your transcripts.

Admissions Requirements:

• An associate degree in nursing (ADN), either completed or anticipated
• A current, unencumbered RN license in the state where you’ll complete your practicum
• A completed USM undergraduate application
• Official transcripts from previous colleges or universities for transfer-credit evaluation

University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK)

For nurses in rural Maine, distance to campus shouldn’t stand in the way of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. UMFK’s RN to BSN program is 100% online. The program is CCNE-accredited and uses a pay-as-you-go tuition model, with no application fee or additional fees.

If you have an ADN or nursing diploma and an active RN license, UMFK awards you 68 transfer credits toward the 120-credit BSN. You’ll then complete 30 credits of nursing coursework covering:

• Health assessment
• Leadership
• Healthcare policy
• Evidence-based practice

You may have to complete additional general education courses.

Duration: As few as 12 months with an accelerated course load. You can take one course per seven-week term, and part-time pacing is available.

Mode: 100% online, asynchronous courses with no campus visits .

Cost: $342 per credit with no additional fees, making the 30-credit nursing core about $10,260.

Admissions Requirements:

• An ADN or Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) from an accredited institution or a nursing diploma
• A minimum 2.5 overall GPA
• Official transcripts from every college or university attended
• A current, unencumbered RN license

If you’re awaiting results from the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), you may begin taking courses but must pass the exam by the end of the second course in the program or receive an approved extension.

University of Maine at Augusta (UMA)

Nurses interested in whole-person care have a distinctive option with UMA’s RN-to-BSN completion program.

It offers a 51-credit completion curriculum and is Maine’s only holistically endorsed nursing program and one of 15 nationwide recognized by the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC).

Courses you’ll take include:

• Professional practice
• Aging
• Research
• Informatics
• Community and global health
• Nursing leadership

You may also earn credit through national certifications, exams, or a portfolio documenting relevant work and life experience.

The program includes a two-credit community health clinical but requires no campus attendance. UMA’s RN-to-BSN pathway is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Duration: Two years full-time or four years part-time. Prior-learning credit may reduce your timeline.

Mode: 100% online and asynchronous, with no campus attendance required.

Cost: Maine residents and Canadian students pay $279 per credit; fully online out-of-state students pay $488. All students also pay a $55-per-credit academic support fee and, during fall and spring, a $2.25-per-credit student activity fee.

Admissions Requirements:

• An ADN from a nationally and regionally accredited institution
• A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA in all regionally accredited colleges attended
• An active RN license obtained before the second semester begins
• Official college transcripts