Online RN to BSN Programs in Maryland: Choosing a School
If you’re an RN in Maryland looking to advance your career into leadership and specialized practice roles, consider an online RN to BSN program. This guide breaks down some of the best RN to BSN online programs in Maryland today, and provides details on curriculum, cost, and career potential after graduation.
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Comparing Online RN to BSN Programs in Maryland
RN to BSN programs are designed for working nurses with an associate in nursing degree who want to expand their career opportunities through education and training in nursing leadership and specialized practice areas such as pediatrics and public health.
Many RN to BSN programs in Maryland are fully online, so you are able to get the most flexibility possible out of your course of study. Also, credits earned in your nursing associate degree program can likely be transferred into your RN to BSN program, so you’ll complete the BSN program requirements faster.
To give you an idea of how online RN to BSN programs work in terms of cost, duration, admissions requirements, etc., here are spotlights of three current Maryland-based online RN to BSN programs.
RN to BSN Program — Notre Dame of Maryland University
The online RN to BSN program at Notre Dame of Maryland is focused on transforming nursing careers with a curriculum rooted in caring science that features in-depth studies of individual care populations and types.
This CCNE-accredited program supports career advancement through coursework in nursing roles such as critical care, labor and delivery, and occupational health. Students additionally complete courses in non-nursing subjects like professional writing and spirituality’s link to nursing.
Students with an active RN license from Maryland or a compact state are awarded 30 upper-level nursing credits. Up to 68 college credits may be accepted in transfer. All students must complete a minimum of 30 credits through the program.
A number of financial aid opportunities are available to qualifying students.
Duration: 15 to 18 months
Mode: Online and asynchronous
Cost: $475/credit (tuition only, additional fees apply)
Admissions Requirements:
- Graduation from a diploma or associate degree in nursing program with minimum 2.5 GPA
- Completion of all prerequisite coursework requirements
- Active RN license or verification of licensure through a compact state or NCLEX-RN eligible
Curriculum:
- Writing for Professionals
- Foundations of Caring Science: Nursing Situations, Scholarly Analysis, and Calls for Justice
- Holistic Health Assessment & Nutrition Across the Lifespan
- Information Systems for Caring Practice
- Healthy Aging
- Population Health through a Caring Lens
- Nursing Research
- Caring Nurse Leadership
- Capstone Experience
Programs that might interest you:
RN to BS Program — Stevenson University
Personalized training from nurse professionals is a highlight of Stevenson University’s RN to BS program.
Classes are a mix of synchronous and asynchronous components, balancing convenience with the added boost of real-time training and instruction. You’ll take four foundational courses in the program and fill the rest of your coursework with electives that interest you.
A minimum of 30 credits must be completed through the program. Depending on the number of transfer credits accepted, students can complete all program requirements in as few as 15 months.
Stevenson offers tuition discounts of up to 20% through partnerships with various community colleges and healthcare facilities in their area. Student support services include career and financial aid counseling.
Duration: As few as 15 months.
Mode: Online with options for in-person training
Cost: $500/credit (tuition only, additional fees and costs apply)
Admissions Requirements:
- RN license in good standing
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- Transcripts
- Personal statement
- Completion of English composition course or equivalent
Curriculum:
- Physical Assessment and Pathophysiology
- Information Technology in Nursing
- Nursing Leadership for RNs
- Nursing Research in Professional Practices
- Community Health
RN to B.S. in Nursing — Towson University
Having the flexibility to finish your BSN at your own pace and according to your own career trajectory is a major feature of Towson University’s RN to B.S. in Nursing degree completion program. The curriculum is centered toward teaching nurses improved problem-solving and critical thinking skills for evolving healthcare needs.
Full-time study is available, but the program recommends part-time, year-round enrollment to working nurses.
Approximately 90% of program content is delivered online in a self-paced, asynchronous format. Some electives are available only in person, and students must complete an in-person clinical practicum.
Payment options for the course (including a comprehensive award guide that shows potential eligibility for students) are available from Towson’s financial aid department.
Duration: 12 to 18 months
Mode: Hybrid. (90% online and asynchronous, but includes some in-person components)
Cost: Est. annual tuition and fees – $12,186 (Maryland residents); $31,332 (out-of-state residents)
Admissions Requirements:
- Active and unencumbered RN license
- Associate degree in nursing from a state-approved nursing program
- Minimum 2.50 GPA
Students may be admitted to the program prior to completing their associated degree program and/or obtaining their RN license. Both requirements, however, must be met prior to starting program studies.
Curriculum:
- Writing For Evidence-Based Practice
- Health Assessment and Health Promotion
- Diversity and Social Justice in Healthcare
- Nursing Research for Evidence Based Practice
- Nursing in Healthcare or Seminar in Nursing
- Public Health Nursing
- Leadership and Management
- Degree Completion Practicum
RN to BSN Student FAQs: Your Questions Answered
As you continue to explore your RN to BSN program options, questions of your own are likely to pop up. To help you out, below are the answers to five frequently-asked questions by prospective Maryland RN to BSN students.
Can I get financial aid to help pay for my RN to BSN degree in Maryland?
It depends on you and the specific program you choose, but the chances are good that any of a number of financial aid resources will be available. These typically include:
- Scholarships and grants (both school-sponsored and external)
- Employer tuition reimbursement
- School-sponsored tuition discounts
- Tuition deferment and installment plans
- Student loans
It’s important to fill out the FAFSA form as soon as possible to see what federal grants, loans, and scholarships may be available.
The best place to start your search for funding help is at the financial aid offices at each of the schools you’re considering. You may also want to check out this Maryland Board of Nursing webpage for information and links to a range of nursing scholarship resources.
Must I possess a current and active RN license to be admitted into an online RN to BSN program in Maryland?
In most cases, yes. However, some RN to BSN programs will admit students who are “NCLEX-RN eligible,” meaning that they have completed (or are about to complete) a nursing diploma or associate degree in nursing program making them eligible to take the NCLEX-RN, but have yet to do so.
In such cases, the student is required to take and pass the NCLEX-RN and obtain their RN license within a given period of time during the course of their RN to BSN program.
In Maryland, what should I look for in a quality RN to BSN program?
Accreditation and curriculum content are the two biggest factors in determining program quality.
When researching online RN to BSN programs in Maryland, make sure that any program you consider is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and accredited by either the:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), or
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Beyond that, you want to ensure that a program offers the learning format that best suits your academic goals and study preferences.
What are the different content delivery methods for online RN to BSN programs?
RN to BSN programs in Maryland may be entirely in-person, fully-online, or hybrid-formatted (a combination of online and in-person components.) In terms of online content, there are two basic content delivery methods used:
- Synchronous: Students are required to log on and attend class sessions via live stream at specifically-scheduled dates and times.
- Asynchronous: Students can log on and complete coursework at any time.
Can I take an RN to BSN course in Maryland and continue to work as a registered nurse?
The answer is yes, but you will want to take a long and serious look at what pursuing your studies while maintaining your employment as an RN will mean to you.
If your plan is to continue working, especially full-time, then you will want to seriously consider limiting yourself to a part-time or self-paced RN to BSN program. And one that features asynchronous delivery would be a great choice.
If you intend to work part-time, then enrolling in a full-time program may be OK. The bottom line here is that, with proper planning, you can work and pursue your education successfully at same time.
Expert Insight
During my online graduate studies, I went part-time at work. My program was part-time and mostly asynchronous with a few scheduled virtual class meetings. I also had to meet on campus a couple of times. I was able to effectively balance work, school, and my personal life. Your decision ultimately depends on what’s most important to you.
Maryland’s RN vs. BSN Job and Pay Outlook
Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland Medical System are the kind of institutions that draw nurses from other states entirely, and both lean heavily on bachelor's-prepared staff for research, specialty, and leadership work. That reputation, plus the sheer density of federal and academic medicine packed into the Baltimore-Washington corridor, tends to pull BSN pay further up this range.
Associate-degree RNs still land plenty of staff and bedside roles across the state, particularly outside the DC suburbs, though those roles typically sit lower on the scale. Working near two of the country's top-ranked hospitals changes the math here.
Registered Nurses
| Area | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $77,600 | $99,550 | $125,020 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $63,360 | $92,770 | $121,430 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $74,550 | $94,780 | $123,690 |
| Maryland | $76,780 | $99,790 | $124,790 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $79,160 | $101,180 | $121,900 |
| Salisbury, MD | $75,830 | $94,880 | $121,900 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,750 | $102,710 | $132,900 |
Source: Registered Nurses, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025
Data does not reflect school-specific information.
