Maryland’s Online RN to BSN Programs: What Students Need to Know
With Maryland’s critical nursing shortage, qualified registered nurses are in high demand. Advance your nursing career and check out these RN to BSN programs in Maryland.
You won’t be alone if you have an RN career you love but are ready to take your nursing career to the next level. Whether you’re looking for more responsibilities and higher pay, want to work in leadership or specialize in a specific area of interest, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing will take you where you want to go.
According to the Maryland Hospital Association, the state is facing a critical staffing shortage, with one in every four hospital nurse positions empty. With such a need across the country, becoming an RN with a BSN degree make you even more desirable.
RN to BSN degrees are designed for working nurses, so you’ll find flexibility in your coursework, and if you have already worked as an RN, you’ll complete your program faster. And as a Maryland-based RN to BSN student, you’re in luck—some of the highest-ranking programs are in Maryland.
In this guide, we’ll review some of the best RN to BSN online programs in Maryland state, discuss the benefits of earning your BSN, and answer some of your most pressing questions about advancing your nursing career.
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, Maryland
Private
Stevenson University
If you’re looking for an affordable online RN to BSN program in Maryland, consider Stevenson University. In this online program, some courses are synchronous while others are asynchronous, so you can tailor your coursework to fit your schedule while receiving personalized training from nursing professionals. There are also optional in-person training opportunities at the university and nearby hospitals.
If you already work as a registered nurse, you can complete this online RN to BSN program in as little as two years in Maryland. You’ll take four foundational courses and fill the rest of your coursework with electives that interest you. By the end of this online RN to BSN program, you’ll not only be prepared to take the NCLEX but also progress in your career. Stevenson University has an 85% pass rate on the NCLEX, so you’ll be in good hands as a student in this online RN to BSN program.
FAQs About Maryland RN to BSN Programs
What will I learn in an RN to BSN program in Maryland?
Earning your BSN provides academic and professional advancement, as each Maryland-based RN to BSN program trains students to improve their critical thinking, leadership and communication skills. As an RN to BSN student, you will build on what you’ve already learned by working as RN. You’ll learn from top faculty in Maryland about the areas of nursing most of interest to you.
For example, Townson University’s RN to BSN program in Townson, Maryland, helps students broaden their nursing skills and develop a specialization area while allowing each student to complete the program at the pace that suits them.
In Baltimore, Maryland, the RN to BSN program at Coppin State University teaches students how to synthesize knowledge from the humanities and natural and behavioral sciences to create client-centered nursing practices while applying leadership concepts and learning to collaborate with consumers and other healthcare professionals.
Because Maryland is known for some of the best hospitals in the country, such as John Hopkins and the University of Maryland’s hospital system, getting your BSN in the state provides you with additional networking opportunities and the ability to join research teams in those hospital systems.
In Maryland, how long does it take to complete an RN to BSN program?
Maryland-based students in RN to BSN programs generally earn their bachelor’s in 12-24 months. If, like many RN to BSN students, you already have your RN, completing an RN to BSN program should only take two semesters as a full-time student at the University of Maryland campuses or through their online program. You can complete coursework in two years at other programs, such as Stevenson University. However, many RN to BSN programs in Maryland will allow you to enroll as a part-time student, which can take twice as long to complete but allows you to better juggle coursework, your life, and your job.
How affordable are RN to BSN programs in Maryland?
You can generally expect to pay between $250 to $500 per credit hour. The costs of earning an RN to BSN degree from a Maryland-based nursing program can vary greatly, though these programs tend to cost less than earning your BSN without first working as a registered nurse. There are two ways to bring down the cost. The first is to choose an online or hybrid program, which is often cheaper than in-person options. The second is to choose a school that offers in-state tuition to Maryland residents. To help you better understand how much to budget for your RN to BSN, we broke down the cost of 3 popular programs in Maryland.
University of Maryland Global Campus
Online RN-to-BSN
Total Credits: 31
$312 per credit (in-state) /$499 per credit (out-of-state)
Can I get financial aid in Maryland to help pay for my RN to BSN program?
While the cost of an RN to BSN program can be expensive in Maryland, you don’t have to bear the burden alone. You can apply for multiple forms of financial aid, from university-funded scholarships to loans to research grants. You can learn more about each form of financial assistance by reading EduMed’s financial aid guide. While Maryland, unfortunately, does not offer funded scholarships for nursing students. The Maryland Board of Nursing has assembled a guide for Maryland-specific nursing scholarships from private organizations and the federal government. Another great place to look for additional funding options is our nursing scholarship guide.
In Maryland, what are the admission requirements for RN to BSN programs?
For most online RN to BSN programs, whether online, hybrid or in-person, the main admission requirement is to have worked as a registered nurse in Maryland. Additional admission requirements can include the following:
- An associate degree in a related field
- A certain GPA requirement in that associate degree
- A certain number of hours worked in the field
- Filling out application questions and essays
- Paying an application fee
These application requirements can vary between programs. For example, Stevenson University has no application fee. Notre Dame of Maryland, however, only lets men take the online version of their program, with the hybrid version only available to students who identify as female. Check with each RN to BSN program in Maryland to learn about their admission requirements.
In Maryland, what should I look for in a quality RN to BSN program?
When researching high-quality RN to BSN programs in Maryland, you should ensure that the program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and accredited by ACEN or CCNE. Beyond that, you also want to ensure the program offers a learning format that suits your lifestyle and has a rigorous curriculum. When you graduate, you’ll have to take the NCLEX, a national nursing exam, so make sure a program has an 80% pass rate or higher over the past five years.
Inside Look at RN to BSN Online Programs in Maryland
If you intend to work full-time while earning your RN to BSN or simply have a busy life, you most likely want to look at online or hybrid programs that suit your schedule. Online learning can cut down on transportation time and costs and allows you to take your classes from anywhere in the world. Some programs offer asynchronous courses you can complete on your own schedule.
When you’re looking at RN to BSN programs in Maryland, it’s important to note if there are any in-person requirements, especially for online courses. Some programs, such as Notre Dame of Maryland, require students to complete clinical nursing hours in person at a hospital as part of their RN to BSN training. For a better idea of what a typical online RN to BSN program looks like, check out our online RN to BSN guide.
What is the Path to Becoming an RN with a BSN Degree in Maryland?
Along with earning your BSN, you will also need to take the NCLEX exam to become a licensed nurse. To get your license in Maryland, you only need to take the NCLEX exam and go to a school approved by the Maryland Boarding of Nursing. This is because Maryland is part of the nursing licensure compact, an agreement between 39 states to uphold the same licensure requirements.
Nurses must also undergo implicit bias training regularly to earn and maintain their licenses. Maryland regularly checks in to renew licenses, so you might need to satisfy additional exams and requirements throughout your career.
Maryland RN to BSN Salary and Employment Trends
Now that we’ve covered what an RN to BSN program might look like and some of the best programs in Maryland, you might wonder how much you can expect to earn after you receive your BSN and begin working as a nurse. If so, take a look at salary and employment trends in Maryland.
How much more does a BSN nurse make in Maryland?
Both RN and BSN nurses can expect to make more money than the national average. RNs in Maryland usually make around $74,418 per year, though this can vary depending on location. RNs in urban settings, like Baltimore, make more money than those in rural settings. However, a BSN generally provides annual salary increases of $10,000. In fact, the median salary of a registered nurse with a BSN is $89,127 a year as of September 2022.
| Location | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2021
What is the job outlook for BSN nurses in Maryland?
Not only do nurses in Maryland make above the national average, but they’re also in high demand. In 2021, the state had 51,550 registered nurses. Over the next 10 years, the number of nursing jobs in Maryland is expected to grow by 21.7%, which is well above the national projection of a 12% increase in that same period.
