Online RN to MSN Programs in New York: Choosing a School

Profiling Two RN to MSN Programs in New York

Online RN to MSN programs are designed to accommodate working professionals through online coursework, hybrid formats, and flexible clinical placements. However, most programs require clinicals be attended in person, typically at healthcare facilities in the student’s or school’s local area.

To help you better understand how these programs work, we’ve profiled below two current online RN to MSN programs in New York. As you review these profiles and others in your program search, be sure to consider these elements:

• Fully-online vs. hybrid format: Programs in clinical specialties will include in-person clinical experiences. Programs in non-clinical specialties will, in most cases, not include in-person clinicals.
• Synchronous vs. asynchronous delivery: Online program content may be synchronous (requiring logging on and participating in live-streamed class sessions a specifically-scheduled times) or asynchronous (allowing students to log on and attend to their coursework at any time.)
• Program lengths: Programs may be full-time, part-time, or self-paced.

NY Student RN to MSN FAQs

If you’ve read this far, you likely have a foundational understanding of how online RN to MSN programs in New York work. You’ve also likely come up with a few questions of your own.

To help you out, here are answers to five questions frequently asked by prospective New York RN to MSN students.

What Can You Do with an MSN in New York?

Generally speaking, an MSN degree prepares students for careers in nursing leadership and advanced clinical practice. In regard to advanced practice, most MSN graduates pursue roles as nurse practitioners in any of a number of specialized practice areas, including:

• Acute care
• Adult health
• College health
• Community health
• Family health
• Gerontology
• Holistic health
• Neonatology
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Oncology
• Palliative care
• Pediatrics
• Perinatology
• Psychiatry
• School health
• Women’s health

Nurse midwives also need, at minimum, an MSN degree.

You may also pursue a career as a clinical nurse specialist if your degree is specifically in a CNS track. While nurse practitioners focus on direct patient care, clinical nurse specialists focus on improving patient outcomes throughout a specific population or system through research education, research, and leadership.

Common CNS areas of practice include:

• Adult health
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatric and mental health
• Oncology

Non-clinical fields you can pursue with your MSN include:

• Nursing administration
• Nursing education
• Forensic nursing
• Nursing informatics

Remember also that with your MSN you can continue your academic studies in pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD in Nursing degree.

Will I Earn My Bachelor’s Degree During My RN to MSN Program?

That depends on the specific program. For example, both of the programs profiled above award BSN degrees as part of their RN to MSN courses of study.

An example of an RN to MSN program in New York that does not award a BSN is the RN To MS Accelerated Program at Daemen University.

How Will an RN to MSN Program in New York Prepare Me for More Opportunities?

Earning your MSN opens the door to leadership careers in nursing administration and advanced specialized clinical practice. With these advanced roles come higher salaries and expanded career opportunities.

According to recent (2024) figures from the Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS), only 16.5% of all registered nurses employed in New York State hold a MSN degree. What that means to you is that, by earning your nursing master’s, you place yourself in an elevated position among New York RNs for top-level jobs with higher-quality, higher-paying employers.

How Long Does It Take to Complete an RN to MSN Program in New York?

Completion times vary for New York online RN to MSN programs due mainly to these factors:

• Study pace (full-time, part-time, self-paced, traditional vs. accelerated)
• Chosen specialty (longer program lengths are common for students in specialties that require substantial clinical practice experiences)

Given these factors, expect program lengths for RN to MSN programs of:

• Nurse Practitioner (various specialties): 36 to 48 months or more
• Nursing Administration/Leadership: 20 to 36 months
• Nursing Education: 16 to 32 months
• Nursing Informatics: 18 to 24 months

How Affordable are RN to MSN Programs in New York?

Afforability is a relative term. But when you compare the costs of RN to MSN programs against those for completing both traditional BSN and MSN programs, RN to MSN programs can certainly be described as affordable.

That being said, the total price tags for online RN to MSN programs in New York vary from school to school depending on the same completion time factors listed above, plus:

• Public vs. private schools: Private school programs tend to be more expensive than public school programs.
• In-state vs. out-of-state residency: Public school programs often charge higher tuition rates to out-of-state residents than they do to in-state residents.

Bearing all of this in mind, you can expect to encounter total tuition costs for RN to MSN programs in New York ranging from:

• Public schools: $18,000 to $30,000 (NYS residents); $25,000 to $50,000 (out-of-state residents)
• Private schools: $30,000 to $60,000

Remember that these are estimated tuition costs only and do not include additional program fees, the costs of books, equipment, etc. Also remember that these figures do not take into account any financial aid funding you receive.

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