Online Nursing Schools in Washington: Finding Top Programs

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) work collaboratively under the supervision of registered nurses and other healthcare team members to assist with patient care tasks such as dressing, bathing, and transportation.

The educational training for CNAs is affordable and relatively short in length, and has a low barrier to entry requiring only a high school diploma or GED.

Shoreline Community College – Certified Nursing Assistant

• Cost: $3,236.46 (est. total cost)
• Length: Three months
• Mode: Hybrid

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

LPN programs in Washington State are available at several community colleges and technical schools. These programs prepare students for entry-level nursing roles providing basic care to patients. Common tasks include:

• Taking vital signs
• Changing dressings
• Aiding patients with basic hygiene
• Keeping patient records and reporting on patient status
• Administering medications

Online LPN programs combine online coursework with in-person clinical experiences, and are typically completed in one and two years. Upon graduation, students are prepared to take the NCLEX-PN, leading to state LPN licensure.

Green River College – Practical Nursing Program

• Cost: Approx. $8,000 (tuition and fees)
• Length: Nine months (full-time); 17 months (part-time)
• Mode: Hybrid

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Earning an Associate Degree in Nursing in Washington State prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN and for state RN licensure. Two-year program lengths are common.

Most ADN programs in Washington are in-person. However, some include general education and, in some cases, didactic coursework that can be completed online.

All ADN programs include hands-on clinical practice hours attended at local healthcare facilities.

Bellevue College – Associate Degree in Nursing

• Cost: $13,724-$13,944 (Washington residents); $25,854-$26,124 (out-of-state residents). Tuition and fees, full-time.
• Length: Two years
• Mode: In-person (some online general education course options)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Like ADN programs, Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs prepare graduates for taking the NCLEX-RN and state registered nurse licensure. However, BSN programs offer greater depth and breadth of nursing knowledge and skills than ADN programs, making graduates more attractive to employers.

Online BSN curriculums typically include online didactic coursework and, sometimes, campus-attended labs, along with the in-person clinical practice hours required for NCLEX-RN and licensure eligibility.

Most BSN programs require four years of full-time study.

University of Washington – Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Cost: $4,469/quarter (Washington residents); $14,880 (out-of-state residents)
• Length: Six quarters, degree completion. Four years total degree, including prerequisites.
• Mode: Primarily in-person, with some online general education course options

Accelerated BSN (ABSN)

Accelerated BSN programs are designed for individuals with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree seeking to enter the profession as registered nurses. By transferring in previously-earned general education credits, ABSN students are typically able to complete all degree requirements in 12-18 months.

As with standard BSN programs, ABSN programs feature general education and didactic nursing coursework with campus-based labs and in-person clinical practice hours. And, as with standard BSN programs, ABSN program graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN leading to state RN licensure.

Pacific Lutheran University – Accelerated Nursing Program

• Cost: $74,300 (est. total tuition and fees)
• Length: 16 months
• Mode: Hybrid

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

A Master of Science in Nursing prepares registered nurses for advanced roles in nursing leadership and management, as well as specialized clinical practice (often as Nurse Practitioners). Common areas of specialization include:

• Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Administrator
• Nurse Educator
• Nursing Informatics
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

MSN programs typically require 18 months to two years of full-time study. Part-time options with longer completion times are sometimes available.

Western Washington University – MSN in Nursing Education

• Cost: $19,500 (Washington residents); $41,900 (out-of-state residents). Est. total tuition and fees.
• Length: Two years
• Mode: Hybrid

DNP and PhD Doctoral Programs

Doctorate programs in nursing prepare students for top-tier roles in the profession. Generally speaking:

• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs are for students intending terminal careers in nursing administration and clinical practice.
• PhD in Nursing programs are for those seeking top-level positions in nursing research and postsecondary teaching.

Program lengths vary substantially depending primarily on the specific credential type and its requirements (including the writing and defending of a dissertation for PhD programs.) Content may be delivered entirely or partially online, again depending on the specific program type and requirements.

University of Washington – Doctor of Nursing Practice

• Cost: $105,192 (Washington residents); $150,111 (out-of-state residents). Est. total tuition and fees.
• Length: Three years full-time
• Mode: Hybrid

Post-Master’s Certificate Programs

Post-graduate nursing certificates allow nurses with a master’s or doctoral degree to expand their professional skill sets to include an additional specialized area of practice without the time or expense of completing another entire degree program.

These certificate programs are often delivered entirely online, but there are exceptions. Completion times vary depending on the certificate’s area of specialization and student’s study pace.

Pacific Lutheran University – Post Graduate Nurse Practitioner Certificates

• Cost: $54,648 (FNP); $57,400 (PMHNP). Total tuition.
• Length: Approx. 28 months
• Mode: Hybrid

LPN to RN and LPN to BSN

Practical nurses seeking to move their careers to the next level by becoming an RN can do so without taking on a full ADN or BSN program through an LPN-to-RN or LPN-to-BSN program. These programs leverage the student’s previous academic training and clinical experience to expedite the process of earning their degree.

Graduates in both program types are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Typical completion times are 18 months to two years for LPN to RN programs and two to three years for LPN to BSN programs.

Saint Martin’s University – Nursing LPN to BSN

• Cost: $1,639/credit
• Length: Two years part-time
• Mode: Hybrid

RN to BSN

Current registered nurses with a nursing diploma or associate degree can advance their careers by earning their bachelor’s through a time-saving and affordable RN to BSN program. These programs allow students to transfer in credits earned in their diploma or ADN program to help meet BSN degree requirements.

Most programs award credits for the student’s current RN license as well. The result is that RN to BSN students need only complete around 30 or so credits in the program itself to obtain their nursing bachelor’s.

Common program lengths are one year full-time and two years part-time.

Olympic College – RN to BSN Program

• Cost: $255.94/credit (Washington residents); $718.88/credit (out-of-state residents)
• Length: One year (45 quarter credits)
• Mode: Hybrid

RN to MSN

RN to MSN programs allow current registered nurses with an ADN to obtain their nursing master’s degree and move up the career ladder into the leadership and advanced specialized practice roles without first earning a BSN.

These programs typically take between 16 months and three years to complete depending on the students chosen area of specialization and study pace.

Programs with no clinical requirements are often delivered entirely or mostly online. Some specializations, however, require participation in hands-on clinical experiences that can often be completed at the student’s current place of employment.

Gonzaga University – RN-to-MSN program

• Cost: $975 per credit
• Length: Two to three years (45 credits)
• Mode: Hybrid

BSN to DNP

BSN to DNP programs provide an accelerated path to registered nurses with a BSN to earn a Doctor of Nursing degree without first obtaining a nursing master’s.

BSN to DNP programs typically require three to four years to complete and prepare graduates to fill top-level positions in nursing administration and specialized clinical nursing practice.

Pacific Lutheran University – Doctor of Nursing Practice

• Cost: $94,000 (est. total program cost)
• Length: Three to four years
• Mode: Hybrid

Direct-Entry MSN

Direct-Entry MSN programs enable individuals with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to become registered nurses while simultaneously earning a Master of Science in Nursing.

These accelerated programs combine pre-licensure and graduate-level coursework (often in a nursing specialization). Program lengths range from two to three years depending on the area of specialization and study pace (full-time or part-time.)

Pacific Lutheran University – Entry-Level Pathway to the MSN

• Cost: $90,800 (est. total cost)
• Length: 27 months
• Mode: Hybrid