Where Can I Find Accelerated Nursing Schools Near Me?
Accelerated BSN (or ABSN) programs are nursing programs designed for individuals who have previous college credit or already have their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field and are interested in pursing a nursing career as an registered nurse. It is generally required that students applying to ABSN programs have at least 60 hours of college credits under their belt, however this may vary from school to school. It is advised that you double check with your school of interest to learn more about the admissions requirements.
Accelerated BSN programs are just that: accelerated. These programs can vary in length between one to two years. Because of the fast-paced nature of these programs, they can be intense as coursework is packed into a short amount of time. While it may be challenging, for aspiring nurses this endeavor will prove to be highly rewarding, as it allows them to get into the field sooner and start working a job that they are passionate about.
Find Nursing Schools partners with top non-profit universities across the country that offer accelerated BSN programs. Click on the map to find nursing school near you.
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Averett University
ABSN Site Location: Norfolk, VA
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
The School of Nursing at Averett University offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); an Accelerated BSN (ABSN); a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN); and an Emergency Nurse Practitioner post-master’s certificate. The ABSN has three start dates per year — in January, May, and August — Averett’s ABSN program allows those with 60 or more non-nursing college credits to graduate in as few as 16 months. Although affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Averett University welcomes students from all faiths and of no faith.
ABSN Site Locations: Irvine, CA; Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Degree Requirements: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Concordia University Irvine’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science (ABSN) program is accessible to students who hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, as well as those without a degree who have completed a requisite number of non-nursing college credits. The ABSN program is full-time, designed to be completed over the course of 15 months, and offered with campus-based or hybrid learning modality options at their two California site locations. Students can target three start dates per year in January, May and August.
Concordia University Texas (CTX)
ABSN Site Locations: Austin, TX and Dallas, TX
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Concordia University Texas is a privately held liberal arts university. However, it accepts people of all faiths. Its College of Health Sciences offers both a traditional and an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree. Concordia Texas’s ABSN track includes online coursework along with hands-on skills labs and real-world clinical experience.
Concordia University, St. Paul in Portland
ABSN Site Location: Portland, OR
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Concordia University, St. Paul has two locations for its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in the Portland, Oregon-area that allows those with 54 hours of non-nursing college credit to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months. Concordia's full-time program comprises rigorous online coursework, in-person nursing labs, and a variety of clinical experience in Portland-area healthcare facilities. The ABSN program offers three start dates - in January, May, and September - meaning you can start your nursing journey sooner.
Concordia University, St. Paul in Minneapolis-St. Paul
ABSN Site Location: St. Paul, MN
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Concordia University based in St. Paul, Minnesota offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, along with Accelerated BSN (ABSN) and RN-to-BSN programs. Upon successful completion of the 16-month ABSN program, graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN®.
Felician University
ABSN Site Location: Parsippany, NJ
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Felician University is an independent co-educational Catholic/Franciscan school that promotes a love for learning, a desire for God, self-knowledge, service to others, and respect for all creation. Felician University’s School of Nursing offers both traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN and ABSN) programs.
Grand Canyon University
ABSN Site Locations: Nine ABSN locations across the United States
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Grand Canyon University offers an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, as well as an online-based Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) program and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Although GCU seeks to integrate Christian faith and practice into all aspects of campus life, no statement of faith or religious affiliation is required of students, except for majors in the College of Theology. Grand Canyon University’s main campus is located in Phoenix, Arizona; however, it offers its ABSN program in nine locations across the United States.
Harding University
ABSN Site Location: Rogers, AR
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Harding University, a private, non-profit Christian university located in Arkansas, offers a hybrid ABSN program in Rogers, AR which allows students to earn their BSN in as little as 16 months. Harding has clinical placements with Arkansas’ top medical professionals, allowing students to graduate with practical experience and confidence in their skills. Harding University integrates the Christian worldview into all aspects of the school but welcomes students regardless of their personal faith.
Madonna University
ABSN Site Locations: Southfield, MI
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
This esteemed non-profit university offers both traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees (BSN and ABSN). Madonna University’s accelerated program, based in metro Detroit, offers the opportunity for students to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months and prepares them to sit for the NCLEX-RN®. Students at Madonna University gain nursing skills within the context of Catholic and Franciscan values.
Marian University in Indiana
ABSN Site Location: Indianapolis, IN
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
The School of Nursing at this faith-based university offers two site locations where students may earn an Accelerated BSN in as few as 16 months. Students may attend in Indianapolis or Nashville. This accelerated BSN program offers three start dates a year, in January, May, and August. For students who have completed a requisite number of non-nursing college credits, a transfer path, which includes earning an Associate of Science in Health Sciences from Marian University before transferring into the ABSN program, is available. While Marian University is a private Catholic university, it welcomes students of all faiths.
Marian University in Tennessee
ABSN Site Location: Nashville, TN
Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
Marian University, has a classroom site located in Nashville, Tennessee, where the Accelerated (ABSN) program combines online and on-site experiential learning in a faith-based environment. Offering three start dates per year, Marian University’s ABSN program allows students to start their nursing education sooner. Students who successfully graduate from the program are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN® in as few as 16 months.
Marquette University
ABSN Site Locations: Pleasant Prairie, WI; Milwaukee, WI
Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
The Direct Entry MSN program is offered from two Wisconsin locations: the main Marquette campus in Milwaukee, and a satellite site in Pleasant Prairie. Milwaukee cohorts are enrolled each summer and complete coursework over five semesters following a predominantly in-person learning modality. Pleasant Prairie cohorts offer didactic coursework predominantly online, with spring and fall starts following a five-semester plan and summer starts following the extended eight-semester option. Marquette University’s nursing approach is guided by its Jesuit values and tradition of cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Despite its Catholic roots, Marquette is open to people of all faiths.
Mercer University
ABSN Site Location: Atlanta, GA
Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
Founded by Baptists in 1833, this independent university offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, along with an RN-to-BSN option and a 12-month Accelerated BSN (ABSN) track. In addition, Mercer University’s College of Nursing offers advanced degrees including a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in nursing.
Northeastern University in Boston
ABSN Site Location: Burlington, MA
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Northeastern University’s College of Health Sciences offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. It is designed for those who already have 62+ college credits or a bachelor’s degree in another field and wish to acquire a BSN and licensure as a registered nurse. The program has two locations — in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Charlotte, North Carolina. It is comprised of both online and hands-on learning, which allows for degree completion in as few as 16 months.
Northeastern University in North Carolina
ABSN Site Location: Charlotte, NC
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Northeastern University, offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) at a site location in Charlotte, North Carolina. This option is for those who have 62+ college credits or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and a solid GPA. Qualified students can earn a BSN in as few as 16 months. The ABSN program offers three starts per year, so you needn’t wait to begin your nursing education.
Notre Dame of Maryland University
ABSN Site Location: Elkridge, MD
Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
Notre Dame of Maryland University provides a liberal arts education in the Catholic tradition. Its School of Nursing offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, an RN-to-BSN option, and campus-based and hybrid online-based programs. The Accelerated 2nd Degree ABSN (ABSN) program is for those who have already earned a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.
ABSN Site Locations: Lynnwood, WA
Degree Requirements: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Pacific Lutheran University offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or a required number of non-nursing college credits. Designed to be completed in 16 months, the program curriculum includes online accelerated nursing coursework, nursing skills and simulation labs at their ABSN program site near Seattle, and clinical rotations at top area healthcare facilities. Students who meet Pacific Lutheran University’s ABSN admission requirements can apply for one of three annual start dates in February, June or September.
University of Mount Saint Vincent
ABSN Site Locations: Riverdale, NY; Long Island City, NY; Brooklyn, NY; Yonkers, NY
Degree Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree
The University of Mount Saint Vincent offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program designed for students who hold non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. This 16-month program delivers a curriculum which includes online-based coursework, on-site labs, and in-person clinical rotations at top healthcare facilities across the New York City Metro Area. Students can enroll in one of three start dates per year, in January, May and September.
University of St. Thomas Houston
ABSN Site Locations: Houston, TX, Shenandoah, TX (The Woodlands), Sugar Land, TX
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
This Houston-area Catholic university welcomes students of all faiths and no faith. Its School of Nursing offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), an Accelerated BSN, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Its ABSN program is designed to provide non-nurses a quality nursing education that can be completed in as few as 12 months.
University of the Incarnate Word
ABSN Site Location: San Antonio, TX
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
The University of the Incarnate Word is the largest Catholic university in Texas and the fourth largest private university in Texas. Its School of Nursing offers a values-based education, preparing its students to treat patients holistically — in mind, body, heart, and soul. The University of the Incarnate Word offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track — a 16-month learning option that encompasses online coursework, hands-on labs, and clinical experience in various health care settings.
Utica University
ABSN Site Locations: Syracuse, NY and Albany, NY
Degree Requirement: Transfer Credits or Bachelor’s Degree
Utica University offers various undergraduate and graduate degree programs to students across all areas of study, including three nursing degree programs — traditional campus-based Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), RN-to-BSN and Accelerated BS in Nursing (ABSN). Students looking to fast-track their nursing careers can take advantage of its 16-month Accelerated BSN program, which includes both online and on-site learning opportunities. This private four-year college has site locations for its ABSN program in Syracuse and Albany, New York.
Xavier University
ABSN Site Locations: Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Cleveland, OH
Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree
Xavier University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program builds on your non-nursing bachelor’s degree, so you can earn a quality BSN in as few as 16 months. The full-time four-semester program features a rigorous blend of online and onsite curriculum. These learning components provide the academic foundation and clinical preparedness required to sit for the NCLEX-RN® exam with confidence and enter the profession as a practice-ready nurse. The ABSN program is offered in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, Ohio.