If you’re looking to take your professional portfolio to the next level, getting a BSN degree is a great way to do that. If you already have some nursing experience and a current nursing license, you might qualify to enroll in an RN to BSN, which will allow you to graduate even sooner and for less money.

Fastest Online RN to BSN Degree Options

While a traditional BSN will take you about four years to complete, an RN will take you much less time — often between a year or two. These programs build on the experience and training that nurses have already achieved allowing them to enter into a BSN program in the second or third year. Every RN to BSN program will vary in length, but here are a few based in Maine that have particularly short timelines for graduation.

School	Degree Name	Length
University of Maine, Fort Kent	Online RN to BSN	1 Year
St. Joeseph’s College of Maine	Online RN to BSN	9 Months

Learn more about the Fastest RN to BSN Programs.

Do 6-month RN to BSN Programs Exist?

Six-month RN to BSN programs do exist, though they aren’t super common. In fact, there are currently no 6-month RN to BSN programs currently offered in Maine, though you may be able to pursue these opportunities in other states if you have a large number of transferable credits and have several years of experience in the field.

Affordable Online RN to BSN Options

While you may not be able to graduate in six months in Maine, you will be able to graduate in at least half the amount of time as you would have if you were enrolled in a traditional BSN program. This will not only save you time but also money as well. You may also be able to further cut your tuition costs by establishing residency in Maine, especially if you are applying to schools that lower their cost of tuition for Maine residents.

School

Degree Name

Tuition Cost

Beal University

RN to BSN

$10,168 per year

University of Maine, Fort Kent

Online RN to BSN

$12,136 per year (Resident)

$33,736 per year (Non-Resident)

Learn more about Affordable RN to BSN Degrees.

Admissions Requirements for Accredited RN to BSN Programs

Those who have completed an ADN will find the entrance requirements for an RN to BSN program quite familiar. While each school may have slightly different requirements, the following is a good example of the requirements you may be subject to:

Must be a graduate of an ADN or nursing diploma program
Must provide evidence of current licensure as an RN in Maine
Minimum GPA of 2.5

Classes & Courses: What is the Curriculum Like?

Most programs require students to complete some general education courses before beginning the core nursing part of the curriculum. Credits from prior nursing courses can usually be examined and transferred to satisfy some of these requirements if both programs are accredited. The core upper-division nursing courses offered at the University of Southern Maine include:

Professional Communication and Technology Utilization in Nursing
Health-Related Research
Theory for Clinical Practice
Community Nursing Partnerships for RNs
Professional Issues: Leadership, Management, and Organization for RNs

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