Most online RN to BSN programs in New Jersey ask for roughly 30 credits of nursing coursework, and nurses usually fit that around 10-hour hospital shifts, rotating weekends, and family schedules. Fixed class times rarely survive that kind of calendar. Asynchronous online delivery does, and some schools let you complete clinical hours at your current employer.
Every program here is offered online or in a hybrid format. The list is independent, not one school's marketing page, so the differences in pacing, cost, and RN to BSN requirements are stated as they are.
The credential is the same, but the time it takes is not: about 10 months at one school, up to five years at another.
Best Online RN to BSN Programs in New Jersey for Working Nurses
Every program on this list admits working New Jersey registered nurses and can be completed online or in a hybrid format that keeps campus time limited. Each entry notes what the school actually delivers: how much coursework is remote, whether clinical hours can be completed at your current employer, and how term lengths and start dates line up with a full-time nursing schedule. Accreditation and pricing details reflect the most recent published information, and we flag where a current listing could not be confirmed.
How we ranked these
- Earnings ten years after entry
- Institution-wide graduation rate
- Online and hybrid delivery formats
- Accreditation and clinical requirements
- Program length and pacing options
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
Saint Peter's University
#1Jersey City, NJ · ~$12,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Working RNs seeking a campus-free degree
Saint Peter's University is a private Jesuit institution in Jersey City whose online RN to BSN is built for nurses who want to finish a bachelor's degree without ever setting foot on campus. The 31 to 36 credit completion program runs in accelerated eight-week terms, so students can finish in 14 to 21 months while staying on a full work schedule. Personal advising, small online classes, and an RN to MSN bridge make it a practical stepping stone toward graduate study.
- 100% online; no campus visits required
- 31 to 36 credit hours for diploma and associate degree RNs
- Finish in 14 to 21 months on accelerated 8-week terms
- CCNE accredited, with New Jersey Board of Nursing approval
- RN to MSN bridge pathway available
- Personal advising and small online class sizes
- Jesuit whole-person healthcare curriculum
Stockton University
#2Galloway, NJ · $21,000/yr (est. net price)
Best for: South Jersey nurses wanting simulation labs
Stockton University, a public institution in Galloway, has been awarding RN to BSN degrees since 1975, and its hybrid design pairs remote coursework with simulation labs and clinical placements across New Jersey. The curriculum is organized around the Roy Adaptation Model and leans into community health, leadership, and evidence-based practice. Nurses within reach of the Galloway campus get lab and small-group experiences that fully online programs cannot replicate.
- Hybrid format: remote coursework plus on-site simulation labs
- Clinical placements at sites across New Jersey
- RN to BSN program offered since 1975
- CCNE accredited; recognized by the New Jersey Board of Nursing
- Curriculum built on the Roy Adaptation Model
- Small-group learning with dedicated faculty
Montclair State University
#3Montclair, NJ · ~$16,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Hospital-employed RNs needing self-paced coursework
Montclair State University pairs a fully online, asynchronous RN to BSN with unusually generous transfer policies, awarding up to 90 credits including 30 for passing the NCLEX-RN. The roughly 90 clinical hours are often completed at the nurse's own workplace, and the program closes with an integration practicum that pulls the whole degree together. Montclair also holds tuition discount partnerships with several New Jersey hospital systems, which matters a great deal if you happen to work for one of them.
- Fully online, asynchronous coursework
- About 90 clinical hours, often at your own workplace
- Transfer up to 90 credits, including 30 for the NCLEX-RN
- Accelerated or self-paced tracks with fall and spring starts
- Integration Practicum capstone
- Tuition discount partnerships with New Jersey hospital systems
- CCNE accredited
- 2.5 GPA minimum and a New Jersey RN license
Kean University
#4Union, NJ · $14,000 – $22,000/yr (est.)
Kean University in Union delivers its RN to BSN in online and hybrid formats, with hybrid sections tied to the Union campus and Ocean County College in Toms River. The 120-credit degree is built around population health, quality management, and transcultural care, with an average completion time of four semesters. Transfer partnerships with Ocean County College, Raritan Valley Community College, and Muhlenberg School of Nursing smooth the path in from an associate degree.
- Online and hybrid formats; hybrid sections meet in Union and Toms River
- 120-credit bachelor's degree for registered nurses
- Average completion time of four semesters
- Coursework in population health, quality management, transcultural care
- Transfer partnerships with Ocean County, Raritan Valley, and Muhlenberg
- Program materials cite ACEN accreditation; confirm current ACEN listing
- Faculty mentorship in classroom and clinical settings
Caldwell University
#5Caldwell, NJ · ~$25,000/yr (est.)
Caldwell University is a small private Catholic university in Caldwell that keeps its online RN to BSN deliberately lean: 30 credits, seven-week modules, and rolling admissions with no application fee. At $583 per credit with flexible start terms, the logistics stay simple for nurses paying their own way. A clinical component is built in, and students can apply 12 credits toward an MSN in Population Health if they plan to keep going after the bachelor's.
- 30-credit online RN to BSN
- 7-week course modules with rolling admissions
- $583 per credit; no application fee
- Clinical component included
- Apply up to 12 credits toward an MSN in Population Health
- CCNE accredited
- Multiple start terms throughout the year
William Paterson University of New Jersey
#6Wayne, NJ · $16,000 – $25,000/yr (est.)
William Paterson University in Wayne offers an online RN to BSN that can be finished in as few as 10 months, with 30 credit hours delivered in seven-week courses and four start dates a year. Coursework covers health assessment, nursing research, public health, healthcare economics, leadership, and advanced pathophysiology. Pay-by-the-course pricing and an RN to MSN pathway make it straightforward to sequence around a hospital schedule.
- Online RN to BSN, 30 credit hours in 7-week courses
- Finish in as few as 10 months
- Currently listed at $337.10 per credit, about $10,113 total
- Four start dates per year
- CCNE accredited
- 2.5 GPA and an active RN license required
- Pay-by-the-course tuition with a nursing course fee
- RN to MSN pathways available
Rowan University
#7Glassboro, NJ · $22,000/yr (est. net price)
Rowan University in Glassboro runs a fully online, asynchronous RN to BSN that most students complete in 15 to 30 months while working. The program requires 45 clinical hours, frequently completed through the nurse's own employer, and accepts up to 90 transfer credits including an automatic 30 nursing credits from an ACEN-accredited associate degree. Employer relationships are a real draw here: Virtua and Inspira employees can have tuition covered in full.
- Fully online, asynchronous RN to BSN
- 45 clinical hours, often completed through your current employer
- Transfer up to 90 credits, with 30 automatic nursing credits
- 7-week and 15-week courses; most finish in 15 to 30 months
- Currently listed at $560 per credit
- CCNE accredited; confirm the current directory listing
- Full tuition coverage for Virtua and Inspira employees
Comparing NJ RN to BSN Programs: Cost, Graduation Rates, and Outcomes
Tuition, net price, and graduation rate below are institution-wide figures from federal data. Net price is an average for all undergraduates after grants, not a quote for an RN to BSN student, and program-level completions, median debt, and earnings for these RN to BSN programs are not yet published, so they are left out rather than estimated. To estimate your own total, multiply the per-credit rate by the credits you still need after transfer, then add mandatory fees: William Paterson's $337.10 per credit (which already includes a nursing course fee) across 30 credits comes to about $10,113, while Montclair lists $625 per credit for 27 to 30 credits and Rowan lists $609 per credit for 30 to 60 credits depending on transfer, with neither itemizing mandatory fees on its program page. Outside this grid, Rutgers-Camden lists $597 per credit for 2026-27 plus separately billed student, school, technology, and other fees and accepts up to 60 additional transfer credits, and NJCU charges a $1,432.50 nursing fee per semester, but neither publishes a fixed total credit requirement for its online RN to BSN.
| School | Sector | In-state tuition and fees (institution-wide, per year) | Average net price after aid (institution-wide) | Graduation rate (institution-wide) | RN to BSN per-credit tuition (latest listed) | RN to BSN credits required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Peter's University | Private nonprofit | $42,552 | $12,199 | 58.3% | N/A | 31 to 36 |
| Kean University | Public | $14,299 | $12,447 | 46.6% | N/A | N/A |
| Montclair State University | Public | $15,912 | $15,566 | 64.7% | $625 (2026-27) | 27 to 30 |
| William Paterson University | Public | $15,704 | $18,745 | 44.0% | $337.10 (includes nursing course fee) | 30 |
| Stockton University | Public | $16,266 | $20,670 | 68.5% | N/A | N/A |
| Rowan University | Public | $16,574 | $22,408 | 67.4% | $609 (2026-27) | 30 to 60 |
| Caldwell University | Private nonprofit | $40,848 | $24,691 | 57.5% | $583 (as listed by school) | 30 |
How Fast and How Cheaply Can You Finish? Part-Time Pacing and the 6-Month Myth
Realistic pacing for working nurses
Full-time nurses should usually plan on one or two courses per accelerated term, not a full undergraduate load. One or two seven- or eight-week courses at a time is usually manageable; three accelerated courses in a single term often becomes unsustainable. Rowan's RN to BSN online program is fully asynchronous and uses both 7-week and 15-week formats, with part-time completion ranging from 15 months to five years depending on pace. Ramapo College outlines an 18-month plan with fall, spring, and summer starts, while Rutgers-Camden offers a full-time one-year path and a part-time option. William Paterson cites completion in as few as 10 months, and Saint Peter's uses accelerated 8-week terms with a typical 14-21 month arc. Montclair is asynchronous and self-paced, and NJCU describes an asynchronous curriculum built around working nurses, though its catalog does not publish a fixed end date.
The 6-month question
A true six-month RN to BSN in New Jersey is not established in the data. The Fastest RN to BSN Programs are mostly national accelerated options, such as West Coast University's eight-month Accelerated Plus track, while Drexel, Franklin, Eastern Kentucky, and Fitchburg State land around 12 months. Most New Jersey programs need 12-24 months because they require RN-level nursing credits, a practicum or capstone, and enough transfer credit to cover general education. Competency-based national programs may move faster if you can demonstrate prior learning, but New Jersey credit requirements and clinical practicum expectations still add time. Treat any 6-month RN to BSN claim as a marketing signal to verify credit requirements and state authorization.
Where the lowest costs cluster
The most affordable RN to BSN online programs in the data below are Saint Peter's, Kean, and Montclair. Their institution-wide average net prices are roughly $12,199, $12,447, and $15,566, respectively. These are school-wide averages, not program-specific tuition; your own cost will shift with transfer credits, grants, and employer tuition benefits. Kean's 120-credit degree and Montclair's ability to apply NCLEX passage and prior college credit can shorten the runway for nurses who enter with an associate degree. For asynchronous scheduling, Rowan, NJCU, and Montclair are the clearest fits, while Rowan, Saint Peter's, and Fitchburg State document 7- or 8-week accelerated terms.
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Getting in: Licensure, GPA, Transfer Credits, and Start Dates Across NJ Schools
Most NJ RN to BSN programs share the same core requirements, but the details vary. Confirm current rules with each school, because 2026 requirements for William Paterson and Montclair State were not verified at the time of writing.
- RN license and NCLEX timingRutgers requires an RN license, but new graduates can begin before passing NCLEX if they pass before the second semester. NJCU requires a passed NCLEX before 400-level courses. Rowan and Ramapo accept a current NJ license or eligibility for one, and Rowan also accepts a multistate license. Rowan's own materials disagree on whether a license is needed at admission, so ask the school.
- Prior nursing educationRutgers accepts a diploma or associate degree from an ACEN- or CNEA-accredited program. Rowan specifies ACEN. Ramapo accepts an A.A.S., A.S., or diploma and requires a TOEFL of 580 (paper-based) where applicable. NJCU explicitly welcomes diploma and foreign-educated nurses.
- Minimum GPAExpect a minimum of 2.5 (Rowan, Ramapo) up to a preferred 3.2 or higher at Rutgers. Ramapo also requires a C or better in nursing, science, and English composition.
- Transfer creditsRowan awards 30 nursing credits to ACEN graduates and accepts up to 90 transfer credits in total. Rutgers and Ramapo do not publish a cap, so request a transcript evaluation early.
- Start termsRutgers admits in fall and spring only. Rowan offers several module starts across summer, fall, and spring for 2026–2027. None of these schools confirmed rolling admission.
Accreditation, Clinical Hours, and What 'Online' Really Means in NJ
RN to BSN Accreditation is the one program feature you cannot compromise on, and it matters more than whether a school calls itself fully online.
Why CCNE or ACEN Accreditation Comes First
When you search for accredited RN to BSN programs in New Jersey, you are really screening for nursing accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Most MSN and DNP programs expect a BSN from an accredited nursing program. Many hospital tuition-assistance policies only reimburse accredited coursework, and Magnet-designated hospitals that favor BSN-prepared nurses often look for it as well. A regionally accredited university is not the same as an accredited nursing program, so confirm status with the accreditor before you apply.
Reading the "Online" Label
"Online" rarely means zero contact. Depending on the school, it can include a required orientation, scheduled live class sessions, or an in-person community health practicum. Rowan University and William Paterson University both list their RN to BSN as online, but neither has clearly stated that the degree is free of in-person practice requirements. Get the specifics from admissions in writing.
Practicum and Community Health Hours
Hour requirements vary, and published details are often incomplete. Montclair State University requires 90 in-person nursing school clinical hours in its online RN to BSN. William Paterson cites a 170-hour minimum supervised practicum, though it is unclear whether that applies to the BSN portion or to its RN to MSN programs. Before enrolling, ask three things:
- Hours: How many practicum or community health hours are required?
- Placement: Does the school arrange your site, or do you find your own?
- Employer: Can you complete hours at your current workplace?
Does Rutgers Offer an Online RN to BSN?
Yes. Rutgers delivers its online RN to BSN through Rutgers-Camden, with core nursing courses taught online. Sources differ on in-person expectations: one 2026 comparison reports no campus visits and 33 total credits, while another describes a mix of online and hybrid coursework, possible in-person classes at Newark or New Brunswick, and clinical practicums onsite in New Jersey. Ask which applies to your cohort.
Questions to Ask Yourself
LPN-to-BSN vs. RN-to-BSN: Which Pathway Fits Where You Are Now?
The right pathway depends on the license you hold today. LPN-to-BSN programs prepare you to sit for the NCLEX-RN. RN-to-BSN programs assume you already passed it. At Berkeley College, the LPN-to-BSN Accelerated Pathway runs seven full-time semesters (120 credits) and requires 2,080 recent LPN work hours to qualify for its license credit. New Jersey RN licensure also requires a criminal background check.
