A New York RN with an associate degree or diploma usually needs the BSN without giving up unit hours. The usual path is a program that accepts the ADN as roughly the first half of a 120-credit bachelor's degree. Cost, pace, and in-person RN to BSN Requirements vary widely, so the differences matter.
The schools ranked here offer online or hybrid RN to BSN options open to New York nurses, with costs shown after transfer credits are applied. Along the way: how many credits actually transfer, whether the Fastest RN to BSN Programs can really be 6 months, whether clinical hours are required, and what the BSN in 10 law means for nurses licensed since 2020.
For many hospitals in the state, the BSN is now a hiring preference, and for newer licensees it is a legal deadline.
Top Online RN to BSN Programs for New York Nurses in 2027
Every program below is delivered fully online or in a hybrid format, which lets working New York nurses keep their shifts while they finish the degree. None of these schools closes its online option to New York residents, though all expect an active RN license and a few set GPA thresholds worth checking before you apply. The order blends how flexibly each program delivers its coursework with baseline quality signals such as completion and post-completion earnings.
How we ranked these
- Earnings ten years after entry
- Institutional graduation rates
- Program accreditation and delivery flexibility
- Credit transfer and completion requirements
- Net price after aid
- 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
College of Staten Island CUNY
#1Staten Island, NY · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Staten Island nurses wanting a CUNY degree
The College of Staten Island is CUNY's campus on Staten Island, and it is the one school on this list whose nursing program is accredited by ACEN rather than CCNE. Its RN to BS pathway is built for nurses who already hold an associate degree or diploma and want an upper-division completion route rather than a second prelicensure degree. Students combine online coursework with on-campus sessions, and recent cohorts have taken community health work into the field with LiveOnNY, a New York organ donation organization. Resident tuition through CUNY keeps the per-credit cost low for in-state nurses.
- Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Hybrid format combines online coursework with on-campus sessions
- Designed for licensed RNs with an associate degree or diploma
- Full-time and part-time options with fall and spring starts
- Minimum 2.5 GPA for admission
- Clinical, simulation, and laboratory experiences
- Community health immersion with LiveOnNY in New York
- Elective focus areas in leadership and community health
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
#2Plattsburgh, NY · $17,000/yr (est. net price)
Best for: Upstate RNs who need fully online coursework
SUNY Plattsburgh offers one of the more established online RN to B.S. pathways in the state university system, with coursework delivered fully online to nurses who already hold a license and an associate degree or diploma. Faculty advisors mentor students from the first term through graduation, and a clinical coordinator helps each nurse arrange applied learning close to home. The program is designed to be finished in about two years, with a six-year outer limit, and it is registered with the New York State Education Department.
- CCNE accredited and registered with the New York State Education Department
- 120 total credit hours, completable in about two years
- Minimum 2.5 GPA, with a 2.0 GPA required in major courses
- Program must be completed within six years
- Clinical coordinator helps arrange applied learning near home
- Dedicated faculty advisors mentor students throughout
- No SAT or ACT scores required
- Recognized for affordability and value
St. John Fisher University
#3Rochester, NY · ~$29,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Working nurses seeking a shorter completion window
St. John Fisher University is a private university in Rochester, and its Wegmans School of Nursing carries a strong regional reputation among Western New York employers. The online RN to BSN is aimed at working nurses who want a compact completion window, and graduates can continue into a fast-track master's option. Coursework runs in seven-week modules with project-based work that ties theory back to clinical practice.
- CCNE accredited through the Wegmans School of Nursing
- Complete in 12 to 18 months, full-time or part-time
- Two seven-week modules per semester
- RN to BSN to M.S. fast-track option
- Project-based experiential learning applied to clinical settings
- 24/7 online tutoring support
- No prerequisite courses required
- Curriculum includes care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
#4Utica, NY · ~$14,000/yr (est.)
SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica has delivered its RN to BS nursing program fully online since 2018, so this is an established pathway rather than a recent conversion to remote delivery. The curriculum mixes synchronous and asynchronous courses with practicum placements in hospitals, schools, community agencies, and public health settings, and accepts a substantial block of transfer credit from prior nursing education. The institute also maintains a 1+2+1 nursing partnership with St. Elizabeth College of Nursing as part of its broader nursing footprint.
- CCNE accredited, fully online coursework
- Up to 76 transfer credits accepted from prior nursing education
- Practicums in hospitals, schools, and public health agencies
- Synchronous and asynchronous course options
- Fall and spring start dates
- Sigma Theta Tau honor society membership available
- Faculty mentors and advisors support students
- Articulation agreements with area RN programs
CUNY Hunter College
#5New York, NY · ~$3,000/yr (est.)
Hunter College's Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing is one of CUNY's flagship nursing schools and sits in the middle of Manhattan's health care corridor. Its RN to BS program is popular with working nurses in the New York City area because the nursing major is delivered fully online, while general education can be taken in person or in hybrid form. Clinical hours are completed at community sites across the city, and CUNY resident rates keep the degree affordable for New York nurses.
- CCNE accredited, 120 total credits
- Nursing major courses delivered fully online
- General education in person or hybrid
- 45 clinical hours at community sites across New York City
- Minimum 3.2 GPA and active RN licensure required
- Credit for prior learning accepted
- U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required
- Fall and spring starts, part-time or full-time
Stony Brook University
#6Stony Brook, NY · ~$19,000/yr (est.)
Stony Brook University pairs a research-intensive academic environment with a hospital and health sciences campus on Long Island. Its Registered Nurse to Baccalaureate Program is a 60-credit completion curriculum that blends distance learning with on-site requirements, including a leadership practicum and a population health nursing course. It suits nurses who want a well-known SUNY name and are comfortable with a partly hybrid structure.
- CCNE accredited
- 60-credit completion curriculum for RNs with an associate degree
- Distance learning with on-site requirements
- Minimum 2.5 GPA; accepts up to 8 transfer credits
- RN license required within six months
- Capstone leadership practicum
- Coursework in informatics, ethics, research, and pathophysiology
- Community and population health nursing course
Farmingdale State College
#7Farmingdale, NY · $11,000/yr (est. net price)
Farmingdale State College is a SUNY college of technology on Long Island, and its RN to BS completion program is fully online. The curriculum layers general education on top of upper-division nursing courses in community health, leadership, health promotion, and evidence-based practice, capped by a senior leadership practicum. Faculty with broad clinical backgrounds guide students through both theory and supervised practice, which makes the program workable for nurses holding down full-time hospital schedules.
- CCNE accredited, 121 total credits
- Fully online general education and nursing coursework
- Senior leadership practicum included
- Clinical experiences in varied healthcare settings
- No SAT or ACT scores required
- Prepares graduates for provider and manager of care roles
- Faculty with broad nursing experience
Best-Value RN to BSN Picks: Net Price, Earnings, and Debt Side by Side
If your question is which program gives you the most return for the money, these are the strongest-value picks among the schools ranked here, listed from highest return relative to cost using 2024 U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). CUNY Hunter College stands out with an average net price under $3,000, while Stony Brook University pairs a higher price with the highest graduation rate in this group. Net price is a school-wide average after grants and scholarships, not a quote for your degree, so your true RN to BSN cost depends on how many credits you still need after transfer, which the next section breaks down.
| School | Location | Format | Credits | Average Net Price (school-wide, after aid) | In-State Tuition and Fees | Institution Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY | Hybrid (nursing courses fully online) | 120 total | $2,984 | $7,382 | 57% |
| Farmingdale State College (SUNY) | Farmingdale, NY | Online | 121 total | $10,867 | $8,626 | 53% |
| Stony Brook University (SUNY) | Stony Brook, NY | Hybrid | 60 (program curriculum) | $18,784 | $10,931 | 76% |
How ADN Credits Transfer and What the Remaining Credits Cost
An RN to BSN program is the back half of a bachelor's degree for nurses with an associate degree and a license. That explains two numbers that seem to clash: a program may advertise roughly 30 to 40 credits of upper-division coursework, while the same degree lists 120 or 124 total credits.
Why Two Credit Totals Show Up
Both figures are accurate: the larger number is the full bachelor's degree, and the smaller one is what you actually take after transfer. Your ADN courses, any credit granted for clinical experience or challenge exams, and general education classes determine what credits transfer to nursing school.
SUNY Delhi shows the math clearly. Its degree totals 120 credits, the RN-to-BSN component is 61 credits, and students typically transfer in 60 to 80 credits. Delhi caps upper-division transfer at 30 credits, with no more than 15 in upper-division nursing.1 SUNY Brockport's online Fast Track also totals 120 credits and may award advanced standing for clinical experience. SUNY Empire State University requires 124 credits and notes that transfer credit, RN to BSN Credit for Work Experience, or life skills can reduce what remains.
Turning a Per-Credit Rate Into a Total
The formula is simple: credits remaining multiplied by the per-credit rate. SUNY Empire publishes $295 per credit, which matches the commonly reported in-state benchmark for online SUNY RN-to-BSN study. At 30 remaining credits, tuition is $8,850; at 40 credits, $11,800. Fees, books, and supplies come on top.
Out-of-state SUNY rates for affordable rn to bsn online programs are not consistently published, so nurses living outside New York should ask each campus directly. Private schools cost noticeably more. Reported totals for New York RN-to-BSN programs often fall around $17,000 to $25,000, and nursing tuition at NYC private universities can run from roughly $1,385 to more than $2,000 per credit, though those rates are not always specific to the RN to BSN track.
If you earned your ADN at a SUNY or CUNY community college, ask whether an articulation agreement moves your credits over as a block. The answer shapes how many credits you still owe.
Request a Transcript Evaluation First
Before applying, request an unofficial transcript evaluation. A missing statistics or chemistry course adds credits, and at your per-credit rate, real cost. SUNY Delhi requires official transcripts from every college you attended, even for a single class, so gather them early.
Where Do the 120 Credits Come From in a Typical New York RN to BSN?
Mercy University publishes a typical 120-credit RN to BSN framework: 60 general education credits, 30 lower-division nursing credits for a prior ADN or diploma, and 30 upper-division nursing credits taken in the program, though your own transcript evaluation sets the final count. Most working RNs finish only that nursing core plus any missing gen eds, which keeps total cost far below a four-year sticker price. Other New York programs differ: SUNY Empire requires 124 credits, and CUNY SPS awards 36 nursing credits to diploma graduates who passed the NCLEX-RN and hold a New York RN license.
New York by City
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RN to BSN Programs NYC Nurses Can Fit Around 12-Hour Shifts
The tradeoff for a working New York RN on a night shift nursing student schedule is usually in-person structure versus schedule control. Campus sessions can mean a real commute and a lost shift, while the Best Online RN to BSN Programs ask you to supply your own discipline.
Hybrid Options Close to the City
Three schools here blend online learning with some in-person time:
- CUNY Hunter College (Manhattan): Nursing courses are delivered fully online. General education classes may be in-person or hybrid, and students complete 45 clinical hours at community sites around New York City.
- College of Staten Island CUNY: Offers both online and in-person sections, with full-time and part-time enrollment and fall and spring starts.
- Stony Brook University (Long Island): Combines distance learning with on-site requirements, so ask early how often you would need to be on campus.
Fully Online Options for Rotating or Night Shifts
SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Farmingdale State College, and St. John Fisher University are delivered online. Because they are fully online, they work for an RN in any borough, with no commute. SUNY Poly lists both synchronous and asynchronous options, so confirm which sessions would be scheduled live. Fisher uses two seven-week modules per semester, which suits nurses who prefer shorter, focused stretches of coursework.
Questions Worth Asking Each Program
- Are lectures asynchronous, or are there set meeting times that could clash with night rotations?
- How does the program place fieldwork or practicum hours in the five boroughs, and can you complete them at your current workplace?
- Who arranges the site: you or a clinical coordinator?
Check Your Employer First
Before you apply, ask HR or your union education office whether your health system offers tuition benefits or partner-school discounts. Policies differ by employer and contract, so verify the details and any required work commitments before committing to a program.
Getting Admitted to an Accredited Online RN to BSN Program
Online RN to BSN admission is usually straightforward for working nurses, but requirements vary by school. Confirm each item with admissions before you apply.
- Active, unencumbered RN licenseSUNY Empire requires an active, unencumbered New York State RN license. CUNY SPS accepts current RN licensure or eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-RN. New York is not a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate license from another state does not authorize practice here. Ask whether a program accepts out-of-state licenses. Some programs admit new ADN graduates conditionally before the NCLEX, with proof of licensure due by set dates, such as December 1 for fall or May 1 for spring starts.
- ADN or diploma from an accredited institutionSUNY Empire accepts an associate degree or diploma from an accredited nursing program. CUNY SPS asks for an associate degree in nursing from an accredited credit-granting institution and may consider diploma graduates. If your ADN program lacked nursing accreditation such as ACEN, ask how that affects admission.
- Minimum GPAExpect a minimum of 2.5 to 3.0. CUNY SPS sets 3.0; applicants between 2.5 and 3.0 may enter conditionally with a six-credit limit in their first semester. SUNY Empire does not publish a minimum.
- Prerequisite coursesCommon prerequisites include statistics, anatomy and physiology, general science, psychology, communications, and critical thinking. Your ADN coursework may already cover several of them.
- Start terms and deadlinesFor spring 2027, CUNY SPS lists a November 3, 2026 priority deadline and a December 1 regular deadline. SUNY Empire's deadlines are December 4, 2026 (full term and Express 1) and January 29, 2027 (Express 2).
- CCNE or ACEN accreditation for the BSNChoose a BSN program accredited by CCNE or ACEN. Graduate nursing programs and many employers look for degrees from accredited programs, so an unaccredited BSN can limit future options.