Nursing Programs in Boston, MA
Boston is one of the best cities in the country to begin a career in nursing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses in the Boston area on average earned $99,410 per year as of May 2020, which is significantly above the national average of $75,330. For individuals interested in beginning a career in nursing, or for experienced nurses who want to advance their careers, Boston offers many accredited training programs for nurses at all education levels, including many of the top-ranked programs in the state according to RegisteredNursing.org rankings.
To get started in nursing or to advance your nursing career, check out our accredited program listings sections below:
Entry Level ADN, BSN, & MSN Programs in Boston, MA
For students with no prior nursing education, or for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who want to become RNs, an entry-level nursing training program is the place to start. Options for these programs in the Boston area, including LPN to RN programs aimed at practical nurses interested in transitioning to RN careers, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs and direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs. Each of these programs will prepare nurses to take the NCLEX licensing exam and secure their first jobs as RNs.
LPN to RN Programs
Because RNs earn higher salaries and have more patient career responsibilities and career opportunities, many practical nurses decide to transition to a career as an RN. Some schools offer special programs aimed at these practical nurses, which provide an accelerated pathway to becoming an RN. For example, Laboure College offers an LPN to RN Advanced Placement program that helps LPNs earn their associate’s degree in less time than a traditional ADN program.
ADN Programs
ADN programs are designed for students with no prior nursing training, and allow students to graduate in around two years and take the NCLEX exam. Bunker Hill Community College, for example, offers a four-semester program that includes 39-credit hours of nursing theory and clinical practice in health care facilities. Coursework includes anatomy and physiology, fundamentals of patient-centered care, human growth and development, and microbiology.
Direct-Entry BSN Programs
BSN programs are also designed for students new to the nursing field, and include additional in-depth coursework not generally included in ADN programs, such as nursing research, leadership and community nursing. The University of Massachusetts – Boston offers a BSN program that can be completed in 2.5 to 4 years of study, and includes clinical placement in some of the Boston area’s finest healthcare institutions.
Find out more about Massachusettes Accelerated BSN Programs
Direct-Entry MSN Programs
Somewhat less common than ADN or BSN programs, direct-entry MSN programs are designed for students who have earned their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing subject and would like to earn a master’s degree in nursing. These accelerated, academically-rigorous programs begin in BSN-level nursing courses to prepare students for the NCLEX and then continue on with advanced nursing courses to prepare students with advanced practice nursing careers and certification. Simmons University offers a direct-entry MSN program that prepares students of all backgrounds for careers as family nurse practitioners in three years of study.
Find out more about Massachusetts Accelerated MSN Programs
Top Ranked Accredited Nursing Programs in Boston
Listed below are the top nursing schools in Boston based on our RegisteredNursing.org RN program rankings for Massachusetts out of 41 other accredited programs offered in the state:
- Boston College - #3
- Bunker Hill Community College - #2
- Endicott College - #7
- Massachusetts Bay Community College - #10
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Boston - #8
- MGH Institute of Health Professions - #16
- Middlesex Community College - #11
- North Shore Community College - #9
- Regis College - #13
- Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing - #14
- Simmons University - #4
- University of Massachusetts - Boston - #17
- University of Massachusetts - Lowell - #6
| School | Contact Information |
|---|---|
Boston College
| Cushing Hall, 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617) 552-1710 |
Bunker Hill Community College
| 250 Rutherford Ave Charlestown, MA 02129 (617) 228-2000 |
Curry College
| 1071 Blue Hill Avenue Milton, MA 02186 (617) 333-3137 |
Endicott College
| 376 Hale St Beverly, MA 01915 (978) 927-0585 |
Labouré College
| 303 Adams St Milton, MA 02186 (617) 296-8300 |
Lawrence Memorial/Regis College
| 170 Governor's Avenue Medford, MA 02155 (781) 306-6600 |
Massachusetts Bay Community College
| 19 Flagg Drive Framingham, MA 01702 (508) 270-4000 |
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Boston
| 179 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 732-2800 |
Massasoit Community College
| 1 Massasoit Blvd Brockton, MA 02302 (781) 821-2222 |
MGH Institute of Health Professions
| 36 First Avenue Boston, MA 02129 (617) 726-2947 |
Middlesex Community College
| 591 Springs Rd Bedford, MA 01730 (781) 280-3200 |
North Shore Community College
| 1 Ferncroft Rd Danvers, MA 01923 (978) 762-4000 |
Northeastern University
| 360 Huntington Ave Boston, MA 02115 (617) 373-2000 |
Northern Essex Community College
| 100 Elliot St Haverhill, MA 01830 (978) 556-3000 |
Quincy College - Quincy
| 1250 Hancock Street Quincy, MA 02169 (617) 984-1700 |
Regis College
| 235 Wellesley St Weston, MA 02493 (781) 768-7091 |
Salem State University
| 352 Lafayette Street, South Campus Salem, MA 01970 (978) 542-7149 |
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing
| 53 Adams Street Brockton, MA 02302 (508) 941-7000 |
Simmons University
| 300 The Fenway Boston, MA 02115 (617) 521-2139 |
University of Massachusetts - Boston
| 100 William T. Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA 02125 (617) 287-5000 |
University of Massachusetts - Lowell
| 113 Wilder Street, Suite 200 Lowell, MA 01854 (978) 934-4525 |
Wheaton College
| 26 E. Main Street Norton, MA 02766 (508) 286-8200 |
RN to BSN/MSN Programs in Boston, MA
Because RNs with their bachelor’s or master’s degree earn higher salaries and have a higher number of job opportunities to choose from, many nurses with their associate’s degree decide to go back to school to earn a BSN or MSN. There are a number of these bridge programs to choose from in the Boston area, some of which are offered online or on a part-time basis to allow RNs to continue working while they study.
RN to BSN Programs
RN to BSN bridge programs provide a “bridge” from the associate’s degree to a BSN. Many of these programs are offered online, like the one at Emmanuel College, which allows students to take courses at their own pace. Students graduate the program in as little as 16 months of online study of accelerated seven-week courses, which is designed with working nurses in mind.
Find out more about Massachusetts RN to BSN Programs
RN to MSN Programs
Somewhat less common than the RN to BSN program, RN to MSN programs allow nurses with an associate’s degree a pathway to a master’s degree in nursing without first completing a BSN. The RN to MSN program at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences builds on the Associate’s Degree in Nursing and allows students to become family nurse practitioners in three years of study. Aside from four on-campus meetings, coursework for this program is offered online with clinical practice hours taking place near a student’s home, allowing students to continue working while earning their degrees.
Find out more about Massachusetts RN to MSN Programs
| School | Contact Information |
|---|---|
Boston College
| 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617) 552-1710 |
Curry College
| 1071 Blue Hill Avenue Milton, MA 02186 (617) 333-3137 |
Emmanuel College
| 400 The Fenway Boston, MA 02115 (617) 732-1604 |
Endicott College
| 376 Hale St Beverly, MA 01915 |
Fisher College
| 118 Beacon Street Brockton, MA 02116 (617) 236-8800 |
Laboure College
| 303 Adams Street Milton, MA 02186 (617) 296-8300 |
MCPHS University
| 179 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 274-3389 |
Northeastern University
| 360 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 373-3649 |
Quinsigamond Community College | 670 West Boylston Street Worcester, MA (508) 853-2300 |
Regis College
| 235 Wellesley St Weston, MA 02493 |
Salem State University
| 352 Lafayette Street Salem, MA 01970 (978) 542-6200 |
Simmons College
| 300 The Fenway Boston, MA 02115 (617) 521-2139 |
University of Massachusetts Boston
| 100 Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA 02125 (617) 287-5000 |
University of Massachusetts Lowell
| 220 Pawtucket St Lowell, MA 01854 |
APRN & Nurse Practitioner Programs in Boston, MA
For nurses with their bachelor’s degree in nursing who want to advance to leadership positions, become nurse practitioners or start careers as nurse educators or administrators, an advanced practice nursing degree may be the next step. In the Boston area, there are many options for advanced practice programs, including traditional MSN programs, post-master's certificate programs, and doctoral degrees in nursing.
MSN Programs
Traditional MSN programs are designed for experienced nurses with their BSN who want to begin careers as nurse practitioners, nurse educators, and administrators among many other leadership positions. Many of these programs allow students to focus their studies on a particular career track, and some are offered online. Endicott College offers MSN programs with the following career concentrations: family nurse practitioner, global health nursing, nursing educator and nursing administration. These programs offer hybrid learning, which combines online coursework with on-campus experiences.
Find out more about Massachusetts Nurse Practitioner Programs
Post-Master's Certificate Programs
Post-graduate certificate programs are designed for nurses with their MSN who would like to learn a new specialty line of nursing at the master’s-level. These programs prepare nurses for certification in a new discipline, such as family medicine, women’s health, psychiatric/mental health, and adult-gerontology. Regis College offers numerous post-master's certificate program pathways in a variety of in-demand nurse practitioner specialties.
Find out more about Massachusetts Post-Master's Certificate Programs
DNP & Ph.D. Programs
Doctoral programs are the highest level of education available to nurses. These programs include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs that prepare nurses for careers in advance practice as independent nurse practitioners, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs, which prepare nurses for careers in nursing research or academia. The University of Massachusetts - Boston offers a multitude of BS to DNP, MS to DNP, and Ph.D. program pathways.
Find out more about Massachusetts DNP Programs