Entry-Level ADN & BSN Programs in New Orleans, LA

Whether you like to jump in to the deep end of the pool or touch the shallow end with your toe, students interested in becoming working nurses will find a variety of entry-level nursing programs available to them to fit their comfort zones. From two-year Associate Degree in Nursing options to bachelor’s degree in nursing offerings, nurses in the New Orleans, Louisiana area can start their programs at their own pace.

LPN to RN Programs

Licensed Practical Nurses are often the ones who interact with patients the most. They talk to them about the health problems they’re having and relay this information to senior nurse. LPNs, however, can do more and earn more when they get their Registered Nurse (RN) credential. With many learning centers across New Orleans, Louisiana, Delgado Community College offers an LPN to RN option. The transition program offers four different avenues for LPNs to advance their careers, including a traditional and a credit examination option.

ADN Programs

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) education paths generally require two years of study and are offered at junior or community colleges. With a focus on fundamentals, ADN programs teach students what they need to know to enter the ever-changing field of nursing. Delgado Community College in New Orleans, LA offers the complete package for students entering their ADN program. Whether students are current LPNs or just starting out, the college provides them with both career and educational paths to complete their goals. Graduates of the accredited program are prepared to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs.

Direct-Entry BSN Programs

Established Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs can ensure that students gain a strong foundation of nursing fundamentals in theory and practice. University of Holy Cross, a Catholic institute, offers a well-respected BSN program at its New Orleans, LA campus. In addition to teaching students nursing essentials, the program gives students a solid liberal arts background. It incorporates technology learnings so students are prepared to enter the modern healthcare workplace.

Find out more about Louisiana Accelerated BSN Programs

RN to BSN/MSN Programs in New Orleans, LA

Created to skip the hassles of going back to college to earn your degree, bridge programs allow registered nurses to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing at an accelerated rate. Focusing on coursework essentials, clinical experiences, and making the most of previously earned credit hours, these transitional education programs make it inviting for working nurses to go back to school and complete their degrees.

RN to BSN Programs

Working registered nurses can raise their career capabilities a peg when they complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing education. In addition to taking on higher level job duties and providing more services to patients, nurses with a BSN can negotiate a higher wage and have greater job security. Upper Iowa University, which has a Learning Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, offers expediency focused RN to BSN program in an online and on-ground mixed format. It teaches students theoretical understanding, evidence-based clinical practice, as well as current healthcare technologies so students can apply their education to their jobs right away.

Find out more about Louisiana RN to BSN Programs

RN to MSN Programs

ADN-educated nurses looking to enter more advanced practice roles, such as the nurse practitioner role, may be interested in an RN to MSN bridge program. These programs may culminate in both a BSN and MSN degree, or an MSN degree only. Loyola University New Orleans offers an RN to MSN pathway designed for those with an ADN or nursing diploma and a non-nursing bachelor's degree.

Find out more about Louisiana RN to MSN Programs

List of RN to BSN/MSN Programs

New Orleans, LA

Dillard University

  • RN to BSN - Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing - RN to BSN

    Online & Campus Based - Website

    • ACEN accredited
    • 120 total credit hours
    • Hybrid online and on-campus instruction
    • Transfer up to 57 credit hours
    • Service learning embedded in curriculum
    • Louisiana's oldest HBCU
    • Dedicated nursing advisors

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans

  • RN to BSN - RN to BSN

    Campus Based - Website

    • 1-Year program
    • Starts fall/spring/summer
    • Financial aid available
    • Scholarships available
    • Based on principles of adult education
    • Focused on skills RNs bring to education
    • Offered in New Orleans and Shreveport
    • Requires unencumbered Louisiana RN license
*Data obtained from: NCES IPEDS 2025 database. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

APRN & Nurse Practitioner Programs in New Orleans, LA

In hospitals and medical facilities, Registered Nurses are stepping up and performing higher level roles in patient care. For instance, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are now developing long term treatment plans for patients with chronic conditions. Universities across the New Orleans, LA area are adding more APRN programs to train nurses quickly and improve patient care at the city and state level.

MSN Programs

Master's of Science in Nursing curriculums educate nurses on fundamentals, advanced theory, specializations and more. Typically offered in online, on-campus and hybrid formats, MSN programs can be a full or part-time undertaking. Most are designed to be completed during flexible timeframes so nurses can continue working while elevating their careers. LSU Health New Orleans, offers a deliberate, speed-focused program where the theoretical and clinical learnings are taught at the same time. This allows rapid absorption of learning for time-strapped students.

Find out more about Louisiana Nurse Practitioner Programs

Post-Master's Certificate Programs

For many experienced nurses, entering an area of specialization can enable them to achieve the peak of their profession. Advanced nursing professionals in the New Orleans, LA area can earn their post-graduate certification in a blend of online and clinical settings. For working nurses, this means they don’t have to take time off from their everyday jobs to earn a cert.

Find out more about Louisiana Post-Master's Certificate Programs

DNP & Ph.D. Programs

Earning a terminal degree in nursing is a considerable undertaking for nurses who wish to attain the pinnacle of their profession. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs teach students to become leaders in the larger healthcare field. Loyola University New Orleans, offers DNP options, including Family Nurse Practitioner and Executive Leadership tracks in an online format. These offerings allow nurses to become leaders at the current hospital or place of work in less time.

Find out more about New Orleans DNP Programs

List of APRN (MSN, DNP, & NP) Programs in New Orleans

New Orleans, LA

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans

  • BSN to MSN - Master of Science in Nursing

    Concentration: Clinical Nurse Leader - Campus Based - Website

    • Five-semester full-time program.
    • Clinical Nurse Leader concentration.
    • Master of Science in Nursing degree.
    • Campus-based program format.
    • Requires BSN degree.
    • Prepares for CNL certification.
    • Focuses on quality improvement.
    • Teaches care coordination skills.
  • BSN to MSN - Master of Science in Nursing

    Concentration: Nurse Educator - Campus Based - Website

    • 1-Year program
    • Starts fall/summer
    • Prepares nurses to become nurse educators
    • Curriculum based on adult learning theory
    • Offered at two Louisiana locations
    • Focuses on curriculum development and teaching strategies
  • MSN to DNP - Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist

    Concentration: Adult Gerontology - Campus Based - Website

    • 83 total credit hours
    • Prepares for adult to older adult care
    • Clinical practicums with approved preceptors
    • Evidence-based care for improved outcomes
  • MSN to DNP - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

    Campus Based - Website

    • 12 concentration options
    • 50 total credit hours
    • 3.0 GPA minimum
    • 3 letters of recommendation (minimum)
    • Work experience required
    • Capstone required
    • Financial aid available
    • Scholarships available
  • MSN to DNP - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

    Campus Based - Website

    • 45 total credit hours
    • Full-time and part-time options
    • 3.0 GPA minimum
    • 3 letters of recommendation (minimum)
    • 1000 clinical hours
    • Work experience required
    • Capstone required
    • Prepares for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Examination
  • MSN to DNP - Doctor of Nursing Practice

    Campus Based - Website

    • 13 concentration options
    • Financial aid available
    • Scholarships available
    • Practice-focused doctoral nursing degree
    • BSN to DNP and Post-Masters pathways
    • Emphasizes evidence-based practice integration
    • Prepares for advanced clinical and executive roles
    • Multiple advanced practice role concentrations
  • MSN to DNP - Doctor of Nursing Practice

    Concentration: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Campus Based - Website

    • 12 concentration options
    • Advanced emergency nursing elective
    • Advanced nephrology nursing elective
    • Advanced oncology nursing elective
    • Dual concentration options
    • BSN to DNP pathway
    • Post-Masters to DNP pathway
  • MSN to DNP - Doctor of Nursing Practice

    Concentration: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner - Campus Based - Website

    • 11 concentration options
    • Financial aid available
    • Scholarships available
    • BSN to DNP and Post-Masters pathways
    • Dual concentrations available
    • Advanced specialty elective courses
    • Practice-focused doctoral degree
  • MSN to DNP - Nurse-Midwife post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice

    Campus Based - Website

    • 86 total credit hours
    • BSN to DNP pathway
    • Simulation and practicum experiences
    • Tailored plans of study
    • Program Director Demetrice Smith
    • ACNM competencies based
  • MSN to DNP - Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care

    Concentration: Acute Care - Campus Based - Website

    • 9-Semester program
    • 91 total credit hours
    • Clinical settings: hospitals and specialty clinics
    • Focus on acute, critical, complex pediatric illness
    • Prepares for stabilization and palliative care
    • Teaching methods: lectures, seminars, case studies, simulation
    • Not for well-child routine care
    • Patient population: infancy to 21 years
  • MSN to DNP - Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner

    Campus Based - Website

    • 52 total credit hours
    • 3.0 GPA minimum
    • 3 letters of recommendation (minimum)
    • 180 clinical hours
    • Capstone required
    • Prepares for Family Nurse Practitioner Examination
    • Financial aid available
    • Scholarships available
  • MSN to DNP - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

    Campus Based - Website

    • 9-Semester program
    • 90 total credit hours
    • Trauma-informed care approach
    • Individual and group psychotherapy
    • Psychopharmacological treatment management
    • Clinical settings: outpatient, residential, inpatient
    • BSN to DNP pathway
    • Post-Masters to DNP available

Loyola University New Orleans

  • BSN to MSN - Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery

    Online & Campus Based - Website

    • Hybrid program format
    • 50 credit hours required
    • 910 supervised practicum hours
    • Five-semester completion time
    • Online synchronous courses
    • In-person practicum work
    • Eligible for national certification
    • BSN degree required
  • MSN to DNP - Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

    Online & Campus Based - Website

    • BSN-to-DNP pathway
    • Hybrid delivery format
  • MSN to DNP - BSN-DNP - Family Nurse Practitioner

    Online Learning - Website

    • BSN to DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner (Online)
    • Online and hybrid learning formats
  • MSN to DNP - Doctor of Nursing Practice

    Concentration: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, Executive Leader - Online & Campus Based - Website

    • 4 concentration options
    • BSN-DNP and MSN-DNP degree paths
    • Online and hybrid learning formats
    • Dual degree in AGACNP and Nurse Anesthesia
    • Apply via NursingCAS
    • Independent provider or academic careers
    • Develops advanced leadership skills
    • Prepares for highest-level nursing roles

Xavier University of Louisiana

  • BSN to MSN - Health Informatics, M.S.

    Concentration: Population Health Informatics, Clinical Informatics, Bioinformatics - Online Learning - Website

    • 36 total credit hours
    • Thesis or capstone option
    • Core curriculum totals 24 credit hours
    • Electives equal 6 credit hours
*U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2025 institutional data.