Top 20 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs
Whether you're a seasoned nurse or have worked entirely outside of healthcare thus far, there is a Master of Science Nursing program for you, and we've compiled the best!
Amidst the looming physician shortage, there has been a marked increase in demand for advanced practice nurses and nurse practitioners to take over many of the responsibilities that the current lack of physicians has caused. Since Americans are increasingly living longer as the quality of healthcare improves, more patients are at risk of misdiagnosis or potentially going without treatment altogether. This creates a bottleneck of sorts on the quality of care in the U.S. and has led hospitals and healthcare organizations to look to nurses as the solution, making this a great time to gain more education!
There are many benefits to investing in your education and pursing this path. Primarily, you can look forward to much higher salaries and even higher demand. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while registered nurses earn an average of $67,490, nurse practitioners earn a whopping $107,460. Over the course of 30 years you'll earn $1,199,100 more as a nurse practitioner or advanced practice nurse! In order to help you reach this goal, we've put together a list of the 20 best MSN programs that you should consider in 2019.
Top 20 Master of Science in Nursing Programs in 2019:
1. Duke University
About
Duke University's Master of Science in Nursing program offers students a choice of 7 advanced practice registered nurse majors and 3 non-clinical including:
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care
- Psychiatric Mental Health NP
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Health Informatics
- Nursing and Health Care Leadership Major
- Nursing Education Major
Each major requires students to complete 11 credit hours of clinical core courses and a clinical residency under the mentorship of an experienced clinician, but the number of hours ranges from 42 - 49 in total. All students must complete or exceed the requirements set forth by credentialing organizations like the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), National Certification Corporation (NCC) and Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PCNP).
2. Johns Hopkins University
About
Johns Hopkins University offers prospective MSN students 3 possible tracks in which they can pursue:
- Master of Science in Nursing: Entry into Nursing Practice (MSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing: Advanced Practice Nursing (MSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing / Master of Public Health (MSN/MPH)
Whether you're a seasoned registered nurse looking to advance your career or someone who's yet to be acquainted with the field, JHU has you covered!
For the Entry into Nursing Practice track, students with non-nursing degrees from non-nursing fields must complete 17 - 20 credits of prerequisite coursework from an accredited institution in addition to 72 hours to complete the program.
The Advanced Practice Nursing and Public Health programs offer an avenue for current nurses to move into advanced practice, management, or public health nursing. Each has the same core courses that must be taken, but diverge after the first couple of semesters into their own specialty areas.
3. University of Pennsylvania
About
The University of Pennsylvania offers a Master of Science in Nursing with many programs available, including:
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
- Family
- Neonatal
- Pediatric Acute Care
- Pediatric Primary Care
- Psychiatric-Mental Health
- Women's Health/Gender-Related
- Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Health Leadership
- Nursing and Healthcare Administration
Most of the above programs include coursework in advanced physiology and pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, advanced physical assessment, and others that are central to the nursing field. With so many choices, aspiring advanced practice nurses have a litany of options to choose from if they end up choosing to UPenn.
4. Emory University
About
At Emory, aspiring advanced practice nurses can choose between an Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) specialty, a MSN, or a dual degree program including:
- Adult/Gerontology Acute Care
- Adult - Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Acute Care
- Women's Health
- MSN-MA in Bioethics
- MSN-MPH
- Adult/Gerontology Acute + Primary Care
Each single-track specialty can be completed at full-time enrollment over the course of 4 semesters or part-time in 7 while those pursuing a dual-track can expect to attend full-time for 5 semesters.
5. Ohio State University
About
Ohio State's MSN program offers a broad range of clinical and classroom-based education with a strong emphasis on patient-centered care. The institution offers students of any background a way to transition into nursing through their Graduate Entry option while also offering the Traditional MS option as well. Specialty areas for Ohio State's programs include:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
6. University of Washington
About
As the healthcare industry becomes more demanding about educational requirements, some universities have switched primarily to offering doctoral programs rather than a MSN. The University of Washington is among these, offering only a Master of Science in Clinical Informatics & Patient-Centered Tech but several DNP paths including:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Community Health Nursing
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care
- Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
7. Yale University
About
The Master’s of Science in Nursing curriculum at Yale is designed to prepare students as practitioners with selected specialties and evidence-based practice. MSN students at Yale who enter as an RN move directly into a chosen area of clinical specialization with a curriculum that places emphasis on clinical competence and nursing scholarship. Students enrolled in the MSN program can choose from several specialties including:
- Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty
- Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty
- Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty
- Nurse-Midwifery/Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Specialty
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Specialty
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Specialty
8. Columbia University
About
Columbia offers prospective students multiple different paths to enter into advanced practice nursing regardless of their background via the Masters Direct Entry programs including the basic 15 month program, a Masters Direct Entry/Doctor of Nursing Practice, and a Masters Direct Entry/Doctor of Philosophy.
Students with a background in nursing can choose from the following programs:
- Master of Science in Nursing in Anesthesia
- Post-RN Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Post-APRN Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Each requires nearly identical core coursework to be completed and begin to diverge after the first few semesters.
9. University of Pittsburgh
About
The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing works to provide students with a concrete educational background through evidence-based practice, scholarly activities, and translate health sciences knowledge to improve the delivery of healthcare. For 75 years the school has been educating nurses and, in that time, have developed one of the best msn programs in the country at a price that won't leave you saddled with too much debt.
Programs offered by the school include:
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Nursing Administration
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Nursing Informatics
10. University of Maryland - Baltimore
About
The University of Maryland School of Nursing shares a 61-acre campus in downtown Baltimore with the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s five other professional schools—Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Social Work—and the Graduate School. Students can take courses at 3 locations throughout Maryland at the Baltimore, Rockville, and Laurel College campuses. They have 24 clinical simulation laboratories at their disposal and 40 of entry-level graduates are employed at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
The school also offers an abundance of choices in education, including:
- MS: Clinical Nurse Leader
- MS: Community/Public Health Nursing
- MS: Health Services Leadership and Management
- MS: Nursing Informatics
- DNP: Post-Master's
- DNP: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- DNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- DNP: Family Nurse Practitioner
- DNP: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- DNP: Nurse Anesthesia
- DNP: Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- DNP: Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- DNP: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - Family
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
11. Case Western Reserve University
About
The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (FPB) at Case Western Reserve University is a globally recognized leader in nursing education and research. In fact, almost every major nursing organization has been led by an FPB graduate, including the International Council of Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, American Academy of Nursing, National Black Nurses Association, Inc., American Nurses Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the Canadian Nurses Association.
They've even been the first to pursue numerous educational and research including the practice doctorate in nursing, the acute care nurse practitioner program, the gerontological nursing program, the BSN preoperative requirement, BSN with informations in all four years, and the advanced practice flight nursing program.
Programs they offer include:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Education with Population Focus
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Family Systems Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
- Nursing Anesthesia Program
- Nurse Midwifery
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Acute Care
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
12. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
About
The University of Michigan School of Nursing offers "critical study of theory, cutting-edge curriculum, state-of-the-art technology, authorship of research, advanced clinical practice, and mentored leadership in complex organizations."
The school offers several different pathways for nurses seeking to make an upward career change:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Nurse Specialist MSN
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner MSN
- Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner MSN
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner MSN
- Nurse Midwife MSN
- Nurse Midwife & Family Nurse Practitioner MSN
- Nurse Midwife & Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner MSN
13. New York University
About
The NYU MSN program is designed for nurses seeking advanced clinical roles like nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nursing administration, education, and informatics while providing the foundation for doctoral studies, preparing graduates for leadership positions. The curriculum's core includes nursing theory, research, statistics, population-focused care, and issues and trends in healthcare delivery.
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
- APN: Family
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Nursing Administration
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Informatics
- Pediatrics NP
- Psychiatric-Mental Health NP
14. University of Alabama - Birmingham
About
The MSN program at UAB offers nurses several pathways to becoming an advanced practice nurse with many opportunities for graduates available nearby. UAB prepares its students to be capable of assessing patient conditions, discussing and explaining conditions to patients and families, managing lower-level nurses, overseeing patient records, researching, educating, and developing treatment plans.
The following program specialties are available:
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary & Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Nursing Health Systems Administration
- Nursing Informatics
15. University of California - Los Angeles
About
UCLA is one of the few schools on this list to offer a MSN degree to students from a non-nursing background through their Masters Entry Clinical Nurse program. Students who pursue this two-year pre-licensure path must also enroll in summer courses between both. They're ultimately awarded the MSN degree and are eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX) examination.
However, traditional nursing students have the expected pathways of a MSN or PhD as their path into advanced practice nursing:
- MSN - Masters Entry Clinical Nurse
- Master of Science in Nursing - Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
16. Vanderbilt University
About
Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Vanderbilt University's MSN program offers both nurses and non-nurses a pathway to advanced practice nursing, flexible course formats, an extensive faculty practice network, dual degree options, great certification pass rates, and many specialty areas to choose from including:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner - Dual Focus FNP/AGACNP
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Healthcare Leadership
- Nursing Informatics
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Nurse-Midwifery/Family Nurse Practitioner - Dual Focus
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women's Health/AGPCNP - Dual Focus
17. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
About
UNC - Chapel Hill's MSN program aims to prepare students for advanced practice roles through their research-intensive institution in a diverse, energetic, and collegial environment. The two available pathways for study include BSN-MSN and RN-MSN, each with specialty areas including:
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Care Systems
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
18. Rush University
About
Rush University's College of Nursing, located in the Illinois Medical District near Chicago's loop uses a holistic admissions process and offers several MSN and DNP programs designed to prepare students for higher-level clinical roles. With over 40 different degree and certificate programs to choose from, students from any background ought to consider Rush as solid option. Their programs are offered through Rush Medical College, Rush University College of Nursing, The College of Health Sciences at Rush University, and The Graduate College at Rush University.
Programs and specialties offered at Rush include:
- PhD Nursing Science
- DNP Nursing - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care
- DNP Nursing - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
- DNP - Nursing Anesthesia
- MSN - Clinical Nurse Leader for RNs
- DNP - Family Nursing
- MSN - Entry in Nursing for Non-Nurses
- DNP - Neonatal Nursing
- DNP - Pediatric Acute Care Nursing
- DNP - Pediatric Primary Care Nursing
- DNP - Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
- DNP - Public Health Nursing
- DNP - Transformative Leadership: Population Health
- DNP - Transformative Leadership: Systems
19. University of Virginia
About
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The University of Virginia's MSN program offers students both generalist and specialty programs to choose from including:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care CNS
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Family NP
- Neonatal NP
- Pediatric NP - Acute Care
- Pediatric Care - Primary Care
- Psychiatric Mental Health NP
20. Pennsylvania State University
About
The Penn State College of Nursing offers students a Master of Science in Nursing track with several different specialty areas including:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult Gerontology Nurse Acute Care
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Administrator
NP graduates are qualified to sit for national certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and/or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). After completing their licensure, NP graduates are eligible to become licensed by the state.