Best Online Master’s in Nursing MSN 2025

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN NURSING (MSN)

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski

Updated: Nov 11, 2024

Find top-ranked online master’s in nursing (MSN) degree programs for students wanting to acquire positions such as nurse practitioner, director of nursing, nursing informatics specialist, and nurse educator.

Key Takeaways

Students at the best online master’s in nursing programs can choose from various concentrations, such as Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Informatics, or Nurse Educator, enabling them to tailor their education to specific career goals.
Many of the best online master’s in nursing programs provide asynchronous coursework, allowing students to study at their own pace and balance their education with personal and professional commitments.
Some of the best online master’s in nursing programs offer assistance in securing local clinical placements, ensuring students gain practical experience in their communities without the need to relocate.

Table of Contents

Best Online Master's in Nursing MSN in 2025

Duke University
University of Southern California
+1
University of Cincinnati
–1
University of Alabama
+4
University of Connecticut
–1
University of Houston
+3
University of Arkansas
+3
Loyola University Chicago
–3
University of Central Florida
–3
University of Alabama at Birmingham
–3

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best online master’s in nursing saw a considerable amount of movement. The University of Alabama gained the most ranking positions as the university is introducing significant enhancements for the 2025 academic year, appealing directly to online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students. One notable improvement is the expansion of the Nurse Educator concentration curriculum, with new courses like Clinical Foundations (NUR 506) debuting in Fall 2024, Teaching and Learning Strategies(NUR 576) in Summer 2025, Academic Immersion (NUR 577) in Fall 2025, and Clinical Immersion Practicum (NUR 578) starting in Spring 2026. These additions aim to deliver a comprehensive educational experience, equipping students with advanced skills in nursing education.

Additionally, the university will launch a new on-campus Master’s Entry into the Profession of Nursing program in Fall 2025, designed for second-degree students looking to enter the nursing field to help meet growing healthcare needs. These developments underscore the University of Alabama’s commitment to providing cutting-edge resources and a supportive learning environment for its online MSN students.

Featured Programs

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s degree in nursing.

50 Best Online Master’s in Nursing MSN Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Nursing Degree

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Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,078
Avg. Expenses*: $17,892
Avg. Starting Salary*: $109,820
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $113,232
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 4 years
Job Growth: 6.29%
Number of Jobs: 3,390,000
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Nurse Anesthetists	10.42%	$212,650
Nurse Midwives	6.94%	$129,650
Nurse Practitioners	46.29%	$126,260
Medical and Health Services Managers	28.54%	$110,680
Registered Nurses	5.98%	$86,070
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary	17.80%	$80,780

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Nurse Anesthetists	$212,650
Nurse Midwives	$129,650
Nurse Practitioners	$126,260
Medical and Health Services Managers	$110,680
Registered Nurses	$86,070
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary	$80,780

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Frequently Asked Questions About MSN Degrees

Why get a master’s in nursing?

Registered nurses looking to build their resume and earn credentials for more specialized positions should consider a master’s in nursing (MSN). This degree provides in-depth instruction for a variety of concentrations, including family nurse practitioner, healthcare policy, nurse educator, nursing informatics, pediatric acute care nurse practitioner, and nurse-midwifery.

How long does it take to get a master’s in nursing?

Both online and on-campus programs are available, and depending on the chosen field, required credits range from 30 to 57. Most tracks involve a capstone project or thesis and practicum hours. Students can typically fulfill these requirements in about two years.

What can you do with a master’s in nursing?

Some students pursue doctoral studies after graduating, but many go on to acquire positions that are in line with their specialization, such as nurse practitioner, director of nursing, nursing informatics specialist, and nurse educator.

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Master’s in Nursing MSN 2025

Key Takeaways

Best Online Master's in Nursing MSN in 2025

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

50 Best Online Master’s in Nursing MSN Degree Programs

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Nursing degree at Duke University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Southern California

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Cincinnati

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Alabama

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Connecticut

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Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Houston

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Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Arkansas

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Career Outlook for Nursing degree at Loyola University Chicago

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Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Central Florida

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Career Outlook for Nursing degree at University of Alabama at Birmingham

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