Is ASU's Nursing Program Worth It? Nurses Review

Image via ASU 

Arizona State University (ASU) Online* is a nationally and regionally accredited university that offers over 300 degrees and is taught by the same world-renowned, award-winning faculty as the in-person classes. 

Ranked as one of the top undergraduate nursing programs by U.S. News & World Report the program supports students from enrollment to graduation and beyond. 

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Stats 

Private or Public: Public

General Tuition: $561–$1,343 per credit hour (depending on the degree of study). See their Online Tuition Calculator for more details.

Acceptance Rate: 73%

Application Deadlines: Rolling

Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission, Arizona State Board of Nursing, Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

Contact Information

• Address:  1151 S Forest Ave Tempe, AZ 85281

• Email: asuonline@asu.edu

• Phone Number:  (480) 884-1525

• Social platforms:

  • Facebook

  • LinkedIn

  • Twitter

  • YouTube

  • Instagram

Additional Info

• Rankings: 

  • #6 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs - U.S. News & World Report 2023

  • #3 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans - U.S. News & World Report 2023

• Total number of students: 57,000

• Graduation rate: 43.7%

• Student/faculty ratios: 18:1

Degrees Offered

Nursing Education in Academic and Practice Setting Graduate Certificate*

• Tuition: Varies

• Program Length:  15 credit program,self-paced 

• Online Options Available? Yes

Nursing (MS)*

• Tuition: Varies

• Program Length:  Self-paced

• Online Options Available? Yes

Nursing - Nursing Education (MS)*

• Tuition: Varies

• Program Length:  Self-paced

• Online Options Available? Yes

RN to BSN*

• Tuition: Varies

• Program Length:  Self-paced

• Online Options Available? Yes

RN to BSN - Concurrent Enrollment (BSN)*

• Tuition: Varies 

• Program Length: Self-paced

• Online Options Available? Yes

RN to MS*

• Tuition: Varies

• Program Length:  Self-paced

• Online Options Available? Yes

Specialties Offered

• Undergraduate

  • RN to BSN

  • RN to BSN - Concurrent Enrollment

• Graduate

  • RN to MS

  • Nursing Education

  • Nursing MS

• Certificate

  • Nurse Education in Academic and Practice Settings

Is ASU Online a Good Nursing Program?

ASU Online nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for all nursing degree programs, which means that it adheres to the highest educational standards for nursing programs in the US. 

This program is directly associated with Arizona State University which is an internationally recognized university and a powerhouse academic institution. Students that attend ASU Online follow the same curriculum as students that attend in person. Faculty are world-renowned and have, 

• Countless national faculty nursing awards.

• Fulbright Senior Scholar.

• Rosalynn Carter National Leadership Award in Caregiving.

• Ruth B. Freeman Award from the American Public Health Association.

What Do You Need to Get Into ASU Online Nursing Program?

Admission criteria for ASU Online Nursing will depend on the program and whether students are first-year, transfer, or a graduate student. 

First-Year Student Admission

• High school diploma

• Must possess one of the following:

  • Top 25% in high school graduating class.

  • 3.00 GPA in competency courses (4.00 = A).

  • ACT score of 22 for Arizona residents (24 nonresidents)* or SAT Reasoning score of 1120 for Arizona residents (1180 nonresidents)*.

• Online application

• $70 application fee

Graduate Admission

• Bachelor’s degree

• Minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours

• Letters of recommendation

• GRE test scores

• Current resume

• Short-answer questions

• References

• Personal statement

• Online application

• $70 application fee

• Official transcripts

How Hard is the Nursing Program at ASU Online?

ASU Online's nursing program is nationally ranked and recognized. Students receive the same education online as they do in the classroom at ASU.

The programs are comprehensive and rigorous. Each semester is fast-paced and students are held accountable for completing the classroom assignments. 

What Kind of Support Does ASU's Online Nursing Program Offer?

ASU offers support to students both in and outside the classroom. Regardless of attending an online nursing program, students receive the same support. ASU boasts the following support for students,

• Time management coaching

• Student wellness

• Success coaching 

• Counseling and life services

• 24/7 counseling

• Technical resources

  • 24/7 online live chat

  • Electronic journal

  • Online storage

  • Online library access

• Disability resources

• Military student support services

Enter to Win Nurse.org's $1,500 "No Essay" Nursing Scholarship!

How Much Is the ASU Online Nursing Program?

ASU Online's tuition varies between $561–$1,343 per credit hour depending on the program. There is an excellent tuition calculation that can be found here. 

Despite being within a very reasonable price range, approximately 80% of students receive some form of financial aid, meaning that not many students end up paying the full cost. 

See the cost per credit hour for each online degree type below:

• Cost for online bachelor’s degrees:
  $561–$661 per credit hour

• Cost for online master’s degrees:
  $543–$1,343 per credit hour

• Cost for online certificates:
  $543–$1,099 per credit hour

RN to BSN cost:

• Total credit hours: 39

• Cost per credit: $561

• Total program cost: $21,879

 Is ASU Online's Nursing Program Worth It?

ASU Online's nursing program is an entirely online nursing program that offers several undergraduate and graduate-level nursing programs. This program is an ideal fit for students that must work while attending the program, have family obligations, or merely prefer an online setting. Some of the factors that students must consider before choosing a nursing program include:

• The type of healthcare institution where you will be employed

• The city and state will you live

• Whether you work part-time or full-time

• Whether you pick up overtime shifts or weekends (for a higher hourly wage)?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nurses earn a median annual salary of $77,600 per hour or $37.31 per hour. However, the range varies widely depending on many of the factors mentioned above. 

According to ZipRecruiter, nurse salaries range from $35,500 to $123,500, with an annual mean salary of $77,012.  Keep in mind that nurses who live in cities and states with a higher cost of living typically earn much higher salaries than nurses who work in more rural areas.

What is ASU Online Nursing’s Transfer Policy?

The ASU Online nursing program claims to take a student-centered approach when students are interested in transferring. The first step, according to the transfer website, is to, 

• Complete an online application

• Pay an application fee

• Send all transcripts to ASU online

Students have the opportunity to speak to an enrollment coach regarding transfer credits. Students are considered a transfer applicant if they have attended one or more academic institutions and have 12 or more transferable credits. 

ASU Online Nursing Program Reviews

• 89% of students say their educational experience at ASU Online is good or excellent

• 91% of students say they would probably still go to ASU Online if they could start over and do it again

• 84% of students say they feel valued at ASU Online 

"Many places, hospitals notwithstanding, are requiring more and more education to get hired. I knew acquiring my Bachelor of Science in Nursing would provide more room for growth and opportunities. I have always wanted to continue my nursing education and ASU was honestly just a convenient college for me because I got my Associates in nursing from a partner community college. 

It was hassle free to do the bridge RN to BSN program and didn't require a bunch of extra courses. It was all online and required mostly papers, group work and being technically savvy. 

I actually ended up enjoying many of my classes and how they expanded my understanding of a nurses role in many health care fields and enabled me to see the potential in my career. 

I love what I do and ASU offers programs that enable me to keep chasing my dreams such as through their new Pediatric DNP program! I think if any nurses are looking for a good bridge program for RN to BSN or other advanced nursing degrees ASU is a great school that has both flexible programs and lots of options for focused specialities." - Rebecca Stoops

“Arizona State University (ASU) is an excellent place to further your education! I received amazing support and really felt cared about as a person in my classess. The school reached out to me multiple times throughout my online education journey: checking up on me, listening to my frustrations and helping me set goals! I am continuing on with (ASU) and am currently enrolled in the doctorate program to become a family nurse practitioner. ASU is fantastic." - Emily Blau

"The degree program is challenging. However I felt some of the upper level nursing courses were a little too easy. It seemed to me that participation counted more than actual quality of work. I did feel that many of the classes were geared more towards innovation which I like and is what ASU sells itself on." - Anonymous 

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