Top LPN to RN Bridge Programs
What Is an LPN to RN Bridge Program?
LPN to RN bridge programs are educational pathways for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) to become registered nurses (RNs).
LPN to RN programs make it easier and faster for LPNs to complete RN education without retaking coursework from previous studies. Bridge programs are often quicker and less expensive than starting nursing school from scratch.
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Note: LVNs and LPNs are the same roles, and the only difference is the state in which they practice. This article will refer to both as LPNs unless otherwise specified by the listed programs.
Top LPN to RN Bridge Programs
Picking the right LPN to RN bridge program can be extremely challenging, so we did some of the work for you. The following list compiles some of the best LPN bridge programs nationwide. We curated hybrid online LPN to RN programs alongside fast courses you can complete in a year or less.
Remember, the best program for you will depend on many factors, including your availability, budget, and career goals.
Program Ranking Methodology
We ranked the best RN bridge programs in the United States. Our methodology considers various factors, which include the following:
- U.S. government data
- Graduation rates
- NCLEX-RN pass rates
- Program details
- Student-faculty ratio
Learn more about our ranking methodology here.
The University of Arkansas’s LPN to BSN bridge program is an online program designed for working students. This program affords students a healthy work-life balance so they can easily manage family, work, and studies.
This program accepts students from Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Missouri. Students can complete clinical practicums in their local communities.
- Application Deadlines
- Fall: July 15th
- Spring: November 15th
- Summer: April 1st
- School Type: Public
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (800) 952-1165
- Email: online@uark.edu
Indiana State's RN bridge program allows students to go from LPN to RN online. Graduates from this program earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
This program allows students to transfer all applicable credits to Indiana State University and apply them toward their BSN. Students arrange clinical rotations in their communities and do not have any required in-person classwork.
In-state and many out-of-state applicants are eligible to attend this LPN to RN bridge.
- Application Deadlines
- Spring: September 1st
- Fall: February 1st
- School Type: Public
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (800) 468-6478
- Email: ISU-DistanceNursing@indstate.edu
Saint Xavier University's LPN to BSN program began in 1991. It is the first Illinois college to offer a BSN to LPNs in a reduced time frame. Saint Xavier integrates this LPN to BSN option with its undergraduate nursing curriculum.
- Application Deadlines
- Summer and Fall: April 1st
- Spring: October 1st
- School Type: Private
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (844) 468-6798
- Email: admission@sxu.edu
Herzing University allows LPNs to apply their patient care training and experience to a BSN. The university reports its tailored program can help LPN students start RN careers faster.
Herzing offers this option at six campuses, making finding LPN to RN programs near you easier. There are three in Wisconsin: Brookfield, Kenosha, and Madison. The other campuses are in Tampa, Orlando, Florida, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions
- School Type: Private
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (800) 596-0724
- Email: Contact Form
The University of Oklahoma offers a hybrid LPN to BSN degree program for students working as licensed practical nurses. The 9-month LPN to RN program offers evening classes and clinical rotations for students in Oklahoma. In addition, the university provides some online coursework to accommodate working students.
The nursing program requires 60 credit hours, 30 of which students earn through examination. They gain the other 30 credit hours through courses in the BSN program. Graduates are eligible to sit for Oklahoma state licensure as an RN.
- Semesterly Tuition
- Resident: $5,965
- Nonresident: $14,347
- Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions
- School Type: Public
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (405) 271-2428
- Email: nursing@ouhsc.edu
North Dakota State University’s nursing program allows LPNs to earn their bachelor's degree primarily online. The program is for six consecutive semesters, including summers.
This program starts each spring and requires a combination of in-person and online coursework. Students complete clinical rotations in Fargo and Moorhead, North Dakota, during summer semesters.
- Application Deadlines
- Fall: August 15th
- Spring: December 15th
- School Type: Public
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (701) 231-7395
- Email: ndsu.bisnursing@ndsu.edu
Located in Washington's South Puget Sound region, Saint Martin’s LPN to BSN program offers a pathway for practical nurses to start their RN careers.
The program takes two years and offers a hybrid coursework model with traditional in-person and online learning. The university website reports that there are scholarships available for all students.
- Application Deadline: February 1st
- School Type: Private
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (360) 438-4564
- Email: cas@stmartin.edu
Chamberlain College of Nursing offers LPN to RN bridge programs at 23 US campus locations. Students can apply directly, and programs offer no waitlist at most campuses.
LPNs can earn a BSN faster at Chamberlain by transferring qualifying credits from their college experience. However, credit acceptance may depend on whether students pass skills validation and proficiency exams.
There are over 94,000 Chamberlain students and alums nationwide, and the university has a 130-year history of educating nurses. The program also boasted a higher national first-time NCLEX pass rate than the national average in 2020.
- Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions
- School Type: Private
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (877) 751-5783
- Email: Contact Form
The CSU East Bay LVN to RN bridge program helps students become RNs faster. The school assesses applicants' work experience and education to design their optimal learning program.
Students can contact their advisors to ensure they are in the best courses for their educational path. Depending on a portfolio and transcript review, students may even be able to earn credit by examination at CSU East Bay.
- Annual Tuition
- Resident: $7,105
- Nonresident: $7,105 and $396 Per Credit
- Application Deadlines
- Fall: November 30th
- Spring: August 31st
- School Type: Public
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (510) 885-3500
- Email: nursing@csueastbay.edu
Located in southern California, Azusa Pacific University offers LVN to BSN bridge programs at three locations: Victorville, San Bernardino, and Monrovia. Students can gain hands-on clinical opportunities and learn with state-of-the-art technology, including simulators and virtual patients. A new program begins each fall, spring, and summer.
- Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions
- School Type: Private
- Contact Information
- Phone Number: (626) 815-5386
- Email: admissions@apu.edu
