Radford University and Radford University Carilion RN to BSN Online Programs Ranked Best in Virginia
The Radford University and Radford University Carilion (RUC) Nursing: Post-Licensure (RN to BSN) programs have been ranked as the best online nursing programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia by registerednursing.org.
The website provides resources and information to those interested in nursing from the research phase to enrollment to landing that first job and beyond. It is staffed by registered nurses interested in helping those who want to pursue nursing careers make the most out of their educations.
According to registerednursing.org, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree can open the door to better employment opportunities and higher salaries for nurses. Online RN to BSN programs, in which licensed registered nurses can earn a bachelor’s degree, make it convenient for nurses to continue their education anytime, anywhere.
To determine the best online RN to BSN programs, registerednursing.org used data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS); the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE); and the Council for Community and Economic Research.
The organization then assembled its ratings based on the following criteria:
- If the institution is accredited (five points).
- If the institution offers online programs (20 points).
- The ratio of total nurse program completions vs. total program completions awarded by the institution, sorted from higher to lower ratios (25 points).
- Annual tuition and fees adjusted for each county’s cost of living, sorted by lowest to highest (20 points).
- The ratio of instructional faculty with tenure (five points).
- The acceptance rate percentage for the college or university (15 points).
- The graduate rate at 150% of normal time (10 points).
Once all the points were totaled, registerednursing.org ranked the schools from highest to lowest total points.
According to registerednursing.org, the RN to BSN online degree programs offered at Radford University and RUC are ranked first in the state because they offer a fully online curriculum. Additionally, students have two options when it comes to admission: to be a current working nurse with over six months of experience and hold a diploma or ADN, or to be currently enrolled in an ADN program, have completed one year of the program and provide a letter of recommendation from faculty.
The website also cites the school’s extensive history of excellence in nursing education, spanning over four decades.
Radford University and RUC’s programs were compared to over 15 other college and university RN to BSN programs throughout Virginia by registerednursing.org. The website states that the number of programs continues to grow annually as the state works to meet the demands of change in healthcare legislation and cope with an aging population.
The full list of the 2021 Best Online RN to BSN Programs in Virginia is available on the registerednursing.org website.