The Best Nursing Programs in New Jersey

by

Updated February 14, 2023

Accredited bachelor of science in nursing programs in New Jersey prepare students to become licensed registered nurses.
mini logo
NurseJournal.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Nursing student taking notes Credit: SDI Productions / E+ / Getty Images

Because of its centralized location between two major metropolitan areas — Philadelphia and New York City — and its ranking as one of the highest-paying states for registered nurses (RN), New Jersey is an ideal location for prospective nurses to start their educational journey.

New Jersey is home to various undergraduate programs that allow prospective nurses to earn their bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) and become licensed RNs. This page explores the best nursing programs New Jersey has to offer.

We use a data-driven methodology to rank the best New Jersey nursing programs, making it easier for you to find a program that works for you. Our methodology is based on metrics that we believe matter most to students, including academic quality, affordability, reputation, and program offerings.

Featured Online RN to BSN Programs

How Do New Jersey Nursing Programs Work?

Nursing programs in New Jersey are similar to those in other states. To become a licensed RN, you must either earn an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a BSN. These programs take two and four years to complete, respectively. ADN programs focus on teaching clinical skills, while BSN programs have a more in-depth nursing curriculum and longer clinical experiences.

RNs with an ADN in New Jersey can enroll in an RN-to-BSN program, which allows them to earn their BSN in two years rather than four. Completing this accelerated program increases earning potential and opens the door to more employment opportunities. New Jersey schools also offer an accelerated program for licensed practical nurses (LPNs), — LPN-to-BSN — allowing them to earn their BSN in 2-3 years.

Applying to a New Jersey Nursing Program

New Jersey provides several options for earning a BSN. The most common pathway involves enrolling in an undergraduate program directly after high school. Nursing schools look for their undergraduate applicants to possess many of the same qualities, including strong academic and social skills. Job shadowing or volunteer experience related to the field of medicine can also bolster an application.

Although specific requirements may differ from one school to the next, most ask for some of the same general information.

  • Admission Materials

    Transcripts from previous academic programs; ACT and/or SAT scores; resume; personal statement; letters of recommendation
  • GPA Requirement

    2.75 GPA or higher

Why Is New Jersey Nursing Program Accreditation Important?

Attending an institution that offers an accredited program provides students with various benefits. All of the programs in our rankings are accredited and offer the following advantages:

  • Accreditation highlights the program's high standards and indicates that its curriculum effectively prepares nurses.
  • Organizations, such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, only accredit programs that provide their students with the highest quality preparation.
  • Students in programs without accreditation may not be eligible for federal financial aid.
  • Accredited programs may not accept transfer credits from unaccredited programs.
  • Doctoral programs only accept applicants with a degree from an accredited institution.
  • Employers prefer to hire graduates with a degree from an accredited program.

Learn More About the Best New Jersey Nursing Programs and Schools

See our methodology to learn more about how we create our rankings.
  1. Rutgers University
    Location

    New Brunswick, NJ

    Tuition

    $16295

    Top-ranked Rutgers School of Nursing features an RN-to-BSN program for New Jersey-licensed RNs with an associate degree in nursing. In addition to earning their BSN, the program also offers RNs the opportunity to earn up to 12 graduate credits toward an MSN. Full-time students with enough transferable general education credits can finish the 124-credit program in four semesters.

    Rutgers' core curriculum classes are primarily online. However, non-nursing and graduate courses may be taught in on-campus or hybrid formats. In this program, nurses can become proficient in technology integration, health-care leadership, global health, and running an evidence-based practice.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing - RN-to-BSN
    • Campus: New Brunswick, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: New Jersey Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $476 per credit (in-state); $832 per credit (out-of-state)
    • Admission Requirements: Current New Jersey RN license, nursing diploma or AA, 3.2 GPA
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 semesters
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 95.4% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  2. The College of New Jersey
    Location

    Ewing, NJ

    Tuition

    $23414

    The RN-to-BSN program by the College of New Jersey ranks as one of the best nursing programs in New Jersey for helping working RNs earn a bachelor of science in nursing. At TCNJ, registered nurses with an associate degree in nursing or a nursing diploma can complete this 32-credit RN-to-BSN program in two and a half to three years on a part-time basis.

    To encourage bonding between faculty and classmates, students meet in face-to-face classes at set class times. The program attempts to ease travel times by conducting classes in regional healthcare institutions. It also offers reduced tuition.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN)
    • Campus: Ewing, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $481 per credit (in-state); $913 per credit (out-of-state)
    • Admission Requirements: A short essay, current New Jersey RN license, official transcripts from all nursing schools, colleges, and universities
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 2.5 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 92.5% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  3. Ramapo College of New Jersey
    Location

    Mahwah, NJ

    Tuition

    $16528

    Ramapo College of New Jersey has one of the best BSN programs in New Jersey. This baccalaureate program in nursing (BSN) has a unique relationship with Valley Hospital, allowing the university to increase its nursing school's capacity. In this arrangement, the Ramapo program faculty teaches the Ramapo campus courses, and master-prepared Valley Hospital nurses teach the clinical courses as designated clinical associate faculty.

    The 128-credit curriculum has an interdisciplinary collaboration design and features core courses such as integrative clinical strategies, leadership in the global world, and health issues management.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Generic or RN-to-BSN
    • Campus: Mahwah, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
    • Tuition: $388 per credit (in-state); $692 per credit (out-of-state)
    • Admission Requirements: Completed application, transcript, letters of recommendation; SAT and ACT are optional
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 92.9% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  4. Stockton University
    Location

    Galloway, NJ

    Tuition

    $18577

    Stockton University's nursing BSN program provides two concentrations for individuals at different stages of pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). For beginners, the nursing-pre-licensure BSN concentration is an entry-level generic option for students to become registered nurses on the way to earning a BSN. The nursing-accelerated BSN concentration accommodates students with bachelor's or graduate degrees in other disciplines.

    Students with the four-year pre-licensure BSN concentration must complete 128 credit hours of courses and clinical work. The 15-month, 64-credit hour accelerated concentration provides the same academic package as the pre-licensure BSN and prepares students for successfully passing the NCLEX-RN exam.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Generic
    • Campus: Galloway, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $471 per credit (in-state); $757 per credit (out-of-state)
    • Admission Requirements: Transcripts, 3.5 GPA, satisfactory criminal background check, completed application, 1190 SAT or 24 ACT math score (prelicensure)
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 15 months to 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 90% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  5. Montclair State University
    Location

    Montclair, NJ

    Tuition

    $17086

    For aspiring registered nurses, Montclair State University offers one of the best pre-licensure BSN programs in New Jersey. Montclair's four-year bachelor of science in nursing provides students with the professional nursing education required to take the NCLEX-RN exam for registered nurse licensure. Along with building a solid foundation in science and math, the initial courses instill critical thinking in the nursing profession.

    After their first year, students learn nursing theory and gain valuable clinical experience in the university's Simulation Center. They eventually study patients' health conditions along cultural divides and the age continuum. To be eligible for licensure, students must complete 120 credits of the comprehensive curriculum.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
    • Campus: Montclair, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $403 per credit (in-state); $436 per credit (out-of-state)
    • Admission Requirements: Letters of recommendation, 3.2 GPA, resume, transcripts
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: N/A first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  6. Seton Hall University
    Location

    South Orange, NJ

    The nationally ranked bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) at Seton Hall University provides a comprehensive education for individuals who aspire to join the nursing field. This liberal arts-dominated BSN program prepares students to enter nursing practices in surgery centers, hospitals, prisons, and schools.

    Nursing students can benefit from the liberal arts education mixed with the advantages of studying at a research university. They will get first-hand experience in inpatient care in mental health clinics, hospice care, and long-term care facilities. After completing this 123-credit program, graduates will be ready to take the NCLEX exam to practice as a licensed nurse with a BSN.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
    • Campus: South Orange, New Jersey
    • Type: Private
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $1,315 per credit
    • Admission Requirements: Passing score on the College of Nursing admissions exam, passed required high school courses, completed online application, 3.5 undergraduate GPA for transfers
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  7. Saint Peter's University
    Location

    Jersey City, NJ

    Saint Peter's University has one of the best BSN programs in New Jersey. This BSN program appeals to pre-licensure students in need of a bachelor of science in nursing degree. Upon completion of this program, graduates can sit for the NCLEX, the RN licensing exam.

    The 68 core requirements represent a blend of evidence-based findings, clinical activity, and a host of information systems to optimize patient care. Core courses include the professional nursing lab's clinical bases, seminars in APA writing for health science, and psychiatric-mental health nursing. Attending full-time nursing students can complete this BSN program in four years.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing-Generic
    • Campus: Jersey City, New Jersey
    • Type: Private
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $595 per credit
    • Admission Requirements: Successful admission and completion of the pre-nursing track, 3.0 cumulative GPA, advanced proficiency on the TEAS
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 100% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  8. Rutgers University-Camden
    Location

    Camden, NJ

    Tuition

    $12279

    The bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program at Rutgers University-Camden equips students with the education, critical thinking skills, and social awareness to advance into the professional nursing field. Rutgers-Camden's BSN program blends liberal arts academics, hands-on clinical work, and virtual simulation to prepare nursing students to take the next step in their nursing careers.

    This four-year BSN program has three paths: traditional, internal transfer, and external transfer. After completing the 126-credit curriculum, students qualify to take the NCLEX exam to launch their nursing careers.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
    • Campus: Camden, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $442 per credit for New Jersey residents; $918 per credit for out-of-state students
    • Admission Requirements: Transcripts, completed online application
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 97% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  9. Caldwell University
    Location

    Caldwell, NJ

    Caldwell University's bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program is one of the best nursing programs in New Jersey at providing a comprehensive curriculum that can give students an edge in the modern nursing field. It combines a liberal arts foundation with a scientifically based nursing core curriculum complete with clinical fieldwork backed by advanced technology.

    This BSN program has three tracks: Second Degree (Track I), Traditional (Track II), and Transfer (Track III). Track number I accommodates students with BAs in other fields. To earn the BSN, they must complete 25 credits of nursing prerequisites and the 61 credits of nursing core courses. Track II and Track III students must satisfy the entire 125 credit program requirement.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
    • Campus: Caldwell, New Jersey
    • Type: Private
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $725 per credit
    • Admission Requirements: Official transcripts; personal resume, letter of recommendation, 3.2 GPA (Track I), 2.75 (Track II); 3.0 (Track III), SAT 1080/ACT 21 (Track II)
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 2 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 98% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid
  10. William Paterson University of New Jersey
    Location

    Wayne, NJ

    Tuition

    $14992

    Nationally ranked, William Paterson University of New Jersey offers a four-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) that provides full- and part-time options for aspiring nurses. After nursing students complete the program's general education portion, they can begin the nursing prefixed courses. Part-time students can graduate in four years if they choose a schedule that clusters certain classes together.

    William Paterson students can take core curriculum classes during the day, at night, on weekends, or online. However, the nursing classes are mostly available during the day. Some of the nursing classes are cultural foundations of nursing, dimensions of public health, and nursing research. Clinic agencies throughout New Jersey host William Paterson clinical labs courses.

    • Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
    • Campus: Wayne, New Jersey
    • Type: Public
    • Accreditations: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    • Tuition: $742 per credit (in-state) $1,157 per credit (out-of-state)
    • Admission Requirements: High school transcript (freshmen), official college transcript (transfers), completed application
    • Minimum Time Commitment: 4 years
    • On-Campus Requirements: Yes
    • School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 89.5% first-time pass rate
    • School Site: Tuition | Financial aid

Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Nursing Programs

How do I become a BSN in New Jersey?

To earn a BSN and become an RN in New Jersey, you must first attend an undergraduate nursing program. Upon completion of the program, you must take the NCLEX-RN to be eligible for state licensure. After passing the exam and completing a background check, you then submit your application to the New Jersey Board of Nursing for approval.

How long is nursing school in New Jersey?

There are two degree options available for those looking to become an RN in New Jersey: an associate degree and a bachelor's degree. An ADN takes two years to complete, whereas a BSN program takes four years. Both degrees make graduates eligible to take the NCLEX and apply for RN licensure.

What is the fastest you can get a BSN?

The fastest way to earn a BSN without prior college education is to complete a four-year program. Those with a non-nursing bachelor's degree can enroll in an accelerated BSN program, which they can finish in 16-24 months. RNs with an ADN can enroll in an RN-to-BSN program, which takes as little as 12-16 months to complete.

Is earning a BSN worth it in New Jersey?

Earning a BSN and working in New Jersey can be beneficial. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, RNs in New Jersey earn $89,690 per year, placing them within the top 10 of all states. New Jersey is also in the top 15 states concerning employment levels, with Newark and Camden being two of the largest metropolitan areas in the country to employ RNs.


Explore Other Top Nursing Programs

Popular Resources

Resources and articles written by professionals and other nurses like you.