10 Best Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs in 2023

[chare]

I'm curious, how exactly did you determine that these are the "10 Best Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs in 2023?"

[londonflo]

Some show great admission rate, poor completion/graduation rate. Inversely, there are schools with a low admission rate, but great completion rate. But is was an interesting article to read!!

[Erin Lee, BSN, RN]

chare said:

I'm curious, how exactly did you determine that these are the "10 Best Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs in 2023?"

Hi @chare great question! The school rankings are based on "Allnurses' methodology of surveying our readers to understand what they value most while selecting schools, with the addition of graduation rates, student-faculty ratio, price, mode, duration, and admission rates of hundreds of the most prominent nursing schools in the United States.”

Additionally, all the schools listed here are accredited through CCNE or ACEN. Both of these programs accredit nursing education in the United States.

CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) and ACEN (Accreditation Commision for Education) are both national accrediting agency that ensures the quality and integrity of nursing programs. Accreditation through CCNE and ACEN is voluntary and sought by nursing schools that meet the rigorous standards set by the organizations, ensuring that these nursing programs have met professional standards for nursing education.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

I have no faith in the CCNE or the ACEN as indicators of quality.  There's a whole bunch of sub-par programs out there with these accreditations.   Graduate programs appear to be more lax with their parameters than undergrads.   

[Erin Lee, BSN, RN]

Thanks for sharing your insight. What would you personally look for when choosing a graduate-level program? 

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

Erin Lee said:

Thanks for sharing your insight. What would you personally look for when choosing a graduate-level program? 

I'll go through your list:  Western Governors - 100% admission rate - nah; 42:1 faculty ratio - nah.  Why are the NP programs blocked from so many states and why didn't they tell us the reasons?

Troy State - the acceptance rate is 92% - nah.  But they do mention that the FNP students MAY have to actually visit the Troy campus five times during the program.  That's a good thing but they mention nothing about clinicals and whether they  provide preceptors.  Reasonable price but they don't mention the student:faculty ratio.

U of A - no red flags here.  They provide a legal contract with their preceptors and I'm thinking that's why they limit the lincenses to certain states.

Ft. Hayes doesn't have any clinical masters' so I don't care:) They do have a good faculty to student ratio and the price is reasonable for a non-clinical degree.

Johns Hopkins - Extremely expensive and competitive but you are getting a 7:1 faculty:student ratio so you're paying a lot of money for a lot of instruction.  Not a bad deal if you can afford it.

USC- charges Ivy League prices and is honest that they may require time spent in Columbia.  They didn't state their faculty ratios.  The acceptance rate is 91% which is too high for a state school.  But with those tuitions prices, they are competing with the for-profits instead of providing for their own citizens., IMHO.

Maryville - how can they put out clinical practitioners with only 41 to to 50 credits?  How many clinical hours are they getting?

NYU - see JHopkins.  They appear to be low in the number of credits but I did notice that these are year around programs without Summer breaks.  I think they are getting low credit numbers because of the numbers of clinical hours required for 1 credit.  I would go for it if funds weren't a problem but I'm prejudiced because I knew a few instructors who worked there.

Appalachian State - looks good.  Low tuition with good faculty ratios.

 

U of T - See U of SC.  Completely non-selective and extremely high tuition rates even for Texans.  Looks like a for-profit with big costs vs. low instruction.

 

And this concludes my humble opinion (hey, you asked:)  I think a smart and motivated student can do well across hundreds of colleges, but the issue (for me) is are you getting what you are paying for?  I went to an Ivy League (mainly because it was the only place close to home) and paid a lot of money (married, no scholarships) but I only had 9 students in my class and boy, did we have instructors at our sides who watched us go from frightened beginners to becoming at least safe if not elegant, practitioners in 24 months.  I get it, not everyone has the advantage of no children, a good paying job awaiting my graduation, close location, etc) so we are going to have to dive into online education to get practitioners into the more rural areas.  But I just despise seeing students being screwed just because the school can get those kind of unearned fees.  But I believe that the best signs are schools that are reasonable competitive (accept no more than around 60 % or so,  have faculty whose main employer is that school, faculty that follows your progress through your time in that school, contracted preceptors ...you know, the things that the student is paying for.  And I have no respect for our accreditors who allow anything else to produce clinical practitioners.

[londonflo]

Erin Lee said:

The cost of the MSN program with WGU will vary depending upon multiple factors, primarily the ability to move through coursework at an individualized rate—the faster you complete the program, the less you will pay.

I never interpreted  "an  individualized program to be like a horserace the faster you complete the program, the less you will pay."

I thought an individualized program would be tailored to YOU the student, not a canned, 'same to everyone curriculum'   and to anybody who pays the fees (100% admitted) 

[Erin Lee, BSN, RN]

londonflo said:

I never interpreted  "an  individualized program to be like a horserace the faster you complete the program, the less you will pay."

I thought an individualized program would be tailored to YOU the student, not a canned, 'same to everyone curriculum'   and to anybody who pays the fees (100% admitted) 

I share the same perspective; it's not about a horserace. WGU stands out for its notable advantages, particularly the extensive support and guidance offered to MSN students through dedicated mentors.

Moreover, the flexibility provided by WGU allows MSN students to conveniently work on their coursework at any time, including tests and projects, thanks to 24/7 access to courses.

Another noteworthy aspect is the individualized rates based on semesters rather than credits. This unique approach enables students who prefer a more accelerated pace to complete additional work within a shorter timeframe, leading to significant cost savings in their overall education expenses. Considering the ever-increasing costs of education, this benefit is truly remarkable and sets WGU apart.

[Erin Lee, BSN, RN]

@subdee, I appreciate you sharing your valuable perspective.

I would like to address a few points in response to your feedback.

Regarding the state requirements for APRNs, it is indeed common for different APRN programs to align with specific state regulations. This variation exists because each state has its own set of requirements and scope of practice for APRNs. Consequently, some programs may not directly transfer for licensure in another state due to these differences.

I understand your concern about accreditation, and I want to assure you that any accredited program must meet the minimum practice hour requirement of 500 hours for MSN APRNs. Accreditation ensures that the program meets certain standards, including the fulfillment of necessary practice hours. Without meeting these requirements, the program would not receive accreditation.

On a personal note, I have a friend who successfully completed a dual NP Program at NYU, and she had no complaints about her experience with the program. This is merely anecdotal evidence, but it provides some positive insight into the quality of certain programs.

It's important to remember that perceptions of program suitability can vary among individuals. Just because someone may not find a particular program worthy does not mean it won't be an excellent fit for someone else. The selection of these programs was based on various factors and considerations.

Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts and contributing to the discussion.

Best regards

 

[londonflo]

Erin Lee said:

he individualized rates based on semesters rather than credits. This unique approach enables students who prefer a more accelerated pace to complete additional work within a shorter timeframe, leading to significant cost savings in their overall education expenses.

Yes, I appreciate the individualized rates but there is a reason that graduate school is paced. You need time to learn, reflect and time to infuse the information into your brain and further practice. Rushing through a program gets you the credits but at the end the learned graduate may feel it is all a blur.

Perhaps I am judging my 2 year, in person program to be the best. I did  do a thesis at the end (seems no one does a REAL thesis anymore) which is  not a capstone. Even DNP programs have capstones instead of dissertations. Capstones instead of real research have really cheapened both those degrees. How can you say you 'mastered' a subject if you did not produce a research study to add to the nursing body of knowledge? 

Oh well I cannot go tilting at windmills...I truly wish you best wishes on your program. 

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

Erin Lee said:

@subdee, I appreciate you sharing your valuable perspective.

I would like to address a few points in response to your feedback.

Regarding the state requirements for APRNs, it is indeed common for different APRN programs to align with specific state regulations. This variation exists because each state has its own set of requirements and scope of practice for APRNs. Consequently, some programs may not directly transfer for licensure in another state due to these differences.

I understand your concern about accreditation, and I want to assure you that any accredited program must meet the minimum practice hour requirement of 500 hours for MSN APRNs. Accreditation ensures that the program meets certain standards, including the fulfillment of necessary practice hours. Without meeting these requirements, the program would not receive accreditation.

On a personal note, I have a friend who successfully completed a dual NP Program at NYU, and she had no complaints about her experience with the program. This is merely anecdotal evidence, but it provides some positive insight into the quality of certain programs.

It's important to remember that perceptions of program suitability can vary among individuals. Just because someone may not find a particular program worthy does not mean it won't be an excellent fit for someone else. The selection of these programs was based on various factors and considerations.

Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts and contributing to the discussion.

Best regards

 

500 hours is laughable and inadequate.  Sorry to be so blunt here but I don't know how else to express it.  It's unfair to the student as well as the patients.  The CRNA's have close to 2,600 hours so that's a hugh difference.  Is primary care really so easy compared to anesthesia that they can graduate and be prepared to perform adequately right out of the program?  I do not believe that to be true.  NP's will have more responsibility in the future than they have now.