Grand Canyon University

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Established in 1949 as a Baptist institution, Grand Canyon University has evolved into an interdenominational, Christian-centric university that embraces individuals of all faiths and backgrounds. From foundational pre-nursing courses to advanced practice levels, the university provides flexible learning options, including online classes, evening sessions, and satellite campuses in Arizona and New Mexico.

Discover Grand Canyon University

Allnurses Nursing School Ranking: B
2 reviews

Grand Canyon University is a public, non-profit State Institution offering 4 year or higher degrees.

  • Accreditations: ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education)
  • Available Formats: Hybrid, On-campus, and Online options available.
  • Tuition (books/fees not included):
    • Undergraduate: $43,226 (average)
    • Graduate: $30,100

University Statistics

  • Acceptance Rate: 60%
  • Graduation Rate: 47%

Contact Info

College data is sourced directly from the U.S. Department of Education. For a detailed understanding of how institutions are evaluated, please review our Rankings Methodology. The displayed tuition figure represents an average cost across all nursing programs featured below.

Grand Canyon University Nursing Programs

  • Accelerated BSN

  • Hybrid BSN Program
  • $53,550 In-State Tuition
  • 63 Credits
  • 16 Months
  • 3.00 GPA Required

  • Family Nurse Practitioner FNP

  • Online MSN to Post Grad Certificate Program
  • $27,750 In-State Tuition
  • 37 Credits
  • 24 Months
  • 3.00 GPA Required
  • 675 Clincal Hours

  • Nurse Educator

  • Online BSN to MSN Program
  • $21,600 In-State Tuition
  • 36 Credits
  • 24 Months
  • 3.00 GPA Required

  • Nurse Informatics

  • Online BSN to MSN Program
  • $24,000 In-State Tuition
  • 40 Credits
  • 24 Months
  • 3.00 GPA Required

  • RN to BSN

  • Online BSN Program
  • $10,200 In-State Tuition
  • 30 Credits
  • 14 Months
  • 3.00 GPA Required

  • Traditional BSN

  • On-Campus BSN Program
  • $65,928 In-State Tuition
  • 123 Credits
  • 48 Months
  • 3.00 GPA Required

Student Demographics

  • 31 Average Age
  • 30% Men
  • 70% Women
  • 1% Veterans
  • 75% White
  • 16% Hispanic
  • 10% Black
  • 3% Asian
  • 68,619 Undergraduate Students
  • 36,634 Graduate Students

Grand Canyon University, a proprietary university, was founded in 1949 as a Baptist university. Today, GCU is an interdenominational, Christian-based university with a Christian foundation, though it welcomes students from all backgrounds. The university offers programs from pre-nursing to advanced practice levels. Courses are available online, evenings, and at satellite locations in Arizona and New Mexico.

Academic Programs

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Pre-Licensure) degree program prepares students at the undergraduate level to become Registered Nurses (RN) as part of a healthcare team in a variety of healthcare settings. After completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam then apply in their respective states to seek licensure as an RN.

Admission Acceptance: Admission into the nursing program is competitive and relies significantly on the pre-requisite GPA and minimum HESI scores. To be accepted for admission to campus or online undergraduate programs, the applicant must submit acceptable high school or college transcripts.  If unable to meet required GPA, applicants may be accepted with eligible test scores.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing — RN to BSN

Registered nurses who have previously obtained an associate degree in nursing, diploma, or certification (international nurses only) are eligible for the RN-BSN program. The format and courses of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions' BSN are tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and flexible enough to let the nurse keep working.

Graduate

Bridge Programs — RN to MSN

All Graduate admission requirements are backed on unweighted GPA and/or GRE or GMAT scores.

The following online nursing bridge programs, offered by the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, are for nurses who have a previous baccalaureate degree, not in nursing, and would like to obtain a Master of Science (MSN) degree.

  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Healthcare Informatics
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Public Health
  • Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology
  • Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner
  • MBA and MSN with an Emphasis in Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Specialties

  • Master of Business Administration & Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Healthcare Informatics
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Leadership in Health Care Systems
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education
  • Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Public Health
  • Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology
  • Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner

Post-Master's Certificates

  • Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology Certificate
  • Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
  • Nursing Education Certificate

Doctor of Nursing Practice — DNP

Grand Canyon University's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree prepares nurses who lead in a specialty focus.  They apply evidence-based research to help create positive impacts on health policy and population.  The program consists of curriculum aligned to AACN essentials for DNP nursing.

DNP with an Emphasis in Educational Leadership

Students must complete practice immersion and project hours on a clinical site.

Doctoral Admission Requirements (not all inclusive)

  • Earned a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution with an overall GPA of 3.4 or higher. GPA less than 3.4 may be conditionally accepted
  • Earned a master's from a regionally accredited institution with an overall GPA of 3.4 or higher. GPA  3.0 - 3.39 will be conditional

General Graduate Admission Requirements (not all inclusive)

  • Undergraduate degree from an approved accredited college or program
  • 2.8 GPA or higher
  • Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT): 500
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE): 1,000 combined verbal/quantitative, prior to August 2011; 300 combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011
  • Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission

NCLEX Pass Rates

  • Arizona BSN: 91.5%

New Mexico BSN: 75%

Accreditation

Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited the College of Nursing and Health Professionals programs including accreditation of the BSN, MSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees.

 

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mom_of_three_2023

   2 of 2 members found this review helpful 2 / 2 members

I recently graduated from the RN to BSN Program at GCU (online). Overall it was a good experience, and it fit my schedule well. I completed the program in roughly 14 months.

What I liked:

  • Teachers were above average and easily accessible for questions
  • Clinical placement was solid, and I had no problems
  • Overall structure and flexibility

What could be improved:

  • For an online school, I was surprised to find out a lot of their technology was in need of improvement

Overall, I'd recommend GCU's RN to BSN Program for anyone looking to earn their BSN quickly at a relatively affordable price. 

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nbh818

I almost attended their Las Vegas program. I rescinded my admissions offer after discovering how much the admissions counselors hide from students.

1. They have a 47% graduation rate. They do not disclose this and instead tell incoming students it's not something they track. 

2. Many states do not accept a degree from GCU. I would have been unable to return to CA to take the NCLEX. They did not disclose this at any point and even tried to brush it off when I confronted them directly. 

3. Multiple girls on social media have come forward discussing professors conducting inappropriate uniform checks involving them being forced to bend over to check for panty lines among other things. This was something I brought up to the school while contemplating rescinding my offer and the male Admissions Supervisor I spoke to told me "Those women are lying, that wouldn't happen here." Hearing that was enough to cause me to officially rescind my offer and end the call. 

I figured I would just put this out here for anyone considering the school. This applies to admissions alone. Please take this into consideration when speaking with admissions and good luck on your nursing journey!

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