Online Master’s Degrees in Nursing
Increase your leadership capacity.
Pursue Management and Leadership
Whether you’re moving from your bachelor’s to your master’s or looking for a comprehensive program that will take you from your associate in nursing all the way to the master’s level, American College of Education (ACE) has affordable, CCNE-accredited Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) options to help you reach your educational and career goals. Featuring fully online courses and local practicum opportunities, you can earn your MSN on your schedule while working full-time.
Skills and Knowledge Gained
If you aspire to administration, management or leadership roles within nursing, you’ll need additional skills beyond direct patient care. An MSN degree can help you gain those skills. Here’s a quick list of just some of the additional knowledge and skills you’ll gain by pursuing an MSN:
- Coordinating complex systems-based practice
- Utilizing technological systems to drive decision-making
- Health policy at the micro and macro systems levels
- Designing, implementing and evaluating teaching strategies
- Leadership and strategic management theories
- Budgeting, forecasting and managerial oversight
Nursing Career Alignment
Having an MSN on your resume can be very helpful when pursuing roles involving leadership, management or nurse education. You may find that you’re better qualified for nurse manager and director of nursing positions. Depending on program and state licensure requirements, an advanced degree like an MSN could also help you pursue Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) opportunities. Alternatively, you could use your experience and degree, subject to employer and regulatory requirements, to train the next generation of nurses by working as a faculty member at a nursing school or college of nursing.
Master’s Degree in Nursing Admission
Along with ACE’s general admission requirements, prospective MSN students must fulfill additional requirements depending on the pathway. For the RN to MSN program, you must hold an associate degree in nursing, a diploma in registered nursing or 90 semester credits. For the BSN to MSN program, you must hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Both MSN pathways require a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. We may grant provisional admission for a GPA of 2.0. You also must provide evidence of an active, unencumbered RN license. Additional documentation may be required to fulfill state requirements. Find detailed admission requirements for your program of interest on the program’s page.
*Source: Student Right to Know
Master’s Degree in Nursing FAQs
What is a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)?
An MSN is a graduate-level nursing degree that prepares nurses for advanced clinical, leadership, education and specialty roles. It can help nurses move beyond entry-level positions into roles with more responsibility and influence, and into situations where they can make a bigger impact on patient health.
Is a master’s in nursing worth it?
If your goal is to either become a nurse educator or advance into leadership within healthcare, an MSN is absolutely worth it.
How long does it take to complete an MSN program?
MSN programs vary in length. Something like an RN to MSN will take longer to complete, since you are completing both bachelor’s and master’s-level learning in one program. At ACE, our RN to MSN program takes 31 months to complete.1 A BSN to MSN will be shorter in length because you’ll be focused on just master’s-level coursework. At ACE, our BSN to MSN takes 16 months to complete.1
Can I earn an MSN without a BSN?
There are MSN pathways, like an RN to MSN, that can allow you to start working toward your MSN without first earning a BSN. However, those programs typically include the coursework you would have completed if you had first pursued a BSN.
It’s worth noting that not all RN to MSN programs will confer you with a separate BSN degree, even though you are completing BSN coursework. At ACE, we do, which means you’ll finish the RN to MSN program with two official degrees: your BSN and your MSN.
What is the salary for nurses with a master’s degree in nursing?
Nurses with master’s degrees in nursing typically make more than entry-level registered nurses or nurses with just a BSN. Actual salary can vary widely, since nurses with MSNs can pursue all manner of different positions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners – examples of positions that require a master’s degree in nursing – had a median annual salary of $132,050 in 2024.2 Compare this to the median annual salary for registered nurses, which BLS lists as $93,600 in 2024.3
1This is an estimated time to completion. Actual completion time may vary depending on the number of transfer credits applied, availability of courses, satisfactory pace, multiple course requests, successful course completion, and meeting program milestones as required.
2Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed Feb. 19, 2026.
3Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed Feb. 19, 2026.